When I was at the temple on Sunday, I saw this tray containing two bulbs of garlic, one bunch of celery and one bunch of spring onion together with some Fatt Koe (Prosperity Cakes) and oranges. These are offerings to the Chinese Deity Wen Chang. The lady who had brought along the things was going to pray to this Chinese God of Literature, Books, Writing,Wisdom, Education and Learning.
Actually, one can pray to Wen Chang all year round but the date has to be an auspicious one. Parents do it in the hopes of the blessing of their children with stronger willpower and diligence to study. Spring onions with roots (homophonic to the word intelligence), cloves of garlic with roots (similar in sound to thoughtfulness) and celery with roots (symbolic of diligence) are the staples offered to Wen Chang.
Below is an article on Taiwanese students praying to Wen Chang before taking the college entrance examination.
PRAYING FOR SUCCESS
A teenager planning to take the national college entrance exam holds up a plate of spring onions, celery and garlic -- symbols of intelligence, diligence and thoughtfulness -- as well as a copy of his examination pass to worship the deity Wenchang at the Wenchang Shrine in Taipei yesterday in the hope of doing well on his exam. The entrance exams begin tomorrow.Feb 01, 2007
PHOTO: CNA
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