PRAYING TO THE FOUR CORNERS OF A NEW HOUSE

The prayer offerings to the Earth Deity - chinese tea, biscuits, sweets, rice, tofu, oranges and bananas.

Me carrying out the instructions given by the sifu

Prayer paraphernalis for the Earth Deities

After praying and bowing to the Deities at the 4 corners, the prayer offerings are burnt.

Lai Yoong is helping me with the prayer ceremony

Many of those who are taoists, often pray to all the earth deities at the four corners of their new home before moving in.  Offering prayers to the four corners is etiquette in greeting the Deity of the Earth  (Tu Di Gong) who resides there.  
At around 6.30 p.m. today, I offered prayers to the Earth Deities before I can move my things into the house.  The method that I used was taught by my sifu and differs from the conventional one that I know.  Many Taoists would divide the prayer items into four portions, placing three joss-sticks at each of the four corners and 9 at the centre of the main hall.  Similarly a pair of candles is placed at each corner and also the centre.  The joss paper is not only burnt at the centre of the house but also at the back.  That would conclude the prayer ceremony.
After that, a new broom is used to clean up the area.  One has to start from the four corners and sweep all the rubbish to the centre of the main hall.  After that the rubbish is disposed of at the front door.  This signifies the sweeping away of the bad forces.
According to the instructions given by my sifu, I just needed to take the joss-sticks together with the joss paper and then pray three times at each of the four corners and then at the centre of the house before placing the joss-sticks on the area to the left of my house. 
Actually, I know that Chinese of different dialect groups have different ways of praying to the Earth Deity.  What is most important is that when we pray, we do so with sincerity and utmost respect.