RITUALS TO BE CARRIED OUT BEFORE MOVING IN

This afternoon, I went and consulted a couple of people who were well-versed with the Taoist rituals that are to be carried out before moving into a new house. This people have been giving advice to others for many years and so I made sure that I copied everything down.

Here is what I have to do on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month which is on the 16th of September, 2010.

APPEASING THE LAND DEITIES-
OFFERING ITEMS FOR PRAYERS TO THE FOUR CORNERS

1. At 6.30 p.m. light 15 joss-sticks and holding the other prayer offerings (can be purchased at the prayer paraphernalia shop) , face the main door. Starting from the right side, bow three times at the far right corner, then go to the right corner at the back and bow, then the next two corners of the living room and finally the centre.  After that proceed to exit the house and the main gate. 
2. There on the right corner of the entrance, place 5 mounds of cooked rice.  Pickled mustard leaves, a piece of brown tofu, an orange cut into 5 portions are to placed on each mound of cooked rice (which means 5 oranges, 5 brown tofu and 1 can of pickled mustard leaves).  A bunch of bananas is to be placed in front of the offerings.
3. Place the joss-sticks on a mound of earth where 5 pairs of red candles have been placed, 5 cups of tea, and then burn the paper offerings.

CLEANSING THE HOUSE

1. When the prayers to the land deities have been carried out, next get a pail of water (the pail must be new) filled with 7 coloured flowers and pomelo leaves.  Then place the ashes of the paper charm (supplied by the sifu at the temple) into the pail of water and then carry the pail of water into the house.  First enter from the outside and side sprinkling the water in all the corners of the house including the toilets and kitchen and then proceed to go out again with the pail of the water to scatter the water from inside to the outside.  Then finally pour the rest of the water in the pail at the main gate. 
2. After that cleanse the house with the black and blue beans and rice in the house.
3. Then smoke the house by lighting a piece of kemenyan (Styrax incense) by circumambulating once in all the places.  After that, place the kemenyan on the front porch.
4. The last step is to paste the paper talisman given by sifu on the top of the door for protection.

Please note that the rituals for praying to the four corners and also cleansing the house may vary.