2012- The 9th Day of Chinese New Year - The Birthday of King of Heaven - Jade Emperor - auspicious time for prayers.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
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According to Taoism (Daoism), the Jade Emperor lives in the 33rd heaven and governs 33 heavens; so he is the king of heavens. To celebrate his birthday, Chinese prepare three bundles of long noodle, three tea cup with green tea, five different kinds of fruit and six different kinds of dry vegetables to worship Jade Emperor. But people also prepare five animal sacrifices, different sweet cakes and turtle cake (turtle is a symbol of longevity) on a different table for Jade Emperor's guardian soldiers.
This day is especially important to Hokkiens. Offerings will include sugarcane as it was the sugarcane that had protected the Hokkiens from certain extermination generations ago. Incense, tea, fruit, vegetarian food or roast pig, and paper gold is served as a customary protocol for paying respect to an honored person.
To show the sincerity, many people take bath on the 8th lunar night, then wait for the first minute of 9th lunar day to begin the ceremony with their clean body. After the ceremony, Chinese explode the firecrackers. That's why we can hear the scattered sound of fire crackers from midnight to sunrise. The temple of Jade Emperor will be crowded as the Chinese New Year day since the night of 8th lunar day for those people unable to hold the worship event at home. For the same purpose, Chinese always pray for better luck, safety, health, love or money, when they visit the temple.
Listed here is the auspicious time for prayers.
1) Between 12.00am to 12.59am; Clash with horse (中).
2) Between 01.00am to 02.59am; Clash with Ram (中).
3) Between 03.00am to 4.59am; Clash with Monkey (吉).
4) Between 05.00am to 6.59am; Clash with Rooster (吉).
5) Between 09.00am to 10.59am; Clash with Pig (吉).
6) Between 11.00am to 12.59am; Clash with Rat (吉).
(吉) - very auspicious; (中) - auspicious
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