On the Folk Beliefs of Traditional China People in the Lion City (Ⅳ)

When I first came to Singapore, what impressed me the most was the religion here, especially the Taoism of traditional Chinese.

When traveling in the city, I found that in this small country, religious places can be seen everywhere: Catholic churches, Hui churches, Hindu temples and Buddhist temples. ......

There is also a shrine under the quiet and low-key tree: a red shrine with fruit offerings and incense sticks next to it. Mr. Wang said that the god of confession is Uncle Gong. He found me at a loss, so he added, Duke Lu.

In other words, the Nanyang name of the earth god is Uncle Gong. I know dad Lu because of Monkey Brother in Journey to the West. When he couldn't find the monster, he called "Old Land Son". Otherwise, I don't know if I have a chance to know this, because Taoist culture has already quietly declined after China experienced the impact of the break between capitalism and western thought.

After I settled in the Lion City, I saw more folk Taoist customs that originated in China.

Every year on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, there will be a bustling crowd in Basha. Many people hold long sugar cane in their hands, because the children on the ninth day of the ninth day began to worship the gods.

God is the Jade Emperor, and the ninth day of the first lunar month is his birthday. There are ceremonies to celebrate Taoist temples all over the country, but people in Fujian and Taiwan Province Province pay more respect to sugarcane. It is said that this matter originated in the Ming Dynasty. During the Spring Festival, the ancestors of Fujian Province hid in sugarcane fields to escape the war. They think this is a blessing from God, so besides offering other rich sacrifices, sugar cane will be put on this festival to show gratitude, which also indicates the continuous rise.

Before I came to the Lion City, I knew that every July and a half, my parents would burn paper money for my ancestors. This period is "the first three and the last four", that is, the first three days to the last four days of the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, which is called "Ghost Festival" by the people.

In the Lion City, it is called the Mid-Autumn Festival. Another difference is that the local Chinese worship throughout the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Every year on the first day of the seventh lunar month, people will light candles and burn paper money downstairs. They not only burn paper money for their ancestors, but also prepare paper money sacrifices for ghosts. The busiest day is the last day of July. It is said that the ghost door will be closed, so there will be candlelight on the roadside and fire will shine in the iron bucket.

In order to protect the safety of residents and maintain environmental sanitation, the Singapore government has placed iron drums under each group house, and believers can put paper money into it.

People in China not only burn paper money downstairs, but also the neighborhood and some companies and enterprises will gather people to raise money, buy sacrifices to worship at the gate of the community, company or building downstairs, and then distribute them to everyone after the worship.

Some enterprises and groups will set up tents, set up singing platforms and perform various local dramas and dances to sacrifice the dead. Here, the deceased is named "good brother", and the first row of chairs near the stage must be empty and reserved for "good brother".

China people in Lion City will even try to avoid marriage and housewarming during this period ... This taboo is believed to affect the sales of some industries, but incense shops, song hosts and performers will make a lot of money.

This month can best reflect the tolerance and harmony between different races in Singapore, because burnt candles are inserted on both sides of the path under the house, paper money floating out of the iron bucket falls to the ground, and foreigners have no complaints.

In China, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival, which is also the government's statutory festival for the elderly. But in Singapore, this day is a big day for Taoism-the return of the Nine Emperors.

It is said that the belief in the Nine Emperors is the belief in Beidou, which originated from the worship of stars in the Han Dynasty in China. Beidou has nine planets (seven bright and two hidden), and the nine emperors represent these nine planets. Celebrating the birthdays of the nine emperors began on September 1st and lasted until September 9th, but actually began on the last night of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Because they are going to see the Nine Emperors at the seaside, believers must be vegetarian and abstain from sex during this period to show their piety.

Compared with "worshipping God" and "celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival", the birthday of the Nine Emperors is only celebrated within the scope of believers. My home is the only way for them to meet the Nine Emperors on the east bank of Bangor Goose. At this time of the year, the motorcade decorated with colored lights is a process of beating gongs and drums.

I didn't know until I came to Singapore that if I had a birthday or a fleeting time, I would go to the temple to worship Tai Sui, the god of age and in charge of good and bad luck. Before the winter, I had to go back to Kaichun Temple and Tai Sui's side on the solstice, just to thank Tai Sui for his blessing.

The temples I visited in Tai Sui include Shuanglin Temple, Chive Ba City God Temple, Yuehai Qing Temple, and Luoyang Dabogong ... There are many large and small temples in Singapore, all of which don't accept tickets, and the merit box is quietly placed on the side. In the past, believers and non-believers donated money.

I remember when I was traveling in Japan, I was very surprised at the Japanese's respect for their national religion, Shinto. Because this is a country that spares no effort to learn advanced western science and technology, but 80% of Japanese believe in Shinto. I don't know the specific difference between Taoism and Shintoism, but on the surface, they are also polytheists and believe in animism.

Sacrifice activities held in Japanese shrines will attract many tourists because it is part of their national culture.

Taoism is actually a part of our national culture, but it has declined. Fortunately, some of them have taken root overseas, including Singapore.

Tourism Singapore is vigorously promoting Singapore as a single tourist destination. I think some ancient temples and their sacrificial activities are far more attractive than Chinatown, which is decorated as a commercial street, and also represent the cultural characteristics of local traditional Chinese: "Respect everything, live in harmony with heaven and earth, believe that good and evil are rewarded, and fear the gods ...".