拜祖先
Qing Ming Festival
What is it Qing Ming Festival
Qing Ming Festival is a period to honour and pay respect to ancestors and family members who have passed on.
Why do we observe it
Filial piety is a core value in Chinese culture. Thus, it is an important day to show respect to our ancestors and commemorate those who have left us, whether relatives or loved ones. It also serves as a yearly excursion and tradition for extended families to spend meaningful time together.
When is it
It falls between 4-6 April each year, 108th day after winter solstice in the Chinese lunar calendar. Visits can be made within 10 days before or after Qing Ming.
How to participate
During Qing Ming, families visit cemeteries and columbaria to pay homage to their ancestors.
- For those visiting graves, it is a time for annual tidying of the gravesites. This includes trimming the overgrown grass and removing the weeds, as well as refreshing the tombstone by cleaning and repainting faded engravings.
- Pay respects to the ancestors by kneeling or bowing before the grave or niche, holding lighted joss sticks with both hands. Make food, incense and paper offerings by laying them out, which typically include traditional food dishes and the lighting of red candles. Lastly, joss paper and paper gifts which are paper replicas of a wide range of objects are burnt.
- After the rites are completed, the food is brought home and families would gather to enjoy the meal.
拜祖先
清明节
清明节是什么
清明节是华人传统节日中最重要的祭祀节日，是祭祖和扫墓的日子。
为何要履行仪式
孝道是我们华人的传统美德，而清明节正是向祖先致敬、悼念已逝的亲人的一个节日，也是家族成员每年聚首、欢度时光的好机会。
什么时候
清明节是在农历冬至之后的第106天，一般在阳历4月4日至6日之间。扫墓活动通常是在清明节的前10天至后10天。
如何参与
在这一年一度的祭祖节期间，家庭成员会一起到祖坟、灵骨塔扫墓祭拜祖先。
- 大家通常一大清早就会前往扫墓。 首先，要将坟墓上的杂草除去、把墓园打扫干净、为褪色的墓碑文字补上漆，让祖墓焕然一新。
- 接着，要叩头行礼祭拜。拜祖先时，要用双手拿着香，在灵位前跪拜或鞠躬。把携带的酒食果品、金银纸等物品供祭在亲人墓前，再将金银纸和纸制祭品焚化。
- 仪式完成后，把食物带回家与家人共餐。
Why do people pray during the 7th Month Ghost Festival?
- Pay respect to wandering spirits – It is believed that spirits roam freely during this month. Offerings show kindness and reduce disturbances.
- Seek protection and peace – Praying asks for safety, smooth luck, and protection from negative energy.
- Accumulate good karma – Making offerings is a compassionate act that brings blessings.
- Honor ancestors – Families remember and care for deceased loved ones.
- Maintain harmony – Rituals promote balance between the spiritual and human worlds.
In short, people pray to show respect, receive blessings, and keep peace during this spiritually sensitive period.
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拜好兄弟
7th Month Ghost Festival
Why do people pray during the 7th Month Ghost Festival?
During the 7th Month Ghost Festival (Hungry Ghost Festival), prayers are offered for several important spiritual and cultural reasons:
During the 7th Month Ghost Festival (Hungry Ghost Festival), prayers are offered for several important spiritual and cultural reasons:
1. Pay respect to wandering spirits – It is believed that spirits roam freely during this month. Offerings show kindness and reduce disturbances.
2. Seek protection and peace – Praying asks for safety, smooth luck, and protection from negative energy.
3. Accumulate good karma – Making offerings is a compassionate act that brings blessings.
4. Honor ancestors – Families remember and care for deceased loved ones.
5. Maintain harmony – Rituals promote balance between the spiritual and human worlds.
拜好兄弟
七月鬼节期间祈拜的原因是什么？
在农历七月鬼节（中元节）期间，人们祈拜主要有以下几个原因：
1. 安抚孤魂野鬼 – 相传这个月阴间之门开启，亡魂来到人间，供奉可表达善意，减少干扰。
2. 祈求平安顺利 – 祈拜是为了保佑家人平安、运势顺畅，远离不好的气场。
3. 累积福德功德 – 布施供养是一种善行，可为自己和家人积累福报。
4. 祭拜祖先 – 借此机会缅怀先人，表达孝心与思念。
5. 维持阴阳和谐 – 通过仪式保持人与灵界之间的平衡与安宁。
简而言之，七月祭祀是为了表达尊重、祈求保佑，以及保持身心与环境的平安。
搬家仪式
Shifting into a new house
What is it about
The all-important, highly anticipated life event that you desire to have an auspicious start. And you faintly remember the elderly reminding you that there are some door opening rituals you ought to follow… …
Why do we observe it
To bring prosperity, wealth, good fortune, health, happiness and everything good to a new home. Most importantly, for peace of mind.
When is it
Choose an auspicious date and time based on The Chinese Almanac Calendar, taking into account the birth details of all the occupants. For those who prefer greater assurance (aka more kiasu), you may wish to consult a Feng Shui Master who will also advise you on the Chinese customs to follow.
How to participate
There are many variations on the procedures for the door opening ceremony, here’s some common practices to share for reference
- When you first enter the house, bring along a pineapple. As the Hokkien word for pineapple is ong lai, which also means welcoming prosperity, a pineapple is to be rolled in and around the house (using your best bowling skills) while shouting auspicious phrases such as “HUAT AH”, in the hope of good fortune will roll in along as well.
- All family members should also carry something auspicious as they each enter the house. Fresh fruits with good significance such as apples (symbolise safety), oranges (symbolise prosperity), pomegranates (symbolise opportunities), and peaches (symbolise good health) make excellent choices. A list of other ritual items are also to be brought and placed together with the fruits in the middle of the living room. They include: Huat Kueh, red candles, joss paper, and joss sticks.
- Next, open all the doors and windows of your house to renew and cleanse the space with positive energy. Furthermore, this is done to circulate fresh air and bring sunlight into the home, in which both are nature's best disinfectants.
- Turn on all the taps, stoves, lights and electrical appliances to signify the start of a prosperous new life in this place. This also serves as a great way to check that everything in the household is functioning well.
- And while the stove is on, set a kettle on it to boil some water. This symbolises that your home is flourishing and will be filled with warmth and wealth.
- Finally, as an act of blessing the home, mix some green beans with uncooked rice, sea salt and Tie Guan Yin tea leaves and scatter these all around the house. Salt and tea leaves are believed to chase away the evils, rice represents abundance while green beans symbolise lots of offspring. As with all things that bring good luck, the more the merrier!
Now you are ready for a fresh beginning at your new home.
搬家儀式
乔迁新居
什么日子
乔迁之喜是人生一大美事。尤其长辈特别交代过，搬家是一个慎重的日子，不能随意、更不能马虎，必须举行入宅仪式，开个吉利兆头。
为何要履行仪式
举行入宅仪式是为了确保搬入新家后的生活能过的顺顺利利、平平安安，从此财源广进、富贵吉祥。然而最重要的，还是为了能住得安心。
什么时候
搬家时需查询通书来选定吉时吉日开门，日子一定要符合全家人的生辰八字。若想要万无一失，可以请教风水先生指点。
什么日子
乔迁之喜是人生一大美事。尤其长辈特别交代过，搬家是一个慎重的日子，不能随意、更不能马虎，必须举行入宅仪式，开个吉利兆头。
如何参与
入宅仪式可繁可简，在这里和大家分享一些常见的准备事项：
- 第一次进新屋时，要滚凤梨和说些吉利的话来旺屋，如：开门大吉、身体健康、事事顺利、平安发财、发啊！福建人称凤梨为“旺来”，寓意发财的意思。因此把凤梨满屋滚，是为了让好运滚滚来。
每个家庭成员在进入屋内时，要手拿吉祥物品。新鲜水果如苹果（象征平安）、橙子（象征繁荣）、石榴（象征机遇）和桃子（象征健康）都是很好的选择。把水果和其他上香祭祖要准备的供品和物件包括发糕、红烛、金银纸和香一起摆放在客厅的中间。 - 将屋里所有的门和窗户打开，让空气流通，同时也使霉气离开。大量阳光和新鲜空气是天然最好的清新剂。
开启家里所有的电器、风扇、水龙头和火炉，将全屋亮灯，寓意灯火通明、风生水起，也可借此顺便检查家里一切运作良好。 - 煮一壶开水,寓意生活蒸蒸日上、财源滚滚。
将绿豆、大米、海盐和铁观音混合在一起并散落在房子周围。 盐和茶叶被认为可以消除邪恶、大米代表丰衣足食、而绿豆象征着子孙满堂。
入宅仪式完毕！新的生活、新的开始，祝您一切安好。