Skip to main content

Gongteck Prayers Ceremony at Yishun Private Estate, Singapore

Ancestor worship is a religious practice based on the belief that bereaved family members have their continued existence. The act is a way to respect and to provide for the deceased welfare in the afterlife, which is envisioned as being similar to the earthly life. Being an important aspect of the Chinese tradition and practise, the social function of ancestor worship is therefore to cultivate kinship values like filial piety, family loyalty and continuity of the family lineage.



Ancestor worship is a family affair, it is held at home, ancestral temple and consists of offering joss stick, serving as communication and greetings to the deceased, prayers and offering items before tablet.



Rituals are performed to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Taoist ceremony for passed on formed part of ancestor worship which bereaved family members of the deceased would engage the service of taoist priest for prayers and acts of penance for the dead so as to offer the deceased a quest for spiritual enlightenment. Activities during the ceremony would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense and joss paper, papier-mache form of material items such as clothes, gold and other fine goods for the deceased. Elaborate meals would be served with empty seat for the deceased treating the deceased as if it is still living.

Labels:

Comments

  1. 李羅明道長March 11, 2013 at 10:56 AM

    Very great that you take the time and effort to put this material out in Chinese and English. It is a great attempt to reach out and give to others. I like about your site, you are offering direct experience and knowledge to unseen others. That is very admirable...by Jim Kemp

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Templing at Shi Hu Dong, Dehua County in Fujian Province China

The famous Zhang Gong Sheng Jun aka Fazhugong’s Mother Temple is located at Mount Shiniu of Dehua County. The cave approximately 1700 meters above sea level at Mount Shiniu also known as Shihudong. A folk tale is saying that the cave housed five ghosts in the past and finally being captured by Fazhugong and his two brothers. This deity with unkempt long hair and one hand carrying a sword but the other hand entangle with a snake. Shihudong’s air is fresh throughout the year. When you stand outside the cave and appreciate the beauty of large clouds, you would feel like the heaven on earth and comfort. During the temple celebration, many devotees come from China and Taiwan as well as Malaysia. They will wake up as early as possible and walk up to the cave so that to catch the sunrise outside Shihudong. The auspicious day one during the annual thanksgiving day, after our taoist priest beats a drum and follow by burning the crackle of gunfire hopes that all things go lucky to prosper. T
Post a Comment
Read more

Gongteck Prayers Ceremony at Klang Selangor, Malaysia

Ancestor worship is based on the belief that the bereaved family members of a deceased have a continued existence and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Early forms of ancestor worship were deeply rooted and extensively developed by the Late Neolithic Period in China. With the teaching of Confucianism and Taoism, religious traditions such as ancestor worship are becoming part and parcel of the daily activity of our Chinese descendant. The goal of ancestor worship is to ensure the ancestors' continued well-being in the netherworld and sometimes to ask for special favour or assistance. The social function of ancestor worship is to cultivate kinship values like filial piety, family loyalty, and continuity of the family lineage. Rituals of ancestor worship commonly consist of offerings to a deceased and to provide for its welfare in the afterlife, which is envisioned as being similar to the earthly life. Ancestor worship begins at a deceased kin's f
Post a Comment
Read more

Gongteck Prayers Ceremony at San Qing Gong Temple, Singapore

In Chinese tradition, bereaved family members of a deceased will set up a home altar for the purpose of ancestor worship after funeral. The altar normally includes a photograph of the deceased, an inscription of its name on a memorial tablet and urn for offerings. Daily or twice-daily offerings are made to ensure the deceased has a good start in the afterlife. Necessities such as the deceased's favourite food and drink are placed on the altar. Altar is usually taken down after 49 days, the period during which the deceased is believed to be undergoing judgment in the netherworld. After that, the deceased is worshipped along with all the other ancestors of the family by inserting its name next to the patrilineal ancestors. Ancestral tablet is a piece of wood inscribed with the name of the deceased. It is kept in a small shrine at home or in the clan ancestral temple. Incense is lit before the tablet daily and offerings of food and prostrations are presented twice a month. Chinese fam
Post a Comment
Read more