The 9th Day of Chinese New Year Festival
On the 9th day of the first month of the Lunar Calendar, it would be the celebration known to the Hokkiens as ‘Bai Tian Gong’, which literally means ‘praying the Heaven God’.
During a Chinese New Year of the Ming Dynasty, there was a bandit raid in the province of Hokkien. These intruders however robbed and burned down villages, attacked and killed the villagers. The people of the villages were in fear and escaped from their burnt villages during the night. Some of the villagers then hid themselves among the sugarcane fields. Needless to say, those villagers prayed to Heaven God (Tian Gong) for salvation during their hideout. The pursuing intruders spent many days trying to locate and hunt them but to no avail. On the ninth day of that Chinese New Year, they finally gave up and returned to their region. The Hokkiens then happily emerged from the sugar cane fields, and praising the blessings of the celestial deities and owing gratitude to the sugarcane plants for saving them from destruction. Thus, in all Hokkien celebrations, the sugarcane plant is given prominence.
Realizing that it was also the 9th Day of the Chinese New Year and coincidentally the birthday of Heaven God, they decided to make votive offerings and prayers to the Jade Emperor for their salvation. There are many versions of the Hokkiens’ Bai Tian Gong stories. Whichever it is, the Hokkiens believe that our life and prosperity are granted by the Heaven God. On the eve of the 9th day, a pair of sugarcane plants are used by the Hokkiens usually placed one on each side of the offering table or the front door of the house. The pair of the sugarcane symbolises unity, cooperation and strength. The sugarcane itself is a symbol of harmony and a token which can bring good and ‘sweet’ results. The very straightness of the sugarcane stem also ensures that the Hokkiens can become a clan of honest and sincere people.
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A pair of sugarcane plants are used by the Hokkiens usually placed one on each side of the offering table or the front door of the house
On the 9th day of the first month of the Lunar Calendar, it would be the celebration known to the Hokkiens as ‘Bai Tian Gong’, which literally means ‘praying the Heaven God’.
During a Chinese New Year of the Ming Dynasty, there was a bandit raid in the province of Hokkien. These intruders however robbed and burned down villages, attacked and killed the villagers. The people of the villages were in fear and escaped from their burnt villages during the night. Some of the villagers then hid themselves among the sugarcane fields. Needless to say, those villagers prayed to Heaven God (Tian Gong) for salvation during their hideout. The pursuing intruders spent many days trying to locate and hunt them but to no avail. On the ninth day of that Chinese New Year, they finally gave up and returned to their region. The Hokkiens then happily emerged from the sugar cane fields, and praising the blessings of the celestial deities and owing gratitude to the sugarcane plants for saving them from destruction. Thus, in all Hokkien celebrations, the sugarcane plant is given prominence.
Realizing that it was also the 9th Day of the Chinese New Year and coincidentally the birthday of Heaven God, they decided to make votive offerings and prayers to the Jade Emperor for their salvation. There are many versions of the Hokkiens’ Bai Tian Gong stories. Whichever it is, the Hokkiens believe that our life and prosperity are granted by the Heaven God. On the eve of the 9th day, a pair of sugarcane plants are used by the Hokkiens usually placed one on each side of the offering table or the front door of the house. The pair of the sugarcane symbolises unity, cooperation and strength. The sugarcane itself is a symbol of harmony and a token which can bring good and ‘sweet’ results. The very straightness of the sugarcane stem also ensures that the Hokkiens can become a clan of honest and sincere people.
read more
The 9th Day of Chinese New Year Festival - The Birthday of the Jade Emperor 天日
Do you know the Jade Emperor? He is the Zeus of Chinese mythology. As the head of all deities, he is the ruler of Heaven, Earth and Hell. It is said that the ninth day of the Chinese New Year is his birthday – one of the largest celebrations in Heaven to which all of the gods will be invited. Thus, today is also called 天日 (tiān rì, the Day of Heaven.)
The Jade Emperor is a busy guy during the Chinese New Year. As early as December 25th of the lunar calendar, he disguises himself as an out-of-town visitor and travels down to earth to make sure his rulings have been just and wise. If he sees something unfair, the local gods who are supposed to protect the neighborhood from harm and danger, will be put “under fire”. When the Jade Emperor returns to Heaven, waves of worships and rituals start (especially among people believing in Taoism) in the hope that the Emperor will protect their families in the coming year.
There are many stories regarding the Emperor’s birthday, and one of them talks about his youngest daughter 七仙女 (Qī xiān nǚ, the seventh fairy.) She was not only the youngest, but also the Jade Emperor’s favorite little girl. She fell in love with a layman called Dong Yong who only offers her the best in the world. Therefore, in ancient China, people would gather under osmanthus trees on this day, singing the most beautiful songs to lure her down to earth. If the songs have made her happy, it would be the best present to the Emperor, who in return, would promise a prosperous year.
The Birthday of Jade Emperor, King of Heaven
2024 is the 4721st Chinese year. 2024 Chinese New Year Day is on Saturday, February 10, 2024. Chinese New Year Day is a new moon day, which is the first lunar day. The 9th lunar day of the first lunar month is Sunday, February 18, 2024. This date is the Birthday of Jade Emperor, the king of the Heaven.
According to Taoism (Daoism), the Jade Emperor lives in the 33rd heaven and governs 33 heavens; so he is the king of heavens. Jade Emperor is a vegetarian. To celebrate his birthday, Chinese prepare three bundles of long noodle, three tea cups 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.
To show the sincerity, many people take bath on the 8th lunar night, and 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 at 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.
