農曆春節習俗與禁忌 這麼做能轉好運 | 春節懂規矩 一年行好運 | 直播

農曆春節習俗與禁忌 這麼做能轉好運 | 春節懂規矩 一年行好運 | 直播

Hello, everyone. Chinese New Year is approaching, Chinese people traditionally follow many customs during this festival. Understanding and adhering to the customs can lead to a smooth and successful new year. If you don’t know them, come to listen and learn, to ensure an even more auspicious and delightful year ahead. (I loved Chinese New Year celebrations when I was young. My grandparents and parents taught us a children’s song: My grandparents and parents taught us a children’s song: Children, children, no need to crave; it’s the New Year after the Laba.

Sticky candies on the 23rd, and clean the house on the 24th. I can’t remember the rest. Let the dough raise on the 28th, and steam the buns on the 29th. we stay up all night on the 30th, and dance on the New Year’s Day.) Good Job. You’re like a poet.

A nice melody. (After the Laba Festival, we start counting from the 23rd. Why the 23rd? Because in the north, we call it ‘Minor New Year.’ Because in the north, we call it ‘Minor New Year.’ It marks the official countdown to the Lunar New Year.

We’ll have a series of activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year. I was so happy around that time. Sticky candy, on the 23rd; we would go out to buy the sticky candies. They are incredibly sticky, made from malt sugar. They are incredibly sticky, made from malt sugar.

I bet Kunti knows about it. (Yes, I do.) I particularly loved them as a child. They come with different fillings, white or light coffee color. They come with different fillings, white or light coffee color. Some are shaped like small pumpkins or in long bars.

Some are shaped like small pumpkins or in long bars. There are various shapes, some even twisted like a pretzel. When adults buy these for children, the kids can’t wait to taste them. When adults buy these for children, the kids can’t wait to taste them.

Most kids would sneakily lick and taking a bite or two. But it’s not just for the kids to enjoy; these sweets are meant for offering to the Kitchen God. It’s a tradition to present these to the Kitchen God.) The Kitchen God sure has a sweet tooth. But this is quite important, yes. But this is quite important, yes. Many people don’t realize this. Many people don’t realize this. So, why the need for sweets, right? (Yes, why do we offer sweets to the Kitchen God? (Yes, why do we offer sweets to the Kitchen God? We’ll talk about this later.

Now, Grandmaster, who exactly this Kitchen God is?) Now, Grandmaster, who exactly this Kitchen God is?) Now, Grandmaster, who exactly this Kitchen God is?) Now, Grandmaster, who exactly this Kitchen God is?) The answer varies from place to place. The answer varies from place to place.

The Kitchen God is related to the stove we use for cooking. The Kitchen God is related to the stove we use for cooking. You know, the place where fire is lit underneath, with a pot above it – this setup is what we call a stove or hearth.

With a pot above it – this setup is what we call a stove or hearth. with a pot above it – this setup is what we call a stove or hearth. Today, we have gas and induction cookers. Today, we have gas and induction cookers.

Although these modern appliances are used, they’re still referred as “stoves”. Although these modern appliances are used, they’re still referred as “stoves”. Although these modern appliances are used, they’re still referred as “stoves”. This stove is believed to have its own deity. In fact, the Kitchen God oversees this area.

In fact, the Kitchen God oversees this area. Think about it, this’s where meals are prepared; we work hard, shedding blood and sweat, all for the sake of putting food on the table for our family. In essence, the Kitchen God represents the deity of fortune.

He is our household’s god of fortune. Having food on the table is fortunate, right? You’re not fortunate when you have no food. Yes, he is indeed the god of fortune in our home. Therefore, if the Kitchen God prospers, our entire family has food to eat. Therefore, if the Kitchen God prospers, our entire family has food to eat. (This is why we show respect and reverence to the Kitchen God,

Expressing gratitude for providing sustenance to our family last year.) expressing gratitude for providing sustenance to our family last year.) Yes, that’s how it is. Even though our parents and elders work hard all year to provide for the family,

Even though our parents and elders work hard all year to provide for the family, we also thank the Kitchen God for blessing and benefiting us. From a folkloric and divine perspective, unlucky people may still struggle to make ends meet despite working hard.

Unlucky people may still struggle to make ends meet despite working hard. That’s why the Kitchen God is important in bringing us wealth, That’s why the Kitchen God is important in bringing us wealth, ensuring our family’s nourishment. ensuring our family’s nourishment. (Then, Grandmaster, on the 23rd,

Why do we prepare so many sweets for the Kitchen God?) Oh, there’s an interesting reasoning behind this. It has been a popular tale in folk tradition. The tradition is that on this day, The tradition is that on this day,

The Kitchen God ascends to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. the Kitchen God ascends to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. the Kitchen God ascends to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. the Kitchen God ascends to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. Yes, he goes up to present a report on the deeds of the family he resides in Yes, he goes up to present a report on the deeds of the family he resides in — good or bad, auspicious or ominous. (I see, so the Jade Emperor’s annual work summary

(I see, so the Jade Emperor’s annual work summary takes place on the 23rd of the 12th month.) Say, Juezhen’s Kitchen God would also ascend on the 23rd to report on Juezhen. Say, Juezhen’s Kitchen God would also ascend on the 23rd to report on Juezhen.

Say, Juezhen’s Kitchen God would also ascend on the 23rd to report on Juezhen. Maybe telling the Jade Emperor “Jue Zhen is a good person. She is kind-hearted, generous, enthusiastic and kindness. May the heavens bestow auspiciousness upon her.” (I’d offer more sweets for his good words.

We provide sweets to the Kitchen God, so that he’d sweet-talk about us when he ascends to the Heaven, seeing Jade Emperor. They speak sweetly and bring down auspicious blessings. They speak sweetly and bring down auspicious blessings. The sweets symbolize “A sweet-talking.” The sweets symbolize “A sweet-talking.”

This custom has a deep significance; it’s an offering to God. This custom has a deep significance; it’s an offering to God. Buying sweets marks the beginning of the festive. In the past, not every household had the luxury of eating sweets regularly.

In the past, not every household had the luxury of eating sweets regularly. In the past, not every household had the luxury of eating sweets regularly. (Right.) Thus, having sweets was a special treat reserved for the New Year.

(Right.) Thus, having sweets was a special treat reserved for the New Year. Yes, and it’s usually the children who enjoy these treats. Yes, and it’s usually the children who enjoy these treats. I have seen elderly people, especially in economically challenging times,

I have seen elderly people, especially in economically challenging times, who are also deprived of nutrition; they felt extremely happy with just a piece of candy. There’s another aspect to consider. Happiness after eating sweets. Happiness after eating sweets. I feel the sense of happiness. Especially for women,

Having something sweet can bring them joy and contentment. having something sweet can bring them joy and contentment. having something sweet can bring them joy and contentment. Many women, even over 18, often talk about the happiness they feel

Many women, even over 18, often talk about the happiness they feel when eating a piece of candy, chocolate, or a small cake. Sweet flavors tend to evoke a sense of bliss. Men might be a bit less sensitive; some men are a bit more delicate, and they enjoy sweets.

Some men are a bit more delicate, and they enjoy sweets. It’s true. But, in general, most women do prefer sweets for that sense of happiness. But, in general, most women do prefer sweets for that sense of happiness. (So, offering sweets to the Kitchen God， (we ensure their words are sweet,

Talking only good thing about us. In a happy mood, the Kitchen God, when meeting the Jade Emperor, will speak of good things about us. Not really, it’s more about offering and gratitude. As a family member, we make offering to express our gratitude. As a family member, we make offering to express our gratitude. As a family member, we make offering to express our gratitude.

As a family member, we make offering to express our gratitude. It’s the psychology of offering to the god of fortune in our home. If you do want to call it bribery, I would say it’s an auspicious “bribery”.

If you do want to call it bribery, I would say it’s an auspicious “bribery”. (We are sincerely and respectfully grateful to the Kitchen God. (We are sincerely and respectfully grateful to the Kitchen God. Grandmaster, nowadays in our homes,

We rarely have an altar for the Kitchen God near the stove. we rarely have an altar for the Kitchen God near the stove. Many people don’t quite understand because, after the Cultural Revolution in China, advocating for traditional practices became frowned upon.

Promoting these customs was often seen as being uncultured. Indeed, such practices were often labeled as superstitious. In Korea and Japan, which share our Eastern cultural heritage, even if their houses are small, they still maintain a place in the kitchen for the Kitchen God or similar deities.

They still maintain a place in the kitchen for the Kitchen God or similar deities. They may use smaller pictures or icons, but the tradition persists. In China, it’s like rediscovering these traditional cultural practices. In China, it’s like rediscovering these traditional cultural practices.

In China, it’s like rediscovering these traditional cultural practices. Often, we have to turn to books to find out our own heritage. Often, we have to turn to books to find out our own heritage. (Since Grandmaster has told us about showing gratitude to the Kitchen God

(Since Grandmaster has told us about showing gratitude to the Kitchen God for the happiness they bring to our lives throughout the year, we should indeed pay our respects. This year, when the 23rd of the 12th month comes around, we should make an offering and worship the Kitchen God.)

I think it’s a great idea. (Grandmaster, currently, (if our homes don’t have a shrine or a picture of the Kitchen God, (if our homes don’t have a shrine or a picture of the Kitchen God, (if our homes don’t have a shrine or a picture of the Kitchen God,

How can we offer sweets to Kitchen God?) When I was younger, ain my hometown, Hebei province, When I was younger, ain my hometown, Hebei province, we didn’t have a shrine for our Kitchen God to be worshiped. we didn’t have a shrine for our Kitchen God to be worshiped. As we were just an ordinary family without a fancy house. As we were just an ordinary family without a fancy house. In ancient times, or rather, in the past, the images of the Kitchen God were printed on wood boards or paper.

The images of the Kitchen God were printed on wood boards or paper. Two deities, Kitchen God and the Kitchen Goddess, are on the image. These images were typically pasted near the stove in our old houses. However, in those traditional houses,

The stove was designed in such a way that the fire was not visible from above. (Underneath, then?) That’s correct. It was possible to paste the images next to the stove. (Now, modern kitchens has gas stoves and induction cookers; things are different.

The flames are on top, and then the pot sits on it. Placing anything too close to the modern stoves is a bit of a risk. Placing anything too close to the modern stoves is a bit of a risk. (Our viewers have seen the images displayed on the big screen.

(Our viewers have seen the images displayed on the big screen. Where should we place such images? They’d still be in the kitchen, right, Grandmaster?) Yes, nowadays, most people living in urban areas, even in rural, use gas for its convenience.

Most people living in urban areas, even in rural, use gas for its convenience. most people living in urban areas, even in rural, use gas for its convenience. However, the flames are directly beneath the pots. However, the flames are directly beneath the pots.

These pots are directly exposed to the open flame. The images of the Kitchen God cannot be placed too close to the stove. The images of the Kitchen God cannot be placed too close to the stove.

I think safe spots in the kitchen are spots far away from fire or the stove. I think safe spots in the kitchen are spots far away from fire or the stove. Placing the images on a side wall or on the door of a kitchen cabinet could work well,

Placing the images on a side wall or on the door of a kitchen cabinet could work well, but it definitely should not be near the stove’s flame. Paper is highly flammable, so keeping it away from fire is crucial. Paper is highly flammable, so keeping it away from fire is crucial.

Paper is highly flammable, so keeping it away from fire is crucial. We have designed a sticker type Kitchen God image for everyone. We have designed a sticker type Kitchen God image for everyone. If you feel the need, you can print it out.

If you feel the need, you can print it out. If you feel the need, you can print it out. If not, just knowing about it is fine. If not, just knowing about it is fine. (I think we need this. I think the Kitchen God is important.

We can place this sticker in the kitchen; On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, we pay our respects. Grandmaster, is there a specific time for this worship?) Grandmaster, is there a specific time for this worship?) When it comes to communicating with deities,

Except for the night of the 30th, it’s usually in the morning. except for the night of the 30th, it’s usually in the morning. (Master, you mentioned that the auspicious time is around 10 am (Master, you mentioned that the auspicious time is around 10 am

I think 8 or 10 am works, but it’s best to avoid 11 am, as it’s not considered auspicious. but it’s best to avoid 11 am, as it’s not considered auspicious. Try not to go up to 12 pm. I think 10 am, or at the latest, 10:30 am, would be suitable.

(We can offer sweets like malt candy; (It might be hard to find the sticky candies in cities now. (It might be hard to find the sticky candies in cities now. If malt sugar candy is hard to find, would chocolate be acceptable?)

If malt sugar candy is hard to find, would chocolate be acceptable?) Yes, different types of sweets would work. (The idea is to offer something sweet and delightful, (like chocolate or lucky candies. Various tasty sweets. What about honey, Grandmaster? Honey is sweet and sticky.) You can’t directly smear honey on the images. Not too much. If you apply too much and don’t clean it up immediately, it might attract ants. If you apply too much and don’t clean it up immediately, it might attract ants. That’s an important point to remember. That’s an important point to remember. That’s the worship and offering part.

(After expressing our gratitude, bowing, and smearing honey, how do we know that the Kitchen God have ascended to report?) how do we know that the Kitchen God have ascended to report?) It’s a tradition. You might not physically see them ascend,

But in the spiritual realm, they do ascend. That’s just how it is. What we need to do is, on the 23rd, take the paper image of the Kitchen God and the Kitchen Goddess, take the paper image of the Kitchen God and the Kitchen Goddess,

Together with what we think travel fast, such as horses; together with what we think travel fast, such as horses; as people in the past believed the fastest mode of travel was horseback. So, some would also have images of the Kitchen God on a horse

Or just a horse image to burn alongside the image of the Kitchen God. or just a horse image to burn alongside the image of the Kitchen God. They would ascend regardless, but it’s customary to send them off. (We see off our guests, we can do that to our household deity. When burning the images, it’s important to speak certain words. Even before burning the images, while they are still on the wall,

While applying honey around the mouth of the image, many elders tend to murmur certain phrases, generally focusing on speaking well, and refraining from speaking ill. The usual things one would say are like the following; I have worshiped you year after year;

Thanks for blessing our entire family with food to eat and good fortune. You can mumble about all the happiness and blessings you wish for. You can, different people have their own way of mumbling. In the past, when burning the images of the Kitchen God, In the past, when burning the images of the Kitchen God, some would include a horse, either on the same or separated paper. In rural areas,

People might even prepare horse fodder, like hay. Now in cities, such practices aren’t necessary. If there’s no horse image, it’s still fine. Deities, after all, don’t need horses to travel to heaven or earth. (I wonder how long it takes the Kitchen God to reach the heaven,

That he even needs the fodder for his horse.) they reach instantly. Ancient people didn’t have the modern concepts we have today. If this were a few years ago, we might have depicted the Kitchen God riding a motorcycle, we might have depicted the Kitchen God riding a motorcycle,

Or later, perhaps a rocket, or an airplane, or a spaceship. The ancient believed that the fastest way to travel was by horse. If the horse gets tired, add some fodder. It’s all about good intentions and wishes. Nowadays, the Kitchen God doesn’t require such means of travel.

He can leave at any moment as the speed of deities is the speed of thought. He can leave at any moment as the speed of deities is the speed of thought. They don’t need fuel, machines, or horses to travel. This is a different concept.

In some places, people still recite lyrics while burning the images, but I believe many who are less educated might find it difficult to remember. Juezhen, can you recall anything? (I recall some verses like, Again, the twenty-third, sending the Kitchen God to the Western Heaven.

With a strong horse and fodder, may the journey be smooth and safe; With sweet candy, please speak kindly to the Jade Emperor.) Many older folks who might not be literate, find it hard to recite this. They understand the essence rather than sticking to the lyrics. It’s quite amusing. (This time is quite joyful as we start by buying sweets. (This time is quite joyful as we start by buying sweets. The children in the family are the first to benefit, getting to eat sweets.

) It’s not just about offering to the Kitchen God; the children really get the most out of it. the children really get the most out of it. When going to market for shopping with the elders, the first thing is to buy sweets.

(I remember as a child, I loved this time. My grandfather would take me to the streets to buy all sorts of sweets My grandfather would take me to the streets to buy all sorts of sweets and anything else I liked. We’d bring everything home for the New Year.

It was exciting, and children love eating sweets. Grandmaster, about the Kitchen God reporting to the Jade Emperor, I’ve heard before; the Jade Emperor then sends down celestial beings to ensure peace on Earth and no evil spirits creating disturbances. to ensure peace on Earth and no evil spirits creating disturbances.

Is that right? Yes, let’s clarify this further. Your question is excellent and warrants additional explanation. In fact, regarding the Kitchen God, according to standards, he is accompanied by two attendants. These 2 assistants can be seen in the most ancient depictions;

One standing to the left, and the other to the right of the Kitchen God and his wife. Each attendant holds a jar in their hands. These jars are significant: One is called the “Jar of Good Deeds,” and the other, the “Jar of Evil Deeds.” Good refers to good deeds,

While ‘Evil’ pertains to malevolent acts. Whatever you do is stored in these jars. When the Kitchen God goes to report, he brings these divine attendants with him. Together, they go to the Jade Emperor, much like bringing a record of income and expenses. These jars contain a record

Of the good and bad deeds committed. For instance, they might note, Ah, Jue Zhen’s family did a good deed here, helped someone there, lent money, saved someone from disaster or poverty. According to the evil jar, they lost their temper and scolded someone recently.

They keep the records in the way we don’t know. Your good deeds will be recorded. Scolding someone to let off steam doesn’t necessarily equate to harm, but harming others will surely be recorded in the Jar of Evil Deeds. True evil deeds, like theft or fraud,

Are all about harming others for personal gain; so, this is a collective issue, right? So, both your good and bad deeds are noted. The jars of good and evil deeds keep what we do in our daily lives. The Kitchen God and his wife are aware of everything.

An ancient Chinese idiom is “Evil deeds filling the jar to the brim.” The jar refers to the Jar of Evil Deeds held by the attendant. When it’s full and overflowing, it means you’ve committed too many bad deeds. This saying originated from there.

But we rarely hear about the ‘Jar of Good Deeds’ being full; it’s not commonly used in that way. Alright, so these 2 divine beings go up to report. Then, as Kun Ti Dharma sister mentioned, the Jade Emperor sends representatives to observe the human realm. Starting from the 23rd,

Chinese people enter the state of celebrating the Spring Festival. According to ancient tales, this is when deities descend to the human world. Essentially, the Jade Emperor directly sends celestial beings to visit each household to verify whether things are as good or bad as reported.

These deities visit almost every household to experience life firsthand, determining whether you are good or bad through direct observation, not just relying on the Kitchen God’s report. During these days they directly observe and experience. So, we should behave well. Aren’t they supposed to arrive in these few days?

They didn’t see us before these few days. So, we need to hurry up to behave well, right? Well, it’s also why during these days, the Jade Emperor has directly sent a deity, isn’t it? This is because our ancestors

Believed that in the period from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to the 15th day of the first lunar month, the traditional Chinese Spring Festival period, the good and bad, the virtuous and evil determines the fortunes of the coming year. Oh, the year is determined by its beginning, right.

We should understand it this way. We shouldn’t pretend to be good, but really act virtuously. Good and evil, auspicious and ominous, during these 20 days. represent the entire upcoming year. In ancient times, with agricultural society, if this upcoming year, for instance,

The crops fail to yield, that would be disastrous. We rely on farming; if a calamity strikes, sowing seeds would be in vain. With no grains to harvest, famine ensues. Imagine not seeing any sprouts grow, and come summer and autumn, there’s still no yield. What would the entire family eat?

This could lead to starvation. Yes, and when such disasters occur, they affect large areas, like five counties at once, all like this, displacing tens of thousands of people. It’s truly tragic. Yes, yes. Therefore, When such retributions and calamities strike, it’s indeed a serious matter. Today, living in the city,

Since you’re not directly involved in farming or part of an agricultural society and having some savings at home, regardless of whether there’s a famine outside, you can still buy food. Hence, unless it’s a catastrophic disaster, you hardly feel its impact. Urban life is like this. But in ancient times,

Or even in rural areas today, it’s a different story. Without a harvest, what will you eat? Right. It’s like being unemployed in the city, without any income. Especially for a family… Consider this: the children are young, the elderly are old, and the family relies on one or two people earning wages.

If they lose their jobs, they can’t support their family. Too tragic to bear. Yes. One could at least dig up roots to eat in the countryside, while living in city, it’s much more challenging as no roots to dig. So, it’s the same principle. That’s why during this period,

After the Kitchen God ascends to heaven, the Jade Emperor dispatches celestial beings to observe us. We must behave. We must speak kindly, do good deeds, help others, and accumulate merit, letting these celestial beings see. In fact, I personally feel the same. When I was young, my mother also used to say this.

I don’t know if it was to scare us or to educate us. She said to be careful with your words, not to speak inauspiciously, as the deities might get angry and it will be troublesome. So, we were always cautious in our actions and speech, and careful to control our emotions.

Otherwise, if the deities heard and became angry, that would be troublesome. Every day, we were respectful and polite. Right. Doing a good job. Grandmaster, when they see families who are genuinely good and accumulate merits by doing good deeds and speaking kindly, will the celestial beings and the Jade Emperor reward them? Definitely.

But what kind of reward? How will I be rewarded? Right. All kinds of rewards! The deities grant you blessings. For instance, this year, you might become wealthy. Of course, in many industries, there are significant layoffs, especially in high-tech industries. For instance, if your office is downsized by half,

And you still have a job, that’s quite different. Isn’t that a reward? It’s a huge reward. Even, for example, if you recover from an illness. Yes, yes. And other more obvious rewards, like while others get laid off, you get promoted. Wow, that’s a big contrast. Isn’t that a reward? Yes, a reward.

For instance, your child wasn’t doing well in school, right? They had no hope of getting into college, but then they scored high and got in unexpectedly. So, it’s very easy for the deities to reward people. You just feel lucky everywhere, as if your wishes are coming true.

Right. You get what you wish for, even better than you imagined. For example, you might have thought, with so many layoffs, it would be good enough to keep your job. But then, not only to keep it, but you also get a promotion and a raise. So, respecting the Kitchen God,

Then you are in luck. That’s wonderful. You live better. We have learnt it. Gratitude to Grandmaster! On the other hand, disrespectful and wicked people will surely be punished. We must never behave like that. So, managing our behavior well.

On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, we have the tradition of Malt Sugar Candy. And on the 24th, we clean the house. I remember as a child, on the 24th, the whole family would clean the house. It was exhausting. Back then, we didn’t have washing machines. Oh, it was tiring!

Scrubbing clothes, quilts, quilt covers, bed sheets, oh, clothes… It was exhausting. Everything had to be cleaned, windows had to shine, cleaning tables, sweeping, mopping the floor… Ah, cleaning every nook and cranny, it’s just like scrubbing the kitchen exhaust fan. It’s quite a task, isn’t it? Indeed, maintaining cleanliness is never an easy job.

But you know, especially for the New Year, I feel it’s about leaving behind all the dirt and grime of the past year. Some people, plagued with illnesses, constantly visited the doctor last year, Also called inauspiciousness attracting misfortune and sickness. These negative energies and worries should be left in the past.

Our discussion of the ‘New Year’ follows the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, starting from the Spring Festival. The Chinese new year begins after passing the 30th evening. We’re talking about this particular new year– leaving all the bad behind and bringing forth the good into the future.

Hence, it’s essential to clean away all the negative aspects of the last year, sweep them all away. No matter how you change, you still live in the same house. So, get rid of these negative energies from your home. Clothes unwashed for months, yearly unchanged bedsheets, need to be washed. change the duvet

And wash the duvet cover. Socks, those heavy winter clothes, hard to clean, must be laundered. Tables, chairs, benches, cabinets, cupboards – all need to be wiped clean. Doors, windows, and many sanitary dead spots… Sometimes children accidentally ate something, sugar, something that was thrown under a bed. which can be troublesome.

It’s been a long time and nobody knows. it attracts insects, cockroaches, ants it’s quite serious in the north, and even more so in the south. You put these foods, especially those with sweetness. I don’t know what bug to catch. This could lead to infectious diseases, One is dirty

And even damage to your clothes or walls. And some bugs come with a disease, bringing disease. For instance, if you often sit on the bed while the kids eat candies and snacks, this can attract ants, mice yes, even mice and even bed bugs. which are really annoying.

Back in our childhood, bed bugs were common but now they are rare and can be more harmful. In 2023, many countries that were initially clean like South Korea, faced a massive outbreak of bed bugs, causing red welts and even spreading diseases. Canada had experienced this too, in the Hotel

– the entire hotel had to be sealed for pest control. So, when you stay in a hotel, After coming home it’s best to wash the travel clothes thoroughly. Your suitcase, At the hotel, you usually carry a suitcase. It’s best to empty it out when you get home disinfected with alcohol Otherwise,

Otherwise, you might bring back bed bugs or other bacteria from the hotel carpets, leading to a proliferation at home. It’s terrible. Therefore, International airport quarantine measures, no matter how strict, hardly catch everything. If it is too strict, the customers will find it too troublesome, overly strict regulations.

But too loose, diseases from other countries can be brought in. As we approach the 24th, a thorough cleaning and washing is necessary. Get the whole house cleaned, especially food. Clean out your cupboards, even your children’s pockets, Clean it all, or else it might get in big trouble.

Grandmaster, is it more convenient for us to clean now? There are also many cleaning gadgets, many detergents, and the washing machine. The dryer is also make washing much easier. I’ll share a story from when I was about 4-5 years old. My cousin and I lived with our grandparents,

They had to clean the house when it reached the end of the year. What were we, little kids? The girls were fine with two cotton pants. Wash one and wear one It’s pretty rich. My cousin only got one cotton pant. When washing his cotton pant,

He could only stay on the bed without a pant. Then using the duvet to wrap him up. It was cold in winter times. The quilt wasn’t a quilt anymore Only a duvet cover, because the duvet has been washed. He was wrapped. And then I would play with him on the bed.

Kids playing. Wasn’t it 23 the day before? we have the tradition of Malt Sugar Candy on 23rd. I was so angry with him that I grabbed all the candies and ran away. I ran away from him to eat because he couldn’t get out of bed. He was feeling cold, yes, just like that.

Then, the cotton pants were washed. At that time, we had to rely on a furnace for heating. We would dry the pants by the furnace. Grandma would dry them thoroughly. Only after it was dry could he wear them, get down to the ground, and play with me.

It was best if the pants could be dried by that evening so that he could wear them the next morning. Therefore, being a mom or a grandmom in the past was not easy. Yes, it was quite tough on that day. So, I also experienced similar situations in my childhood.

Right, you didn’t have many clothes. Whether you washed those cotton trousers or not, if you did, you had to sit on the “heated bed” and stay still. Right, there was no 2nd pair of trousers to wear. Yes, people have more clothes now.

That’s why, even now, I can’t bear to part with old clothes. Even if they become too loose, I can’t bear to throw them away. Right, so when looking at a pile of clothes, only half of them are wearable perhaps. the rest can’t be worn anymore,

But I’m just not used to throwing them away. Speaking of this, you remind me of young people. When I dine with young people at a restaurant or elsewhere, I notice that many restaurants provide a lot of napkins. Young people will use an excessive amount during a meal.

I counted at least ten napkins being used just for wiping hands. After eating, there’s a pile of them on their table, almost like an elderly person spitting out a lot of phlegm. I, on the other hand, use only one napkin. This is too wasteful and unnecessary.

We talk about environmental friendly all the time, but this behavior is the least eco-friendly. You have to cut down a tree to make just a few pieces of paper, right? Nowadays, resources are abundant, and since you haven’t suffered much, you tend to waste carelessly. So, if you are still carelessly,

I will make you wear only one pair of cotton trousers. Nowadays, cotton trousers can be washed in a washing machine, but it used to be troublesome. The cotton had to be taken out and then re-stuffed. It was really bothersome. Now, you just wash and dry them in a machine,

And they are ready to wear in about an hour. So, we talked about hygiene issues above. It also involves luck, good luck. In fact, this includes cleaning your home’s shrines and altars. They need to be tidied up. However, you should remember

Not to throw away the incense ash from the incense burner on your shrine. It should be collected. For instance, if it becomes too much, you can bag it and label it as “Incense Ash of 2023” keep it instead of throwing it away. These represent merit and blessings.

So, you should wipe off the dust at that time, including the dust on the altar, but don’t dispose of the incense ash from the incense burner. If you throw it away, you might lose money or experience other misfortunes. Just a reminder to everyone. Great, gratitude to Grandmaster！

Actually, on the 24th, when we clean our houses, after we have cleaned our houses, we also need to paste paper-cuts, Spring couplets, and door gods. These are almost forgotten but are the most important These are almost forgotten but are the most important. Back then, you could buy some paper-cuts for windows.

Yes, they looked pretty good on the windows, adding to the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year. When do you paste the Spring couplets? On the 24th. we take off last year’s Spring couplets and door gods and replace them with a new set. For us Bodhi practitioners,

Every year our Grandmaster writes Spring couplets for us. So, this year, the Year of the Rabbit, we take down the old decorations and put up new ones for the Year of the Dragon. Yes, we put up new ones. Grandmaster, our fellow practitioners often ask, because the couplets written by you are so cherished,

What should we do with the ones from last year when we take them down? Can we keep them, or how should we best handle them? You’re talking about the Spring couplets, right? Spring couplets and the character “Fu” These, because they represent the last year, should actually be burned.

Apart from diaries which shouldn’t be burned, They should be burned. It’s like saying goodbye, it’s over, it’s in the past. They blessed us last year, so now we burn them and let go. In fact, this also includes other things from the past year, like calendars. Once a calendar is outdated, we burn it.

Then there’s the question about whether to keep photos with me in them. That’s up to you to decide. Generally, keeping a few photos is fine. We usually keep the photos. Yes, and there’s a benefit to keeping old photos. As I get older, the photos from ten years ago show me a bit younger,

So that’s quite nice. It’s all good. It’s up to you. But for calendars and almanacs that are no longer in use, from a recycling standpoint, they shouldn’t be burned. They can be recycled. It’s pretty good. It can be recycled, right? Right. After you burn it, it’s gone, yes.

But if it’s recycled and reprocessed to make new paper, that’s also pretty good. Right, right, right. Okay, okay. So, speaking of Spring Festival couplets and door gods. We should also talk about this. We paste these Spring Festival couplets, ah, it’s like a blessing, a blessingt for us, right?

The meaning of Spring Festival couplets, isn’t it? Right, right, right. What are the benefits of it? Oh, this goes back to ancient times. Actually, there is almost no record of this. It was casually mentioned in passing. The actions of the ancients, in fact, from pasting the character ‘Fu’,

Pasting Spring Festival couplets, offering to the Kitchen God, the God of Fortune, ancestors, and to the divine, etc., are all for auspiciousness. In this auspiciousness, there is an implication of something. What is inauspicious then? What about disasters? The biggest problem in disasters is disease. Disease and premature death.

If your child gets sick and is not treated in time, they die. The death of children and young people is called premature death. This is what parents fear the most, along with other calamities. Next comes calamities, natural and man-made disasters. How many natural disasters are there? How severe are man-made disasters?

It’s countless, there’s no biggest or smallest, it’s endless. Yes, this thing, for instance, war is also a man-made disaster. When it comes, not even gods can stop it. Really. Then, when it arrives, sometimes, as you might see in movies, there’s burning, killing, looting, setting a village on fire,

And the whole village burns to death, right? So sometimes, when such a major disaster comes, the death toll is enormous, very shocking. Right, sometimes an entire family is wiped out. Yes, so the extent of a disaster can go as far as the annihilation of an entire family.

What about minor troubles? Bumps and bruises, right? Minor things, like cutting your finger while chopping vegetables, correct? These all count. Right, right, right. Then there’s getting sick, whether adults or children, right? You don’t need many in a year. If you get a severe cold 4 or 5 times a year,

See how it affects your work. It does affect work and studies, right? If you have a severe cold, it’s at least half a month each time. Four times a year, it really causes a lot of delays. The whole family suffers with you. Not to mention if you’re paralyzed and lying at home, right?

It’s tough for the patient and the family. Right. But like when an elderly person falls seriously ill, from the onset of the illness to death, it’s as if the whole family got sick. Those who care for the sick are even more exhausted. The person being cared for is anxious and tired,

Anxious and tired, and it costs money. But the illness doesn’t get better. Sometimes the money runs out, and the person dies before cured. So all of these are disasters. So, when we do these things in the past, it’s almost always to avoid various disasters

And to attract various kinds of auspiciousness. The pair of Spring couplets at the door is actually for the original purpose of warding off evil. That’s why in the past, talismans were carved from peach wood and hung at the doorway. In the south, for example, many people place bamboo poles at the entrance.

When the day of the Lunar New Year arrives, they would burn these to create firecrackers. Especially the thicker green bamboo, as thick as a teacup, it contains a lot of moisture inside. When burned, it explodes with a ‘pop’ due to the high pressure and evaporation. That’s why they’re called firecrackers.

In the past, they were just burned in the fire. It was only later that gunpowder was used to make small firecrackers. But why make this noise? It’s desired for its loud sound. Do you know why? To scare away monsters. People observed that when there’s thunder in the sky,

The loud ‘bang’ also startles humans, right? You’ll find your pets like dogs and cats at home will scurry under the table or the cats may jump into your lap when startled or scared. Yes, even an animal as big as an elephant gets terrified and shivers when there’s thunder and lightning in the sky.

Tigers and lions are the same in this regard. That’s why in circus performances, for instance, lions and tigers are made to jump through rings of fire. Fire and loud explosions are actually their mortal fears. People then started to theorize:

If this is the case, maybe ghosts and evil spirits are also afraid of these things. They’re all afraid. So we blast them with what they fear. That’s why during the New Year, firecrackers are usually set off outside the door, though some also do it in their own yards.

Setting them off in the yard is meant to drive away the bad luck from the house, to scare it away. When set off at the door, it’s to prevent these negative energies from coming in. Right. So, placing this couplet at the entrance, it essentially means, “Do not enter my house.”

People often think that ghosts, evil spirits, and sickness all enter through the door of their homes. In reality, they don’t have to knock. So, how do we block them? The door represents my territory, hence the couplet is placed there. That’s why it’s red. In the past, people used peach and camphor wood.

If your family is extremely wealthy, akin to the emperor, you could use agarwood, which is used for warding off evil. In ancient times, not only these materials but others as well were used, which I’ll explain in a bit. So, let’s take our time. After the invention of paper in China,

Some found it more convenient than carving. Initially, people wrote in red ink. However, writing in red was considered inauspicious, as ancient emperors used to mark people’s names in red ink to signify their execution. A single stroke meant beheading. To resolve this, people dyed the paper red and wrote in black ink instead.

This red paper mainly contained cinnabar, not entirely, but it was an ingredient. A paper dyed solely with cinnabar might not appear very red. After dissolving cinnabar, the color might not be strong enough, so other colors were added to make the paper red. Then, writing on this cinnabar-mixed red paper was considered

To ward off evil spirits, as mentioned in Chinese medicine with cinnabar mines and powder. Hence, the red paper with cinnabar was used for writing. In ancient China, good quality ink also had evil-repelling properties. Its key ingredients included elements for warding off evil.

Writing these characters and placing the couplets on either side of the door replaced the use of peach wood, camphor wood, or bamboo. This method was cleaner, more straightforward, elegant, festive, and even contained blessings written on them. In modern times, people write straightforward blessings like ‘peace’.

In the past, it might have been more direct, like ‘evil spirits, do not enter’. It may be written more straightforwardly, like a command Nowadays, Chinese people use more implicit phrases. They encapsulate the meaning in general auspicious phrases like ‘Say goodbye to the old and welcome the new’, or ‘fortune arrives’. It’s more subtle,

Not explicitly about warding off evil spirits. Of course, when needed, like in Taiwan, Singapore, or Malaysia, the couplets are more direct, resembling charms. For instance, charms resembling phrases like ‘evil spirits shall not enter’. Everyone knows that Spring couplets carry this meaning. Just now, we saw in the picture,

The Spring couplets Grandmaster blessed us for the Year of the Dragon. Gratitude to Grandmaster. let’s read: When your heart is full of kindness, blessings come knocking; The divine dragon brings blessings and protection. The horizontal inscription reads, ‘Your Lucky Star Shines Upon You.’ It’s very auspicious,

Making you feel blessed by Buddha’s light every day as you pass through this door, entering Buddha’s grand door. As Bodhi practitioners, we stride towards great fortune every year. ‘ Great fortune’ here signifies immense good luck. It signifies a year full of auspicious. We also saw two door gods on the main entrance.

Who are these door gods? We talked about the Kitchen God, now let’s talk about the door gods. In mainland China, places like Qinghai, Tibet, and Yunnan are considered more remote, on the fringes. But areas like the Central Plains, including Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, and the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region,

Are regarded as the cradle of Chinese culture and where it flourished the most. In such major regions of the Central Plains… The door gods worshipped there, especially since the Tang Dynasty, gradually shifted to the two founding generals of the Tang era. Wow, such formidable generals guarding the door! One is Qin Shubao.

Those who like historical stories might have heard of him. He was once a great Gangster, known for his exceptional martial arts, the chief among bandits. There was once a historical figure named Yu Chi Jingde whose name is also pronounced as “Wei Chi Jingde”

However, the proper reading of his name is Yu Chi Jingde also known as Yu Chi Gong Yu Chi Gong In ancient times, it was common for people to have both a given name and a courtesy name which were distinct from each other However, when pronounced pleasantly, it is Yu Chi Jingde

These two, according to legend They would like to listen to Jue Zhen, please continue. Let me take a sip of water. I remember, it seems to be during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Emperor Taizong was incredibly busy with the affairs of state,

Managing countless tasks every day, which left him extremely tired and somewhat neurasthenic. He often suffered from insomnia and couldn’t sleep well at night You might be mistaken maybe Grandmaster should tell this story? Or should I? After all, I had dined with Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin

Li Shimin, like most founding emperors, had his share of bloodshed. Few founding emperors haven’t killed. For example, the founding emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty didn’t kill much He didn’t wage wars; he seized power through deception. he seized power After deceiving others because the young emperor was only 6 or 3 years old

He bullied the mother and son eventually pushing them out of the palace and proclaiming himself emperor. He didn’t use weapons or kill much in the process as he sought a peaceful transition and dared not commit murder. Thus, his reign was relatively peaceful. The Northern Song Dynasty always advocated

Governing the country through culture rather than military force. The Northern Song Dynasty had this process thru the time. So, in general, most emperors are killers Li Shimin killed many including brutal fratricide among brothers. They belonged to a northern border ethnic group. Li Shimin’s ancestry was from China’s northern borders

Included at least four ethnicities in his blood. Li Shimin’s ancestry included at least four ethnicities from China’s northern borders. His bloodline was mainly of nomadic tribes known for their hunting and warring nature. Thus, they had a strong scent of blood and had killed many. Because of his many killings, he often had nightmares

Where ghosts came to trouble him. He had nightmares where ghosts came to trouble him. He was so frightened at night that he would often wake up shouting. There were a couple of instances where Yu Chi Jingde thought there were assassins in the room when he burst in,

Only to find the emperor still asleep, trapped in a nightmare. He thought there were assassins. So, what did they do in the end? They decided not to tell anyone and called in Shu Bao. The two of them were to arm themselves with short weapons as long weapons were not allowed inside.

They were both adept at using iron clubs similar to the large wooden sticks used by police during the Republic of China era. They stood guard inside the room at all time. The emperor asked them to guard the door fully armored hoping their presence would deter the evil spirits.

They guarded the door to prevent ghosts from entering Emperor Taizong’s dreams. This actually worked. At that time, they bought a lot of Bodhi agarwood incense and burned it in the room during the day which prevented ghosts from entering. In reality, the ghosts couldn’t enter,

But since he had killed so many, the wronged spirits driven by the scent of the incense, were compelled to come. But Yu Chi Jingde and Shu Bao couldn’t keep them out completely. The ancient people didn’t understand these matters. So the emperor said since they couldn’t keep the ghosts out, he would deify them.

So the emperor said since they couldn’t keep the ghosts out, he would deify them. From then on, you were to be the door gods as ghosts fear gods. Door gods are a level above ghosts fighting both gods and ghosts. They wondered what to do if they couldn’t tell a god from a ghost.

“Hit anyone but me,” the emperor said So, at night, nobody could enter the room guarded by these two generals. I have a question, though The emperor could sleep wel but what about these two generals who stayed awake all night? Could they manage? They slept during the day. They were deified, after all.

At that time, they were essentially working the night shift working night shift. Actually, after half a year things settled down. I initially thought they couldn’t sleep well either. Later, Emperor Taizong decided to just paste their portraits on the door. Ultimately, what calmed the situation was the intervention of a Buddhist monk,

A great master who helped resolve and liberate these spirits. He said it wasn’t enough just to fight them. After driving them away, they eventually developed the ability to see ghosts. What to do then They kept chasing and fighting them but it was endless. They swung their iron clubs

Like in an animated film, creating a flash of light with each swing destroying a wave of ghosts only for another wave to come. It was like battling an endless sea wave all because too many had been killed. Throughout the entire night, he stood guard, a task more exhausting than actual combat.

It was so draining that he felt he might spit blood if it continued. Indeed, they were at their wits’ end. Consequently, they sought the help of a monk, a grandmaster, to inquire if he could subdue demons and capture ghosts. The grandmaster replied that their approach was not about surrender but compassion.

He decided to liberate these spirits and, within seven days of conducting rituals, the ghosts ceased their disturbances. Thus, the brothers could finally rest at night, having no more tasks as the ghosts no longer appeared. But they were eventually deified. Subsequently, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty commissioned a court painter

To depict these brothers with a more imposing aura. One was illustrated wielding a huge iron rod, used for vanquishing ghosts, while the other brandished a pair of iron scissors. Yu Chijingde was portrayed with a mountain whip, another term for the large iron rod, and Qin Shubao with a square-shaped iron bar.

What’s it called? Anyway, that’s it. These tools were either cast in bronze or forged in iron, some round and others square, each powerful enough to cause severe injury or even death upon impact. If hit the leg and will break it. Thus, they were immortalized in their magnificent portrayals.

The emperor, recognizing their significance in guarding the gates, suggested his ministers to replicate. He believed that by pasting these images at home, nightmares would be averted. This practice became so widespread that it eventually led to mass production through woodblock printing. Got it. These deified guardians,

This is the door gods conferred by Emperor Li Shimin, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Later, everyone rushed to paste the door gods. Yu Chijingde and Qin Shubao, have protected Chinese households for over 1000 years. Interestingly, these door gods also function as gods of wealth, driving away evil attracting prosperity.

And attracting good things. Dressed in golden armor, they are believed to bring wealth and fortune to any household they guard. Yes, got it. In the past, due to printing limitations, gold ink was manually applied to these prints, adding to their allure and significance. That’s great, fun, isn’t it?

So, everyone rushes to offer [their respects] Therefore, on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month in this Dragon Year, let us also paste these new door gods at our homes. Grandmaster, you mentioned that these Spring Festival couplets and door gods are traditionally made with red paper.

Grandmaster, could you enlighten us further on the significance of the color red? Red, as many know, symbolizes the warding off of evil. We just talked about cinnabar It’s the opposite of green, and when combined with green, it represents the harmony of yin and yang. The colors red and yellow signify fire.

Observing the sun, one can discern colors like red, yellow, white, and even black or deep blue at its core. I remember in my youth, I would daringly gaze at the sun with the naked eye, which I advise against doing as it can damage the eyes. At its core is black or deep blue

The color red represents fire, which is revered by many ethnic groups around the world in their primal states for its power to repel evil and overcome obstacles. Fire is feared by all animals, and food cooked with fire is free from harmful elements. So this fire is very powerful and changes everything. Ancient scriptures,

Including Buddhist scriptures, often mention the transformative and destructive power of fire. Secondly, red also symbolizes blood. In ancient battlefields, All the soldiers are covered in blood, both on their faces and bodies. Therefore, when you see the color red, do you fear it because someone has just killed a person,

Or perhaps just slaughtered a pig? You feel afraid. Therefore, everyone has a sense of awe towards this color that is commonly associated with both blood and fire. In our peaceful modern cities, red is just a color, but it still carries the connotations of these powerful elements. Seeing red might instinctively evoke caution,

Would you turn into this color if you keep moving forward? If your body becomes this color, it’s over for you. You might bleed to death or something else might happen to you. Yes, that’s how it is. Indeed, the color red is traditionally believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits.

This interpretation has evolved over time to associate red with festive and joyous occasions. The reason behind its association with happiness and celebration is its supposed ability to keep malevolent spirits at bay, thus ensuring peace and tranquility. This concept is a comprehensive one.

As previously mentioned, cinnabar, a type of mineral powder used in Chinese medicine, also contains toxic properties. However, it has been revered throughout generations by medical experts for its ability to prevent epidemics and repel evil energies – a unique mineral substance indeed, this cinnabar.

It is the kind that involves the invasion of negative energy All practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine would agree that when a person is invaded by malevolent energies, resulting in erratic or insane behavior, cinnabar proves to be effective. It calms the mind and restores sanity.

The detailed pharmacology of this can be discussed another time. Of course, there are many substances used for exorcism, but let’s talk about the color red. Red symbolizes at least these three things. The last process of dying xuan paper red involves mixing in the color of cinnabar.

I once purchased a painting by Ren Bonian, a famous artist from the late Qing Dynasty. He mixed cinnabar with water He created a painting of Zhong Kui, a figure who is a human but later also revered as the “Ghost King.” He is not the King Yama from Hell,

But a powerful ghost among ghosts, known for capturing other ghosts. It’s quite paradoxical, you offer to him, and he helps you capture ghosts. It’s hard to understand. Ghosts fear him, yet he himself is a ghost. However, he is not the kind of ghost that harms people. In essence, by offering to him,

He helps to rid your home of unwanted ghosts. That’s how it works. The painter’s depiction of Zhong Kui was not about him capturing ghosts it’s another classic tale. In these paintings, the ghosts are all afraid of Zhong Kui. Indeed, the sight of Zhong Kui was enough to send shivers down a ghost’s spine.

But what motivated the artist to paint this? Traditionally, skilled painters and Taoist priests would use cinnabar to draw talismans or paint such divine figures for exorcism. approached their art more playfully, painting whatever caught their fancy without strict adherence to principles. However, painters like Ren Bonian, a master artist from the late Qing Dynasty,

Found amusement in his work, and many people enjoyed hanging his paintings, especially in old houses with a history of tragic events, like medicinal overdoses or suicides, where restless spirits lingered. Those who can’t leave always make trouble, hanging a cinnabar painting of a deity or Zhong Kui, the Ghost King,

Was believed to scare these spirits away. Ghosts, upon seeing the radiant, red glow of such a powerful deity, would flee, thus bringing peace to the household. Yes that’s what it means. Moving on to the color red, particularly during the New Year, it acquires a fresh symbolism. It represents flourishing success and prosperity,

Signifying the thriving of family and business ventures. Yes, and it brings prosperity to people, livestock, and business Yes, it also carries prosperity with it This red luck or prosperity is like an ever-ascending energy , vibrant and yang in nature, embodying a sacred and auspicious power.

Yes, it’s auspicious energy, and also, red and yellow In terms of colors, they are generally categorized into two major types in Chinese philosophy, which talks about Yin and Yang. We can understand this as cool tones being Yin colors and warm tones being Yang colors.

Regarding the red garments you both are wearing for the New Year, this design is my own creation. What we are wearing is the new design by the Grandmaster for everyone The characters written on it are my handwriting, celebrating the Year of the Dragon. The dragon design embedded within it,

Both at the front and the back, with a five-clawed golden dragon coiled at the back, is also my work. This dragon is subtly integrated into the design, not standing out distinctly against the red. red colour, red clothes red dragon If you look closely, you can see the dragon.

This design choice reflects the elusive nature of the divine dragon, often described as “visible yet hidden.” Therefore, from a color perspective, red, yellow, white, and similar hues are considered Yang colors in the concept of Yin and Yang. Black, blue, gray, and also green are considered yin colors

In the concept of yin and yang, meaning they are cool tones. Therefore, red and yellow are warm tones. Remember this, everyone has learned it now. Chinese philosophy is mainly about the philosophy of yin and yang. Yin and Yang philosophy is its basis, and from it derived the concepts

Of the Five Elements, Six Harmonies, and the Eight Trigrams. But the philosophy of yin and yang in China actually makes a lot of sense. It’s not about nonsensical talk or claiming to be a deity; it’s quite scientific. Therefore, red and yellow are warm tones,

And we can consider them as pure yang colors in warm tones. In this way, during the New Year, your life energy becomes more vigorous and more auspicious. Especially in this fleeting year, facing adversities like “Clashing with the Tai Sui,” encountering evil influences, etc., using our red and yellow attire can be beneficial.

When you two wear this scarf, red and yellow perfectly match. It represents the noble color of pure yang. What I am wearing is actually from the Grandmaster. That painting on the wall, “Start of the Universe.” was exceptionally beautiful at that time. The scarf made from it is now available for sale.

The material is particularly good, very comfortable, a blend of silk and cotton, both silky and warm, and very moist. Right, the thickness is just right, very comfortable. The red and yellow colors, Grandmaster also explained their meaning. Right, that time using grains for art was quite unique. Really,

It actually represents a special pattern of the universe, and it really has a very beautiful meaning inside. It looks good. This is the “Beauty of Life,” very pretty, very pretty. Right, it’s especially beautiful. Red and yellow, a combination of great fortune and honor. Received, truly beautiful.

Right, gratitude to Grandmaster for providing us to the opportunity to wear such beautiful clothes and scarves during the New Year, making us feel full of vitality and spirit. Yes, and these items are of particularly good quality. They are very presentable and easy to use as New Year gifts.

Really, they are great gifts for relatives and friends. We are celebrating the New Year, the Spring Festival, with such auspiciousness. So, we have already passed the era when you visit relatives, friends, or classmates, of buying a bag of snacks or two pounds of pork, this has changed. It’s about auspicious and elegant things,

With beautiful and meaningful connotations now. Besides these clothes, there are also things like bracelets. These too are made of colors like pink and red, materials like agate and crystal. These are very beautiful and very suitable as New Year gifts, all made of natural gemstones and materials. They are exceptionally good,

And they all contain the blessings and auspicious energy from Grandmaster, offering us protection. Gratitude to Grandmaster. You’re welcome. Alright, so we’ve reached the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month. Grandmaster, let’s continue talking about it. Okay, we’ve reached New Year’s Eve. Let’s just jump straight to New Year’s Eve. Okay, okay.

New Year’s Eve, the 30th day of the last lunar month. Right, on that day, what should we do? On that day, generally speaking, one thing is for the whole family to gather together. The family reunion begins. Furthermore, we’re going to celebrate the New Year. We should eat well, dress beautifully,

And don’t forget our ancestors. We need to pay respect to our ancestors. Like us northerners in China, on the afternoon of the 30th day of the last lunar month, we perform the ritual during the afternoon. When we were children, the boys, like the father and uncles,

Would take us to the ancestral graves. The father and uncles, your graves are all together, you understand, right? There can’t be two separate graves. We go there for paying respect. We perform the rituals there as a family. I’ve also heard that some people start the rituals as it gets dark.

Yes, it seems that the timing of ancestral worship may vary from place to place, not always the same. Right, but it’s important to carry out this ritual. For instance, if you are far away in the city, and you need to drive back to your hometown for the ancestral rites,

It might take several hours, plus potential traffic jams. So it’s better to arrive early rather than late. If you can make it in the morning, then in the morning; if in the afternoon, then in the afternoon. But if your ancestral grave is close to your home and there’s no traffic jam,

Usually the rites are performed in the afternoon. That’s how it is. In our current situation, living far away in foreign lands, it’s impossible to visit our ancestral homes. So, we practice “distant offering,” meaning to pay respect from afar. Let me explain how to conduct these rituals or offerings.

First, let’s talk about the offerings. If you were at your family’s ancestral grave, you would typically bring certain ritual offering items: lighters, matches, and such. Then, there are personal items related to your ancestors, clothing, daily necessities, and food. For instance, if you’re familiar with your late grandfather,

It’s easier to remember and honor him with things he liked. If it’s the ancestor you know You might not know much about your great-grandfather, whom you’ve never met, so it’s harder to imagine his preferences. You could offer your grandfather’s favorite foods, like fried cakes if he loved them,

Or his preferred brand of Chinese white liquor. You still need to buy his favorite brand. Take some with you. Now, you might ask, “Gramdmaster, aren’t we supposed to abstain from alcohol?” Remember, this is an offering to your ancestors; it’s separate from your personal habits. If they liked smoking,

For example, you could offer them a cigarettes. Buy a couple of packs. Since they’re spirits now, you can also offer them paper clothes, cotton jackets, hats, shoes, and even paper money, specifically, the currency used by the deceased. Each print will cost at least 1 billion, and to burn more.

Print generously, as inflation affects the afterlife too. A billion might only buy a couple of radishes there, so better to offer more to ensure they have enough. so it’s better to burn more to ensure they have sufficient funds. Otherwise, they might come to you in dreams asking for more.

It’s better to offer generously, after all, you are their descendant, and they would naturally turn to you. This is a way to show filial piety. During festivals, in addition to clothing and daily necessities, offer their favorite foods. For us northerners, nothing beats dumplings. Make sure the dumplings are cooked before offering them,

Do not offer raw food, except for fruits. Apart from fruits, offer snacks and other edible items that we normally consume. You have to bring cooked food, not raw food except for fruits Take some with you, and when the time comes, offer it there. Generally speaking, for graves,

We say that anyway, these foods are not to be taken back home. I have asked different people about this matter; practices vary from place to place. Some people say that we can take the offerings back after offering them. This depends on local traditions, and there’s no specific requirement for it.

For those of us who cannot visit our ancestral homes and must conduct distant worship, the offerings are first for the ancestors and then can be consumed by us. Distant worship can be formal or informal. For a more formal setting, you might set up a table in your living room,

With a square cardboard covered in yellow paper. Write something like the great-grandfather’s name, for example. If you know your grandfather’s name, you can write that, or you don’t need to write his name specifically, just ‘Ancestor of the Li family’. And then write a signature at the bottom,

The name of the person who sets up the offering, signs it. For example, “Zhang Xiaosan offering to Ancestor of the Zhang family.” The signature is Zhang Xiaosan. So the spirits know its for Zhang’s ancestors. Otherwise, other spirits might take it.

This is the issue; you need to write down the name of the person making the offering. This way, your bloodline connection is recognized, and your ancestors will know they have received it. If you know your grandfather’s name and if he has passed away, it’s better to write his name

Along with ‘and all ancestors’. This is how you accept this offering. You need to write this on the tablet. This tablet also needs to be burned, otherwise the spirits on the other side can’t see it. Alright, that’s how it is When burning paper offerings,

It’s a good idea to include a note specifying the intended recipient to avoid confusion. This way, only your ancestors will take what’s intended for them. In remote offerings, the ceremony may not be as grand as it would be at the ancestral grave,

Since you’re not at the actual site but rather in a foreign land or away from home. Therefore, it’s advised not to prepare an overly lavish spread of offerings that might go to waste. Especially at home, considering environmental consciousness, food should not be wasted.

After the offerings, you can consume the food that same evening. During remote offerings, incense is also burned. I remember when we would offer incense at graves back in our hometown. Burning incense is a way of sending messages, symbolizing an act of reverence. Grandmaster, is there a specific requirement for the number of offerings,

Like an odd or even number? This ties back to the philosophical theories of China, where the fundamental secret of nature is believed to be Yin and Yang. Numerically, Yin and Yang are quite distinct. Remember, odd numbers represent Yang and even numbers represent Yin. For instance, in the Chinese Bagua,

Yin and Yang are represented with broken and unbroken lines, respectively. This concept also applies to money and dates; even numbers are Yin. The deceased belong to Yin, hence they go to the Yin world and become spirits, devoid of energy. Thus, when making offerings to ancestral spirits,

It’s preferable to choose gifts in even numbers. Don’t get too caught up in the precise mathematics of whether something is odd or even. For example, it’s unclear whether 1.6 or 1.65 counts as odd or even. Just approximate, if it seems like an even number, that’s fine.

A good pair. Four apples and four oranges. This is still a good pair. Two plates of dumplings, for example, with twenty dumplings in total, are also appropriate. Thank you, Grandmaster, for the clarification. On the 30th, the main focus is ancestor worship, keeping the ancestors in mind.

Besides the reunion dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year, what else should be done? Customs vary by region. In some places, it’s customary to pay respects to the Earth Deity or ‘Lord of the Land a widely revered deity in both southern and northern China.

The Lord of the Land is believed to protect the family’s peace and prosperity. In the past, without high-rise buildings, every home was fundamentally based on land. The land is crucial for a family’s prosperity; it’s believed that if Lord of the Land favors you, even earthquakes can’t harm you. Land is of utmost importance,

Hence the need to worship Lord of the Land How should one worship Lord of the Land? Should it be done in the morning or afternoon? Morning, being more Yang, is appropriate for worshipping deities. Lord of the Land, despite overseeing the land,

Is a righteous deity, often referred to as the God of Blessing and Virtue. In ancient times, and as I’ve seen in Taiwan, statues of Lord of the Land dating back about three hundred years often bear the inscription “God of Blessing and Virtue.” He is a deity, not a ghost. a deity

Therefore, it’s best to worship him in the morning. So, on the morning of the 30th, if you wish to offer to Lord of the Land, that would be the time. Grandmaster, in some homes they might have already setup a spot offering to the Lord of the Land. Many of our fellow Bodhi practitioners,

Make offerings to buddhas and bodhisattvas at home. Yes, we also offer to Grandmaster. On New Year’s Eve, we express gratitude towards the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Grandmaster, but we also want to offer to the Lord of the Land, what would be the best way to conduct such a ceremony?

If you don’t have an image of the Lord, saying prayers is fine. If you want it more realistic, you can set up a spirit tablet. You can take a sturdy cardboard box, place a piece of yellow paper in front. Respectfully written on it are the words “God of Blessing and Virtue.”

You can leave it at that or also add on: Lord of the Land, as well. In Southern China, they call him “Grandpa Earth God.” The word for “Lord” can also be understood as the word for “Grandpa.” Either way is fine.

Many people do this in small homes with Buddhist altars where space is limited. I’ve seen it in Taiwan. The Buddha or Bodhisattvas are worshipped above on the altar, and beneath it, a spirit tablet is placed for the Lord of the Land. It’s set on the ground right under the altar.

In front of the tablet, place its own separate share of offerings. Prepare a couple of offering items on dishes specifically for him. In homes with elders, offering to the Lord of the Land is very common. Some even offer incense daily, especially in the southern regions of China.

There’s a custom among shop owners, to set up a small shrine at their shop entrance. This shrine often contains a small figure of the Lord of the Land and a tiny incense pot. Some make daily offerings, but in Taiwan, many people, especially business owners,

Offer on the 1st and 16th days of the lunar month, or is it the 2nd and 16th? It’s the 2nd and 16th. They set up an offering table at the entrance with various offering items, which differ from one store to another. I vividly remember from my childhood in my hometown,

People offering things like pig heads or sheep heads, especially during the New Year. It was quite common for families to consume meat from animals they raised and slaughtered themselves. This is a fact, though it’s not something we advocate.

The Lord of the Land accepts all offerings, you can offer what you think is good. In the southern regions, where vegetarianism is more promoted, offerings to the Lord of the Land often consist of fruits, grains, pastries, pomelos, mochi, and other sweet, sticky foods, which are thought to be favored by the deity.

People in Taiwan believe that he is fond of mochi. In the northern regions, we might substitute this with sweet potatoes. Sweet, soft, and sticky, these qualities are preferred. The Lord is always regarded as an elderly figure, with a white beard, favoring food that doesn’t require much chewing.

Speaking of this, I have a question. The Lord of the Land always appears as a bearded old man, as seen in TV shows and paintings; always a short, old man. This representation is a result of dramatization. In reality, the Lord of the Land is not necessarily short or lacking in stature.

It’s like how ancient warriors were depicted with painted faces in dramas, you can’t even tell if they’re human or demon. It was intentionally done to signify whether someone is a brave warrior, a loyal minister, or a treacherous villain. But the Lord of the Land’s legs are not short.

They don’t always show up as an old man form, right? There are also handsome representations, right? The Earth Gods that I have seen are not old men. He is an immortal deity; how could he age? For instance, if someone becomes a deity at the age of seventy,

Does that mean they retain an elderly appearance? Not necessarily. Many deities are depicted as being in their twenties or thirties, and some even as teenagers. They remain in this form. Rarely are their forms old in appearance. In Taoist teachings, among the Three Pure Ones,

The Great White Golden Star is depicted as an old man. Not all deities are old. The God of Longevity, also has the image of old man. What about the Earth Gods you’ve seen, Grandmaster? About that, there are some divine secrets I cannot divulge. I’ve seen Earth Gods in certain countries in the South,

He was wearing western styled clothing, it had a collar and was similar looking to a suit but not quite, there was colorful pattern below. He was incredibly handsome, around thirty years old with thick eyebrows and big eyes, strikingly handsome. He greeted me in a very open and friendly manner. He stood in the sky, like a heavenly general. His head alone must have been over a meter wide. His form was big, not small at all. Definitely not an old man or short. In the traditional Chinese novel “Investiture of the Gods,” there’s a character, a monk who can travel through the earth. He chants a spell and can travel underground. As long as there’s earth, he can travel through it. This led to the assumption that such a person must have short legs,

People assume they’re unable to stride properly. the truth is, they don’t need to stride at all, so they can also have long legs. So, the Earth God isn’t necessarily short. It’s important to be clear about this. He’s not necessarily an old man either. So on the eve of the Lunar New Year, we pay respects to our ancestors and the Earth God. We need to offer our thanks and make offerings, show gratitude and respect. Then, in the evening, it’s time for the family dinner. It’s not just about paying respect to our ancestors and the Earth God,

We should also visit our regular places of worship, like the temples we frequently attend. We talked earlier about the most important deities in the realm of spirits, who were they? (The Kitchen God.) And his wife, the Kitchen Goddess, a divine couple. Worshiping a couple represents the aspiration for establishing a family,

Living harmoniously, prosperity in descendants, and having food on the table. Then, who did we mention next? From the Door Gods to the Earth God, this is the traditional Chinese concept. In essence, China is a polytheistic nation. Do you know the traditional sleeping area in the past, a “kang” (brick bed) made from earth and bricks, had its own guardian deity too? The kang cannot be moved, unlike a bed.

It can only be demolished if no longer need Did you know there’s a deity for the kang as well? Yes, and there’s a deity for the lamp, too. I’ve never heard of a cabinet deity before. (Yes, there is one.) Is there a deity for bowls? It’s quite interesting, isn’t it?” In the belief system concerning the human body, for instance, it’s thought that each of the five internal organs has its own deity.

When we studied the art of talismans, for example, if someone had a stomach ailment, there was a specific talisman representing the deity of the stomach. By simply writing the deity’s name on the talisman, burning it, and consuming the ashes mixed with water, along with reciting spells,

The stomach pain or ailment would typically be healed. It was quite effective. The ancients believed that each organ was inhabited by a spirit. If your stomach constantly hurts, it could mean the stomach deity is displeased or protesting. By appeasing and soothing this spirit and then burning the talisman for it to ‘consume’, you effectively communicated with the stomach deity. That’s the general idea. Of course, the human body also has the “Yuan Shen,” your “primordial spirit.”

It is the most powerful, representing your spirit of life. Once we’ve paid respects to the three types of household deities, we then focus on the deities of our particular faith, whether it’s Jesus Christ, the Three Pure Ones of Taoism, a specific Taoist master, or any other deity. In Chinese belief, many deities are humans who ascended to divinity.

For example, in Taoism, you might believe in the Eight Immortals like Tieguai Li or Lü Dongbin, or some Taoist masters. (Wang Chongyang, Qiu Chuji, or Zhang Tianshi.) After that, you offer to the gods or buddhas and bodhisattvas of your faith. On the night of the 30th, families gather for the family dinner,

Though the customs can vary slightly from place to place. Typically, the dinner happens around 8 p.m. when it gets dark, with the whole family coming together. In some homes, the offering ceremony happens before this meal, where all family members, young and old, participate in offering incense and prayers.

Depending on whether you’re in the north or south, some families instead choose to conduct their ceremony just before midnight, right before the arrival of the new year. After the ceremony is complete, and as the clock strikes twelve, marking the end of the year, and the start of the new year,

That’s another common time for observance. So, it depends on your family tradition. But regardless, on the eve of the Lunar New Year, paying respects to the gods and the Buddha is essential. And again, on the first day of the new year, the practice is repeated first thing in the morning.

Like in my family, on the evening of the 30th, we don’t have the tradition of eating a meal before midnight. We were in the rural countryside, it was’t common there to have a meal before midnight on the 30th. In our house, we usually have our dinner around 8 p.m..

The next meal after that would be on the second day, at dawn, our family eats our meal quite early, around 5 a.m. on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Why so early? It’s an ancient practice; the earlier you rise, the earlier your fortunes begin, rise early for prosperity,

Late risers have delayed prosperity, and those who don’t rise miss it altogether. So, the act of rising is significant. Just as the sun rises in the east, your steamed buns rise, your business rises, or flourishes, and your children grow, all these are connected to the concept of “rising.”

That’s why my mother insists on getting up early. After rising, we have the first meal of the New Year, which is dumplings. That’s our family tradition, but before anyone eats, the dumplings must first be offered to the deities. As mentioned before, the three types of household deities, plus any others you worship.

In our home, after paying respect to these deities, the dumplings cannot be eaten right away. They are genuinely offered to the deities, and only the remaining part is for the family to eat. It’s not like you just offer them and then immediately take them back to eat. That’s not acceptable.

The offerings must be left for at least three days, and it’s only after the fifth day of the Lunar New Year that they can be consumed. The deities won’t literally take and eat the dumplings. After the fifth, if it’s winter and the food hasn’t spoiled, the family can then eat it.

That’s a lot of work, right? (It’s important to understand. This is crucial in showing respect to the deities.) I want to remind everyone that when paying respects, show sincerity and reverence. It’s not a time for careless talk or disrespect. You must be sincere and respectful, no joking around.

The fortune your household for the year depends on these couple of days during the New Year. Making offerings is not something to be taken lightly. Thank you, Grandmaster. We’ve talked a lot about what should be done during the Lunar New Year, good deeds and auspicious activities.

There are certain things we should avoid, as they are considered taboos. Like we mentioned earlier about the Kitchen God having jars for good and bad deeds, scolding others or speaking negatively should be avoided. During the Lunar New Year, we should strive to be kind, speak good words,

And avoid bad language, anger, and negative expressions. There are also certain words that the elderly have always cautioned us against using, like: death, loss, break, gone, leave, shattered, ruined, all these negative words are to be avoided, as they carry a negative connotation. Also, quarreling and using unpleasant language among siblings is not allowed.

(Yes, in case someone accidentally slips up and says something inappropriate, they should quickly pretend to spit and repent immediately.) Right, correct it straight away. Well, at the very least, wait until after the 16th day of the first lunar month. But ideally, we hope that throughout the year, auspicious and kind words are spoken, avoiding anger-inducing, unpleasant, or inauspicious language. Otherwise, the rest of the year may not go smoothly. Speak kindly, avoid harsh or foul language.

(Once you make it to the 16th, it’ll become a habit, you wouldn’t want to swear anymore.) I think it’s important to watch your words and your mood. But sometimes, in daily life, somethings cannot be avoided, For example, you ask your grandma out of concern, “Grandma, did you take your medicine today?”

These kinds of words should be avoided. Instead, you can say, “Grandma, have you taken them today?” This way is better. Try to avoid negative words. “Did you eat the wrong pills?” That’s bad, don’t say things that aren’t true. And in modern times, people might sarcastically say things like “You must have taken the wrong medicine” or “Are you sick or something?” Don’t say things like that. It’s almost like cursing someone. These words shouldn’t be spoken.

Yes, because it can get tricky during this time. There’s another suggestion I’d like to make, stemming from folk customs. If someone has a health condition that need medication, during the Lunar New Year’s time, based on traditional views, if your condition is not serious,

Try to avoid taking medicine on Lunar New Year’s eve and the first day of the New Year. It’s said that if you take medicine on these days, during the transition into the New Year, you might end up needing medication throughout the year.

So take extra care to avoid getting sick in these days leading up to the New Year. Arrange your routines and to-do’s well so you don’t fall sick during the busy festive period. For the sake of auspiciousness, plan your diet and daily routine in advance to avoid harming your health and being forced to take medicine, which would be quite troublesome. (No medicine, no unpleasant words, and another thing: don’t cut your hair during the first lunar month. This is a tradition passed down through folklore.

There’s a saying that says if you cut your hair in the first month, your uncle will die. Some people might ask, “What if I don’t have an uncle?” It’s still better not to risk it.) We don’t know who might be affected. Basically, if the ancients have been saying this for thousands of years,

I believe it’s wisdom and experience accumulated over time. We shouldn’t resist or try to test these traditions. Because sometimes, when disaster strikes, it can be more than just a minor misfortune, so caution is necessary. Don’t play with fire. Therefore, the month before the Lunar New Year, you can get your hair cut.

Both men and women should do this. If you need a haircut, get it done ahead of time. Men can just use electric clippers, super quick. Don’t wait until the first lunar month, especially when some youngsters don’t care, dismissing these customs as old superstitions.

They might say, “I don’t believe in this, it’s just superstition.” But if you don’t believe, there’s no need to test it. If you’re skeptical, yet you go ahead and do it, problems might arise, right? If you argue, “I don’t even have an uncle, so who’s going to die?” do you really wish for the death of your relatives? Of course not. So, don’t take the risk. Get your hair cut before the New Year, in the days leading up to it. (Absolutely, it’s better to follow the rules.

Don’t get a haircut during the entire first lunar month. Wait until the second day of the next month (Dragon Raises Its Head Day).) Is this really dangerous?’ The name of today’s livestream is indication, if you do not know proper New Year’s customs, if might invite disasters.

For instance, the belief that cutting your hair in the first month causes an uncle’s death. If you do cut your hair and your uncle really dies, especially if you respected him, wouldn’t you regret it for life? It can even lead to mental illness. It could drive you mad. And how would your cousins, your uncle’s children, view you then? This tradition should be observed. Additionally, it’s said that from the first to the fourth day of the first month, one should refrain from cleaning or sweeping. Everything should be cleaned on New Year’s Eve, so during these initial days, we avoid disposing of trash or throwing things away.

The idea is to prevent the accidental discarding of wealth, good fortune, or any auspiciousness. By the fifth day, it’s permissible to resume these activities. This day is known as “Breaking the Five,” signifying the end of the Spring Festival period and the relaxation of these traditional rules. If a child accidentally breaks something,

The adults often quickly say “Sui Sui Ping An.” (Which means “Peace will accompany you throughout the year”) to dispel any negativity. During New Year’s Eve, we also try not to sleep early. Staying up until midnight is a part of the celebration.

This act symbolizes bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new one, representing a hopeful anticipation for the New Year. Before midnight, we pay respect to gods and buddhas and offer incense. Once the New Year arrives, we express our gratitude to them.

During this time, we also pay respects to our elders by bowing and offering New Year’s greetings, wishing them health, longevity, and good fortune. This is a significant part of the New Year’s Eve celebration. This should be elaborated a bit more. For instance, as a child in the family, with parents above you,

And both sets of grandparents, you need to perform the traditional act of bowing and greeting them for the New Year. It’s a traditional Chinese etiquette, particularly important during this period. At this time, it’s about acknowledging seniority. Usually, the youngest child either doesn’t know or is too shy to do this.

It’s usually the elders who lead this ritual. For instance, if there are grandparents, the parents will lead their children in bowing and offering New Year greetings to them. The children follow their parent’s lead in what to say. The father might say, “Your son wishes you a Happy New Year,”

And the grandchild follows with, “Your grandchild wishes you a Happy New Year.” This is usually accompanied by three bows. Elders typically prepare red envelopes to give to children during New Year for good luck. The ‘money symbolizes blessings for longevity, prosperity, and good fortune, for a safe journey through the year.

This money should not be spent immediately and certainly not counted in public. It’s best to count it discreetly, if necessary, and traditionally it’s kept under the pillow or mattress to ‘suppress evil spirits.’ The name for this money was originally written with the character for negative spirits.

Placing it under the mattress to suppress the negative energy. Interesting, isn’t it? This is very important. It’s necessary for healthy and safe growth. It’s important for elders to give red envelops to children, grandchildren, sons, daughters-in-law, and so on, regardless of their age, even if a son is 65 or 85.

As long as you’re alive, he is your son and should get a red envelope when he pays his respects. This is a very good tradition. The same goes for grandchildren, don’t pick and choose your favorites, treat them all equally with gifts and blessings

When children and grandchildren offer New Year greetings to their elders, they may also bring red envelopes or gifts. In Chinese culture, New Year gifts are traditionally wrapped in red, often with attractive designs that go beyond just a plain red covering. The packaging usually incorporates significant red elements,

The packaging usually has many red elements, adhering to the cultural norm of associating red with New Year celebrations and blessings. So, honoring elders definitely involves gifts. It’s all about knowing what the elderly like, need, or enjoy eating. Usually, it involves things to eat, wear, or use. It’s important to choose practical gifts.

The elderly are all about practicality; there’s no room for anything superficial. Therefore, when showing respect to elders, it’s crucial to understand this aspect. Thank you, Grandmaster. Speaking of this, let’s discuss the family dinner, the New Year’s Eve feast. Grandmaster, let’s talk about the delicacies.

What to eat? In the north, it’s essential to have dumplings. It’s not New Year if there are no dumplings. We grew up eating them, right? Absolutely, we must have dumplings. Why do northerners insist on having dumplings? Well, if we talk about the symbolism, it’s a tradition passed down through generations. Symbolically,

Dumplings can be seen as resembling ancient ingots. Yes, check online; gold ingots are rare due to their value, so more like silver ingots. They look like plump little boats. Some dumplings are shaped like this, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Yes, exactly, ingot-shaped dumplings, we call them. Another symbolism is inclusiveness.

Dumplings represent tolerance and broad-mindedness. Look at the variety of fillings, common ones like cabbage and pork, eggs, chives, carrots, celery, green beans. There’s no standard, right? You can fill them with anything. It’s all about creativity. Back in the 1990s, which is not 20 but 30 years ago,

I encountered an unusual dumpling filling – chopped green peppers. Have you tried it? I had them in the 90s, not really to my taste. How did people come up with that? And there’s even more interesting. In Qinghai, where dumplings aren’t as common, they fill them with potatoes. It’s like Italian dumplings,

Doughy with added fats. When you bite into them, they’re mushy, reminiscent of Italian dumplings. Italians also make dumplings with mashed potatoes, butter, or something. Seems like Qinghai people learned from them. They mix mashed potatoes with various condiments and dairy fats. Once you bite, it’s hard to open your mouth again, it’s so sticky.

They’re not particularly delicious. So, dumplings can have any filling; it’s about having a generous, accommodating heart. Being accommodating means being tolerant, right? Whether it’s experiencing the flavors of life, encountering different friends or family members, each with their unique personality, it’s about showing extra tolerance. So, dumplings also symbolize this spirit of inclusiveness.

Furthermore, making dumplings is often referred to as ‘pinching’ dumplings. Pinch the two halves together, less chit-chat. Why? Because, actually, I’ve asked many people about this. For instance, when siblings, working in different cities, return home for the New Year, it’s not about expressing overt affection like “I’ve missed you so much”

Or “I love you”. Chinese people aren’t usually so verbal with their emotions. What do they do instead? like “You borrowed two thousand last year and still haven’t returned it.” They tease each other about past debts or grievances, or “You took my old computer saying you’d use it for a couple of days,

And it’s been two years.” It’s all about bringing up old grievances, leading to arguments. It’s like siblings spending three days of the New Year together, arguing for three and a half days before leaving, leaving the elders exasperated. They part saying they won’t meet next year, but inevitably, they do,

And the cycle of arguing continues. That’s not ideal. During dumpling making, it’s a time to talk less nonsense. The first point is that children are naive and lack manners. In truth, it’s being unfilial, such children who quarrel every day in front of their parents are indeed unfilial.

True filial piety involves making one’s parents happy. You’ve raised us with so much effort, right? But when we gather for the Chinese New Year, just for those two or three days, we end up arguing daily. This is a display of disrespect. The parents lack dignity, Why is that so? I don’t know.

When children are unfilial, they will create chaos right in front of them. So, what are the consequences of this? It brings misfortune. “Harmony in the family leads to prosperity in all endeavors,” Right, but when there is discord in the family, especially after getting married or bringing a daughter-in-law into the family,

If you still harbor pettiness, whether you marry off a daughter or bring in a son-in-law, and everyone has their own calculations, the family joy is ruined. It just falls apart, which is not good. Therefore, after eating dumplings, we should speak less nonsense and instead be broad-minded and tolerant. Yes, tolerance.

A harmonious family is what brings wealth and treasures. Right, eating dumplings is very meaningful. We must eat dumplings this year too. And then there are these deep-fried treats, like sugar-coated fritters and sweets. I loved them as a child. During the Chinese New Year, they tasted so delicious.

Right, during the Chinese New Year, that’s when families would deep-fry them. They would fry them for an entire day, making lots of these sugar-coated fritters. In our hometown, these fritters were even coated with sugar. and sprinkled with some black sesame seeds. They were deep fried in a wok. Especially in poorer times,

They were incredibly delicious. Truly, even more appetizing than meat, Yes, I still remember. I would always stand next to my mother, waiting for them to be fried. In our hometown, they still popularly fry those large fritters. Looking back now, you see those uncles at the market, their hands dark and grimy.

I think they can’t even be washed clean anymore. They stand there with runny noses, sloppily frying fritters. As a child, I didn’t care about that; I was just focused on how tasty those treats were. They were fragrant. Looking back now, it’s quite amusing. Yes, it brings back memories.

They were really delicious. These Chinese New Year foods, and another important one is rice cake, especially in the South, they love rice cake. Right, it’s eaten in both the North and the South. Why do we eat cakes, and specifically, rice cakes during the Chinese New Year?

In our hometown, we also have this “Fa Gao,” or “Rising Cake.” It’s somewhat like a steamed cake, fluffy and soft, and it rises beautifully. This type of cake, so why do we eat it? The cake has a good symbolic meaning. Rice cake in Chinese sounds like “rising every year.” It signifies growth.

For example, your stack of money getting higher and higher. The gold in your house accumulating, increasing in height. Your fruit trees growing taller, your official rank rising, your legs are taller, your stature getting taller, your income increasing, these are all good things. The population increasing. For us practitioners,

It means our spiritual level also rising higher and higher. Yes, we should eat rice cakes, aiming for higher achievements each year. But no rising blood pressure; keep that normal. So, we eat rice cakes and “fa gao.” Yes, “fa” is to rise, to prosper. These rice cakes also have benefits like boosting energy,

Invigorating the spirit, and enhancing strength. During the Chinese New Year, which is the Spring Festival time, it’s cold, the earth is frozen and chilly. So, eating rice cakes or fa gao is actually replenishing our vital energy, boosting the body’s energy. It’s okay to eat these, but after consuming rice cakes,

Try not to drink cold water. It’s better to drink something warm. Our Pu’erh tea is particularly good for this because the sticky rice used in the cakes might be hard to digest for some people. Drinking some Pu’erh tea is especially good, and this Pu’erh tea helps to alleviate greasiness.

Lowers blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, and aids in digestion. If you eat oily and greasy foods, drink a couple of pots of our Bodhi ripe Pu’erh tea, your stomach will feel at ease, it aids in digestion and clears your system, helping to digest the fats.

Is our raw Pu’erh even more effective in cleansing the intestines? Raw Pu’erh is more powerful. Especially after eating what you just mentioned, those large fried fritters. Right, people who like fried foods, if you eat three of those big fritters in a day, the next day, you might feel blocked.

The fritters start to release a new kind of energy, and suddenly, you have a small volcanic eruption on your face, a pimple. Maybe one, two, or three pimples, right? That’s how it is. The pimples were created by the oily fritters. So, what to do? Drink our Bodhi Pu’erh tea, the raw Pu’erh tea.

We haven’t introduced much about the raw Pu’erh tea before. Do we have raw Pu’erh tea? Yes, we do. This requires listening to Grandmaster’s teachings. This is a Pu’erh tea from 2016, an aged raw Pu’erh. Such tea can be enjoyed both freshly made and aged,

But freshly made is not suitable for everyone. Not everyone has the stomach for it; just three small cups can make you feel dizzy or intoxicated. The substance that is in the leaves, I’m talking about the caffeine. You don’t even know the English name for it, I’m surprised. There is too much caffeine it can cause sleeplessness, and its cooling nature can leave you feeling intoxicated and your heart fluttering. That’s right, raw Pu’erh tea, especially Bodhi raw Pu’erh, has benefits like reducing internal heat and greasiness.

It can even help with acne. If your eyes are blurry or you want to beautify your skin, using hot water infused with raw Pu’erh tea can be beneficial. Soak a towel in this hot tea water and apply it to your face. After soaking it, apply it on your face.

Keep it on for about five minutes, reapply while it’s still warm. Repeating this for half an hour can have a remarkable beautifying effect. For women performing beauty routines, especially at night, avoid applying any makeup or powder to the face. Ensure there is no presence of oils on the skin.

To address any oiliness, use raw Pu’erh tea. After dipping a white towel in raw Pu’erh tea, apply it to the face, it can effectively absorb facial oils. After this, you don’t even need to apply anything else. Your skin will feel elastic, like a bouncing basketball.

This effect is even better than a facial mask. Sometimes, masks can make us absorb substances we shouldn’t, like sticky substances akin to intestinal mucus. Absorbing such things might not be beneficial and can lead to pimples or bumps. Using Bodhi Pu’erh tea in this context can cleanse even your intestines,

Along with any facial blemishes or greasy spots. It will absorb these impurities. After absorbing these impurities, remember, ladies, don’t blindly apply any products at night. Regardless of whether you say it’s dry or refreshing. Let your skin stay fresh. Your face needs to breathe through its pores. After clearing impurities,

Don’t immediately apply another layer of oil thinking it’s good for you. In the end, this can lead to allergic reactions because the skin can’t breathe. More applications lead to more problems. After using Bodhi raw Pu’erh tea for a facial cleanse, avoid applying anything that night.

The next day you can put anything you want, but let your skin breathe that night. It’s essential to allow your face to breathe Remember this, and your face will become more beautiful. Even for blurry eyes, apply Bodhi Pu’erh tea to your eyes while it’s warm with a gauze,

Your vision will clear quickly. Why? It reduces internal heat and disinfects. Cooling starts from the roots to clear this inner heat for you Many cataracts are due to dry heat affecting the head, leading to blurred vision. Drink a couple of cups or pots of the tea,

Then apply it to your face and eyes. You’ll feel refreshed, your eyes bright, and your skin clean, glowing, and so delicate yet unbreakable. The best beauty secret is just this simple, beneficial both internally and externally. That’s enough for now. Gratitude to Grandmaster We’ve come to appreciate raw Pu’erh tea,

Especially when we consume too much oily food. Freshly made raw Pu’erh tea is too strong for immediate consumption. Too strong, how many year is ours? This one is from 2016, Year 2016 so it’s been eight years. Ah, the flavor is wonderful. Yes, after eight years, it has matured.

If you drink if within the first three years, your heart won’t be able to take it. But after a few more years, it becomes fragrant and soothing. Now that it’s matured, it’s particularly good for reducing liver fat and high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol. Now, let’s move on.

During the Chinese New Year, we often eat Eight Treasure Rice, which is also believed to be nourishing. As the Grandmaster says, it mainly consists of glutinous rice, supplemented with red dates, chestnuts, longan, lotus seeds, and peanuts. These ingredients carry auspicious meanings. Indeed, the lotus symbolizes “bearing many children.”

All these represent the flourishing of family businesses in all aspects, symbolizing prosperity, vibrancy, sweetness, and joy. Red dates, for instance, are auspicious symbols, representing early and prosperous blooming. Lotus seeds signify the birth of noble children, while peanuts embody the idea of giving birth to both sons and daughters.

Chestnuts are even more significant, symbolizing fertility and reproductive health, as they are believed to boost energy. Now, let’s talk about Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, where people are fond of eating a large pot dish. with layers of food, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. They perceive it as symbolizing completeness and abundance,

Indicative of wealth and prosperity. The use of pots or pans to serve, it not only looks appealing but also represents family unity, akin to sharing a big pot of rice, a very positive practice. In Southeast Asia, another tradition is the “Prosperity Toss,” especially on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year,

Which is a time for everyone to gather and mix various ingredients, typically seven types of food, including lots of shredded vegetables like carrots. This act of tossing the ingredients high signifies prosperity, growth, and auspicious wishes for a fruitful year. Prosperity toss has a coastal culture vibe, reflecting a life reliant on fishing,

With hopes of harvesting more marine food. Hence, it symbolizes the wish for ample food and prosperity in the new year, particularly on the seventh day, which is symbolic of a good start and flourishing success. Therefore, all these New Year foods carry beautiful and auspicious meanings, aiming for health and good fortune.

Our Grandmaster constantly introduces recipes for healthy living to our online viewers, emphasizing the importance of eating healthily and maintaining well-being during the Spring Festival. We must avoid overindulgence and ensure our meals are digestible. Speaking of which, Pu-erh tea, both raw and ripe, is an indispensable aid

In digesting greasy food and is highly effective. Additionally, our Grandmaster has spoken about pickled garlic, garlic soaked in vinegar, which is excellent for cutting through greasiness, reducing fat, and even helping with high blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. You see, even the teapot Grandmaster is using now is quite beautiful,

With its bright green color. This is a new product from our Bodhi treasures line, just launched today. Our celadon tea ware is also lovely. Grandmaster, are you drinking raw or ripe Pu-erh tea? Raw Pu-erh, it can be enjoyed in the evening? It’s okay for me,

But it depends on individual habits and what our community is accustomed to. Typically, tea enthusiasts prefer to drink raw Pu-erh in the morning or at noon. In the evening, it’s generally advised not to drink it, especially for those who are particularly sensitive to tea. Even aged ripe Pu-erh, like a twenty-year-old one,

Can cause restlessness or unsettled sleep in sensitive individuals, though they are in the minority. But those of us who drink Bodhi’s Pu-erh tea have been enjoying it for over a decade. It’s quite alright to drink it in the afternoon; usually it doesn’t affect sleep. However, it’s best to consume raw Pu-erh

Before two in the afternoon. Unless you’re a seasoned tea drinker, then it doesn’t really matter; you can drink it anytime without restrictions. Pu-erh tea is now popular among Chinese communities worldwide, and many Westerners also enjoy it. Pu-erh tea cakes can be a great gift for the Spring Festival.

Let me talk a bit more about Pu-erh tea, as we have many new friends joining us today. Pu-erh tea has only become popular in mainland China and the broader Chinese regions in the past 20 years. The rise in popularity of certain teas has been influenced in part by my own preferences

As I have always been a fan of fermented teas Pu-erh tea and other red teas are all fully fermented varieties In regions like Qinghai and Tibet where tea leaves aren’t produced due to the cold, high-altitude climate there’s a significant need for these teas The local diet rich in animal proteins

Benefits greatly from the digestive aid and plant fibers found in these teas These help in digesting and absorbing meat and maintaining a healthy balance. People in areas like Mongolia Qinghai, and Tibet could go three days without meat but not a single day without tea Without it, their digestion suffers leading to potential illness

The tea they drink is always fully fermented like Pu-erh or red tea Speaking of Pu-erh, depending on its age it can be considered both black and red tea It turns darker with age and has a reddish-brown coffee-like hue when younger In China, the regions known for tea production include Yunnan, Hunan, Guizhou, Zhejiang

And Sichuan provinces. It’s likely that the tea produced in these areas was originally customized by locals When you think about it, tea leaves are essentially just dried leaves from trees You can understand it as simply taking these leaves and drying them out A big sack of loose leaves might weigh about 10 kg

But when pressed into tea cakes the same sack can hold up to 100 kg making transportation much more efficient Over time, people realized that these teas not only don’t spoil but actually improve with age Other types of tea such as the green teas produced in Chinese regions like Yunnan, Guizhou, and Zhejiang

Tend to spoil within two years. They get stale, deteriorate and become unfit for consumption This results in a significant waste Often, tea stored at home is thrown away after a few years which is quite a pity Tea farmers and merchants face similar issues If the tea doesn’t sell well

Thousands, even tens of thousands of kilos are discarded However, if the tea is processed like Pu-erh the longer it is stored, the better it becomes So, tea that has been stored for fifty years can become more valuable than gold That’s the beauty of it Instead, it’s not afraid of being stored

The longer it’s kept, the more valuable it becomes, with improved effects and a richer flavor Right? It’s highly beneficial for storage Therefore, everyone should gradually start embracing it more widely The primary advantage of this tea is that it doesn’t spoil, no matter how it’s stored

And it actually increases in value over time, making it convenient to keep. In the past, drinking tea was like eating vegetables if you left them for a few days, they would go bad But with Pu-erh tea, whether it’s raw or ripe there’s no fear of it spoiling, making it easy to store

Thus, its popularity has been steadily increasing especially over the past twenty years When I first started drinking Pu-erh many people were still drinking green tea but now many have switched to Pu-erh and red tea. In the past, the large brick tea we drank in Tibet was of inferior quality

It couldn’t be sold during autumn leaving behind the thick stems or even chunks of wood from the tea plant which constituted about one-fifth of the tea It was like a row of sticks being steeped in the teacup, devoid of any leaves. This grade of tea is basically tossed in areas that produce tea,

But process it a bit and it can be sold to the far out provinces, like Mongolia, Qinghai, and Tibet This process was discovered and created out of the necessity for long-distance transportation. It transformed what was once considered waste into a treasure. Now, many tea farmers adopt this practice to make Pu-erh tea

Therefore, we highly recommend it again. Black tea is extremely beneficial for digestion lowering cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, warming the stomach and promoting circulation. It offers numerous benefits including relieving fatigue and countering the effects of alcohol Lighter green teas are particularly effective against conditions like fatty liver, cutting through grease,

They’re even more effective than medication and come without any side effects I highly recommend everyone to give this a try Yes, we have both raw and ripe Pu-erh tea Grandmaster once mentioned, if I recall correctly, that ripe Pu-erh primarily facilitates the flow of energy and vitality through the meridians

While raw Pu-erh is chiefly for cleansing, particularly effective for the stomach and intestines Thank you for your good memory. So, as the Spring Festival approaches you’ll find it hard to avoid oily foods which are likely to be more abundant than usual perhaps tenfold. Therefore, drinking Pu-erh tea

Becomes an essential and ideal dietary companion for everyone And it’s not just for personal consumption it also makes an excellent gift for friends and family Promoting health for yourself and your loved ones is the best gift of all. Another wonderful gift for friends and family is this tea set that I have here

This tea cup and teapot, made of celadon, are so elegant The teapot symbolizes prosperity. It’s all about harmony between spouses, and harmony within the family. And it also represents gathering wealth and blessings This celadon is very durable and attractive quite elegant and beautiful

So, for the Spring Festival, giving a cake of Pu-erh tea along with a tea set, both blessed by the Grandmaster is both elegant and auspicious very healthy and truly exceptional We are grateful to the Grandmaster. Our tea set is both beautiful and reasonably priced It’s supremely suitable for everyday use

Yes, it is beautiful and practical. Each set includes one pot and two cups On our CiBeiYin online store, they are sold individually so everyone can mix and match as they like You can buy as many cups or pots as you wish It’s very convenient. Thank you, Grandmaster. Let’s summarize what we’ve discussed today

For our online viewers. Understanding the customs of the Spring Festival is crucial to attaining health and auspiciousness Indeed, it’s incredibly beneficial I feel that after listening to the Grandmaster the first step is to show respect and love towards the divine beings that protect us such as the Kitchen God and Goddess

Yes, and also we should clean and decorate our homes with new Spring Festival couplets and images of door gods Additionally, it’s vital to pay respect to buddhas and bodhisattvas as well as our ancestors, with reverence and gratitude. This is a crucial time. When it comes to our own beliefs

Like our fellow Bodhi practitioners, we all have faith in buddhas and bodhisattvas If there are centers at your whereabout then we should return to our meditation center on New Year’s Eve or in the days leading up to it, come and pay respects to the Buddha

Yes, pay respects to the Buddha, bask in the Buddha’s light, make offerings and offer to gild the golden statues of bodhisattvas. Making light offerings, and performing these meritorious deeds are essential. Even the Jade Emperor sends celestial beings to observe us, right? We must do these things well

Then, as we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new year, we invite good fortune for the year Yes, 2024 is the Year of the Dragon The Grandmaster previously mentioned that this year might not be smooth for those born in the years of the Dragon, Dog, Rabbit, and Ox

For those zodiac signs if you haven’t offer the pacify Tai Sui God light, come to our meditation center or visit our Bodhi Meditation College website to offer the pacify Tai Sui God light. This way, you can pray for a peaceful and smooth year ahead and everything will go smoothly.

Moreover, gilding the golden statues of Bodhisattvas is particularly important. Grandmaster has specially made available gilding the Thousand-armd-and-eyed Guanyin Bodhisattva golden statue. the Bodhisattva will provide special protection to those affected by Tai Sui God dissipating negative energies. In fact, the Guanyin Bodhisattva helps us achieve all the good things

We wish for in our hearts. Everyone prays for a fortunate new year regardless of what zodiac you are. We can go to the Bodhi Meditation College website to make light offerings or visit the Meditation Centers to do so. About light lamp, if you have significant wishes

You can light the light for a longer duration Or, light several lights. The buddhas and bodhisattvas might fulfill them quickly Offering lights and other items, gilding statues of bodhisattvas are all practices we should engage in before the Spring Festival. During this period, to have an especially good year,

We should do more good deeds, auspicious acts, and accumulate merits, to build up good fortune for the coming year. This also serves as a wish for the blessings of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Grandmaster. Grandmaster, you began by discussing the Kitchen God and the Kitchen Goddess.

They are known for carrying a jar of good deeds and a jar of evil deeds. Today, I noticed there is a jar on your table, a large treasure jar. Could Grandmaster please introduce it to our online viewers? With the Chinese New Year approaching, the Kitchen God and the Kitchen Goddess has messengers

Each carrying a jar. This jar is different. Let’s first look at its size. It’s not very large, about over 10 centimeters tall. It’s somewhat square but also round, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. It’s a very special kind of square jar, made of ceramic.

The patterns on it are known to connoisseurs as “Five colors.” During the Ming Dynasty, this art of ceramics had already developed significantly. For example, if the maker desired red, green, or yellow colors, the final product after firing might not turn out as expected. This is because due to high temperatures,

The original intended colors may be altered during firing. Additionally, the patterns drawn on it, when processed and heated, the glaze – which can be thought of as glass-like, melts a bit when the temperature is slightly higher. Therefore, a dragon might not look like a dragon anymore, turning into a blob.

This is what I mean by deformation. So, it’s very difficult to make. The first issue is color change, and the second is deformation. This applies to the patterns. If the temperature is even slightly off, the jar itself can deform. After firing, if there is no deformation, and the red remains red,

The green remains green, and the patterns don’t deform, and the colors are as expected, such an outcome is incredibly rare. Its success rate is one in a hundred. If one out of a hundred jars turns out successfully, it’s considered a great achievement and not easy to come by.

Hence, it’s reserved for the royal family. There’s an inscription at the bottom. Certainly, there are those who say that forgeries also carry similar inscriptions. Naturally, forgers imitate the genuine article. This one is authentic, from the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty. Yes, from the era of Emperor Wanli of the Ming dynasty.

On this piece, there’s a depiction of dragons and phoenixes. It features a dragon and phoenix design on each side, a pair of dragons and phoenixes. Just look here, the dragon and phoenix. For instance, on this side, the dragon is crafted using blue colors, also known as blue-and-white material. You can see it, right?

The Ming dynasty’s dragons are characterized by their upright, vertical mane. Essentially, the hair stands erect. This blue color comes from the cobalt blue material. What do these dragons and phoenixes symbolize at this time? There’s a Chinese saying, “Dragons and phoenixes bring auspiciousness.” This phrase also signifies the harmony of yin and yang.

In terms of family, it represents the harmonious relationship between husband and wife. The term “dragons and phoenixes bring auspiciousness” can be used to describe marital harmony. This phrase can be used by anyone, from the emperor to the common people. It signifies harmony between husband and wife and also represents the genders,

With the male as the dragon and the female as the phoenix. The phoenix has a bird-like appearance, so its tail has many colors. You’ll see it has green, red, blue, yellow, a myriad of colors. The wings are blue and red, so exquisitely detailed. On this side, if we turn it around,

The dragon is red. This dragon is red in color. And if we turn it again, what color does the dragon become? Green. A green dragon. This green, it’s called the Qing dragon. On this side, a red dragon, a Chi dragon. It’s actually somewhat red-yellow in color.

Do you know what that signifies? The Dragon Kings of the four oceans, the creatures of the four seas. They correspond to the four cardinal directions. Understand? It has this significance, the Four Dragon Kings. This symbolizes peace throughout the world, also known as universal peace.

In Taoist cultivation, only when the dragon and phoenix are auspicious, can one receive the blessings of the heavens, earth, sun, and moon. Only then can one concoct elixirs, attain divinity, and become an immortal, a living deity. This is the truest and deepest significance known here.

Emperor Wanli actually practiced Taoist cultivation for over thirty years; he followed the Taoist path. Could this be the jar where he stored his taoist pills? It’s possible, given that such creations are exceedingly difficult to make. The color, particularly challenging to achieve in ancient firing processes.

You can use a cork to seal this on top, inside you can put the taoist pills and elixirs. There’s a misconception that all elixirs have mercury, but that’s not the case. Such claims only serve to disparage and sully a certain practice.

It’s a pattern, when you want to criticize something, everything about it is wrong. All of your character is written in a distasteful manner. However, when it came to praising us, the good points were seldom captured. Hence, it was believed that those who practiced alchemy were deceivers.

Our modern Chinese medicine has gradually evolved from alchemical practices. Ancient Chinese alchemists discovered metals and forging techniques during their cultivation, which significantly advanced the development of metalworking in China. They first mastered the art of medicine-making, creating medicines beneficial to the human body.

To preserve these medicines and prevent spoilage, they were stored in porcelain jars, as well as in jade, gold, and crystal bottles. These substances stored within are not prone to spoilage; this is a fact. For instance, if you wrap something in paper, it spoils in a day,

But if stored in ceramics, it can remain fresh for at least a month. In the past, how were Chinese herbal pills made, and how were they sealed? The process involved using honey. After coating the pills with honey, a layer of wax was added on the outside.

The exterior was coated in wax, and peeling it off would reveal the honey underneath. The honey, in contact with the medicine, was consumed together, ensuring the pill didn’t spoil easily. After sealing with honey, it remained fresh. Indeed, in Chinese, the term for sealing, “密封”, shares a character with the word for “secret,” “秘密.”

Originally, when making these pills, the outermost layer of the packaging was honey. Honey enveloped the pill, preventing spoilage and providing isolation. Misunderstandings arise when people don’t know the facts; I’m simply sharing a small piece of knowledge here. This could very well be Emperor Wanli’s container, possibly used for storing elixirs,

Symbolizing a vessel of longevity and wisdom. Those who welcome it into their homes will receive longevity and wisdom. For the New Year, we want to show everyone some rare treasures. Maybe it’s destined owner will see if and welcome it home. As a vessel of gathered treasures and blessings in your home.

Indeed, the five colors represent the five elements, and when all elements are favorable, everything goes well, and universal peace prevails. The next phrase elevates this concept further, if you’re engaged in significant endeavors, achieving universal peace is extraordinary. It means that your business can expand to the heights you envision, like internationalizing your products.

Yes, you might become the biggest publicly-traded company. This is the implication: your business soaring high and fast. That’s the essence of the symbolism. How wonderful! Gratitude to Grandmaster. Yes, the angles and corners of this object are intricately recessed. This is the result of a special craftsmanship, extremely difficult to produce.

Such effort would not have been expended if it weren’t for a royal commission. Well then, I hope that those blessed will find this auspicious treasure. Whoever takes it home will be very blessed. Look at the auspicious treasures for the Spring Festival. Kunti is wearing a little red hat,

And both of you wearing hats are like welcoming great fortune. The baseball cap, a new design by Grandmaster, is so spirited. The embroidery on the cap, a design we’ve never used before, is the word “JinBodhi,” a blessing from Grandmaster right on top of our heads.

It’s all made of pure cotton fabric, so comfortable to wear, not bothersome at all, as cotton is more breathable. Right, it’s comfortable, easy to wash, and the size is adjustable, which is very convenient. It fits heads of all sizes. Yes, the curvature of the brim and its width are particularly suitable.

Juezhen, the hat you’re wearing, what’s it called? This is called a Bucket Hat, a sun-shading hat. This hat is also very good, very comfortable. We have tested it and found that when the brim of a sun hat is a bit larger, it tends to get blown off easily by the wind.

If it’s too small, it doesn’t block the light well. So, this size is perfect, as it’s not easily blown away and still blocks some sunlight. It’s extremely good and just the right fit. Hence, wearing this hat whether you’re walking, shopping, or practicing Energy Bagua is quite nice.

Yes, it’s very practical, stylish, and beautiful. This is a great new year gift. Thank you, Grandmaster. You might not know, but it also has a special feature. Oh, I know. If you flip it over and look inside, I’ve specially designed a spot to place your cards and car keys.

This is something you might not pay much attention to. I personally designed it. Inside, there’s a special place. When you flip it over and look, you can put your credit card and car keys inside and still wear it on your head. After flipping the hat over and looking inside,

You can use your hand to point it out. The design is quite fun. There’s no zipper on top, but the card won’t fall out. So, whether it’s cash or cards you put inside, they won’t fall out when worn inside the hat. Yes, yes, yes, just like that. It’s very convenient.

I wanted to share this with everyone. Additionally, the white logo on the outside of the sun hat has no stitching on the sides, so you can even fit a pen in there. It’s intentionally designed this way for practicality and added functionality. Interesting, right? This is made of cotton. It’s my English name “JinBodhi.”

This name is used less often. There are also words on this side: Make Life Meaningful It’s about making life meaningful, A blessing from Grandmaster. So, I made these two types of hats for people that need it. I’m just introducing them to everyone. But they tend to sell out quickly

Because I don’t make many of them. We hope to focus on quality over quantity. That way, wearing them is even more comfortable. You might need it sometime later, and perhaps we’ll create a different style in the future. For 2024, we’re only making these two hat designs. Our Bodhi practitioners are always eager

To get one for themselves as soon as they’re available, because if they don’t get it early, they might miss out. As for our products, consider their durability. They are really durable, and hardly wear out, are of good quality, practical, and long-lasting. Even the meditation sets from over a decade ago

Are still being worn by us today. Perhaps the cuffs are frayed, but the zippers are still in perfect condition. In the past, when we bought clothes in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China, think about it, a piece of clothing that cost over 6000 RMB, which is about 1000 USD, right?

The first time I tried the zipper, it got stuck. When I pulled harder, the zipper handle broke off. It’s really infuriating to have such expensive clothing turn out this way. But from then on, we said that if we ever make clothes, we should never let something like this happen;

It would be too embarrassing. So, our quality is relatively high. We won’t have items of poor quality. Therefore, our products are not priced extremely low, they are reasonably priced. Not the cheapest, but given our quality, It’s very cheap for the quality. You get good value for your money.

We don’t make any profit from these items; they are truly worth every penny. Thank you, Grandmaster, for also giving us a promotion on CiBeiYin. Let me introduce it to you. Starting from today, any Dharma items totaling 500 USD, including all the new products we just released,

Will receive a lucky gift. What is it? It’s a Lucky Wealth Coin, personally blessed by Grandmaster. We will use Canadian currency to be this lucky coin and gift it to our online viewers. Once this Lucky Coin is brought home, it can be placed in your incense burner or treasure bowl,

Or even in your wallet. It brings infinite wealth to our families and to us personally, attracting fortune and treasures. Additionally, if during this Spring Festival period, anyone welcomes a thangka or calligraphy painting worth over 280 USD, any piece, we will gift an additional Dragon calligraphy by Grandmaster.

As it’s the Year of the Dragon, we hope that Grandmaster’s Dragon calligraphy, with its wonderful spirit, will be a part of your lives. They all soar towards the heavens, achieving great success. Yes, it takes a certain kind of energy for business prosperity and family flourishing.

I hope that in every corner of our world, we can witness such scenes of dragons soaring in the sky. Like the painting behind us today, “Home by the Reeds,” is also a recent release by Grandmaster. Yes, this painting falls within the range of our special promotion as well.

It’s incredibly refreshing and beautiful, evoking warm memories of home, bringing happiness just by looking at it. We are very grateful to Grandmaster. Now, let me talk to everyone about our livestream schedule during the Spring Festival. This brings us to what our online friends are most excited about,

The opportunity during the New Year to consult with Grandmaster about their fate. They eagerly anticipate Grandmaster’s New Year fortune-telling, disaster elimination, livestream series. Yes, between the first and fifth days of the new year, we might arrange a few sessions.

So, please keep an eye on the Grandmaster app, Facebook, etc., to get notifications about the specific times. How can we sign up for this fortune telling session? There’s a registration form available at this website. Our online friends should take note of it and fill in their information on this website.

Generally, it includes one’s birth details, and other details that’s listed in the form. This also includes submitting photos. It’s important to fill it out truthfully and completely. When drawing lots for a consultation, you should inquire about one specific issue.

Only one issue is allowed, and it should be approached with utmost sincerity and reverence. The lot you draw is the inspiration given to you by the heavens, so there’s no need to keep redrawing or second-guessing it. Yes, the registration form also outlines some preparations and rituals for drawing lots.

We hope everyone will follow these instructions carefully. This way, we can draw guidance from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and then send it to Grandmaster, we wish to Grandmaster’s guidance. That’s fantastic. Additionally, as we mentioned earlier, before the New Year arrives, we should all pay respects to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of our faith.

Some practitioners may face economic issues or other various reasons that might cause inconvenience. But that’s okay. We have a registration form for this purpose too. You can fill in your request for blessings and the name for the blessing.

It’s okay to use a nickname or an alias; the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will recognize you. We will present these names and blessing requests in the meditation center where Grandmaster resides, and place it in front of the Buddha. Grandmaster will also perform free blessings for everyone. We are grateful for Grandmaster’s compassion.

Just a reminder for the Spring Festival period, from the first to the fifth day, we might arrange several sessions for this disaster elimination and change your luck fortune-telling. The content of these sessions involves you filling out the form and sending the information to me. The information you provide,

Whether it’s your real name or an alias, is both acceptable. You can choose to make your photo public or keep it private. If it’s public, please indicate clearly. Based on this information, I will give you a general analysis of your fate, like a personal destiny chart.

This might include suitable career paths, marital compatibility, your financial prospects, intelligence quotient, capabilities, even predictions like the number of marriages or lifespan. All of these could be included. However, I will be very straightforward. I relay the guidance as given by the heavens without sugarcoating.

If you’re shy, you might prefer not to send this information. If you choose to keep it private, I can still reply you privately in my spare time. Once I have calculated the results, I can email them to you. This usually happens through electronic mail.

It’s not like a live session where I can instantly reveal and discuss your details publicly. For instance, if you’re Mr. Wang, I would say, Mr. Wang, your fate is as follows, and read out your destiny chart. I’ll discuss your personality, income situation, intellectual tendencies,

Whether you’re suited to be an engineer, an actor, or perhaps a minister. These interpretations are broadly included. So, don’t be afraid; those who are thick-skinned and not shy benefit more because we are unsparing in our readings. Knowing the truth and receiving guidance is what’s most important.

Indeed, that is the genuine result we have calculated. This enlightenment comes from the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and the deities. If it’s good, then it’s good; if it’s not, then it’s not. It’s not about who you are; then I say you are good or bad, or whether my impression of you is favorable or not.

For instance, if I have a negative impression, I would say you’re not good. Even the heavens would disapprove of such an action. We have our principles in doing things; these things can’t be falsified. Therefore, if it’s about saying whether you are good or bad, you need to be able to bear the truth.

Only then can you say my messages can be made public. We can discuss them openly, However, using a pseudonym is possible, but you cannot change your birth date and time. Yes, if that’s changed, then it’s no longer your fate. Exactly, if you change your birth date today, then it’s not you anymore.

The entire fortune-telling becomes false, it will be wrong. In front of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, we still need to be sincere and truthful. However, our purpose is to guide you, to help you have a better year or future. That’s the result we are hoping for.

It’s about averting disasters and enhancing fortune, right? These two key points, in fact, whether you know about your destiny or not, it will develop in its own way. But having the opportunity to receive guidance from Grandmaster, to proactively engage in methods to resolve issues and enhance fortune, is actually the best approach.

Yes, exactly. Actually, people, especially the younger ones, have their own ideas about themselves and their future. They have this grandiose notion that they’ll be great when they grow up, or they’ll get rich, or they’ll stand out from the rest. These are mere illusions of oneself. But in reality, it might not be so.

In reality, you need guidance from someone like me, or someone even higher level than me. For example, you might be more suitable to study architecture, tailoring, or makeup artistry. This way, you won’t have to take a longer path. You can get it right in one go. This is your fate.

How wonderful and convenient that would be. Some people, without the guidance of a master, still wander aimlessly even into their 40s and 50s, having wasted half their lives without finding direction. They struggle not only in finding their path in life but also in finding a life partner.

Even finding someone to marry becomes a challenge. This includes many young men and women who are completely perplexed when it comes to seeking a partner. They don’t know what kind of person to look for. Like in our generation, girls of similar age to us

Would all say they wanted to marry Andy Lau, right? At that time, Andy Lau and Chow Yun-Fat captivated the hearts of Chinese people worldwide. Women of considerable age would say they want to marry Andy Lau. Andy Lau would be overwhelmed, right? But he’s a famous artist,

And it’s not possible for everyone to marry him, right? In reality, your man also has his own fortune, so you can’t insist on finding someone like Andy Lau. That will only disappoint you. You don’t look at how many “bowls of rice” you can eat,

Or what you look like, yet you insist on marrying him. Can Andy Lau accept you? Right? This is the truth, don’t be embarrassed by this. Every era has young people idolizing different stars of the opposite sex, right? These stars won’t possibly marry someone like you, right? They have their own destiny.

So, when facing reality, young people really need someone like me to give a bit of guidance. This way, we can avoid taking unnecessary detours and save a lot of trouble. Alright, that’s all I have to say for now. Alright, let’s talk about the next livestream time. The next session will be on Saturday,

February 3rd, at 6 PM Vancouver time in North America, and 10 AM Taipei time in Asia on February 4th, which is Sunday in Taipei. The Saturday session is on February 3rd at 6 PM Vancouver time. Vancouver is Saturday night, Taipei is Sunday morning. We’ll see you next time.

I’ll remind you at the last moment when we meet again. This Year of the Dragon brings certain compatibilities and conflicts, clashes, and trails, especially for those born in the Year of the Dragon, Dog, Ox, and Rabbit. For these zodiacs, you should prepare red underwear for the New Year.

Yes, from when should you start wearing them? Either from now or from the start of spring. It’s best to wear them for the whole year, until the next Spring Festival arrives. It’s better to do so. This is the most basic requirement. I believe it will bring you good fortune.

Thank you to Grandmaster for the reminder. I wish everyone auspiciousness and happiness. Received. Be happy and joyful. Received. We’ll see you in our next livestream. Thank you, Grandmaster.

不懂春節的規矩，一年都找不到好運氣！
過年該做哪些事，還有哪些忌諱，你了解多少？
學到了，助你消除厄運，迎接一整年的富貴與吉祥！

00:00:00 農曆春節習俗與禁忌 這麼做能轉好運 | 春節懂規矩 一年行好運 | 直播

◎ 二十三，糖瓜黏：祭拜灶神習俗
00:02:35 灶王爺是誰？
00:09:34 如何祭拜灶王爺？
00:22:40 巡天節：天神考察民間善惡

◎ 二十四，撣塵掃房子：除舊布新貼春聯
00:29:17 年終大掃除，除晦氣、掃病氣
00:39:08 舊的門神、春聯如何處理？
00:49:43 門神故事：帝王夜夜惡夢，兩大名將鎮鬼神

◎ 除夕年前：酬神祭祖
01:10:30 大年三十如何祭拜祖先？
01:20:02 祭拜神明，為來年消災納福

◎ 春節民俗禁忌
01:37:10 不說惡話、不能罵人
01:41:08 不能剪頭髮、不打掃
01:44:17 避免打碎物品、除夕不早睡

◎ 各地春節美食
01:49:22 招財進寶、一家和睦：餃子
01:55:02 長長久久：炸油果子
01:56:08 五穀豐登、步步高升：年糕
01:57:49 降三高、解油膩首選：菩提普洱茶
02:03:53 團圓又甜蜜：八寶飯
02:04:57 財富盆滿缽滿、越撈越旺：新春盆菜、撈生

◎ 春節好禮法物推薦

02:07:59 金菩提禪茶：普洱茶
生普洱茶餅 (2016年) https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/711001170001
熟普洱茶餅（2018年）https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/711001000005

02:15:45 青瓷茶具系列
蘋果茶壺 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700001
蘋果茶杯 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700003
獅子茶壺 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700002
團圓茶壺 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700004
團圓茶杯 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700007
蓮瓣茶壺 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700005
蓮瓣茶杯 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700008
竹韻茶壺 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700006
竹韻茶杯 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712014700009
五福臨門壺承 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712055700003?___SID=S
福壽齊天壺承 https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/712055700004?___SID=S

02:20:11 金菩提宗師典藏 明萬曆五彩龍鳳罐
https://www.puticollege.com/product/1793/0

02:30:00 金菩提太陽帽&棒球帽
https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/792037570000
https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw/792037570001

◎ 2024安太歲祈福
https://www.puticollege.com/offerexpress/0

◎ 塑菩薩金身，為新年祈福
https://www.puticollege.com/gildingexpress/0/69

◎ 2024 春節開運優惠
1. 單筆訂單滿額，獲得金菩提宗師加持，2024龍年開運母錢
2. 迎請唐卡、墨寶一幅，贈送《龍》字畫

以上活動即日起至2024/2/18日止
https://www.cibeiyin.com/tw//#

◎ 算命解籤報名表
新的一年如何消災祈福？只要來信報名，
就有機會獲得金菩提宗師解籤開示，讓來年遇難呈祥！
https://registerfront.azurewebsites.net/event/31

◎ 下期直播時間
台北時間 2月4日 AM10:00
溫哥華時間 2月3日 PM06:00

※ 馬來西亞地區：僅限非穆斯林

#金菩提 #金菩提宗師 #菩提禪修 #農曆春節習俗 #春節習俗 #春節禁忌 #春節拜灶神 #灶王爺 #如何祭拜灶王爺 #年終大掃除 #門神故事 #除夕祭祖 #春節民俗禁忌 #春節民俗 #灶神過新年 #灶王爺上天

【相關連結】
金菩提宗師官方網站：https://www.jinbodhi.org/
菩提禪修官方網站：https://www.puti.org