Divine State has three major Ghost Festivals,
naly, Tomb-Sweeping Festival, Ghost Festival, and Cold Clothes Festival.
Tomb-Sweeping has its origins in Ancient Tis’ Spring rites, and during the Zhou Dynasty, it was a "grave ceremony," in Spring and Autumn period, it was ant to commorate Jie Zitui, leading to the Cold Food Festival, and the customs of the two gradually overlapped.
Since the Tang Dynasty, Tang Taizong officially decreed the conversion of the Cold Food Festival into Tomb-Sweeping Festival and set it as the day for tomb-sweeping and ancestor worship. From there, it developed traditions like going out into the countryside in the early spring, swinging, flying kites, and more...
The Cold Clothes Festival originated from the Zhou Dynasty, as ntioned in the Book of Poetry, "In the seventh month, the Fire flows; in the ninth month, they bestowed clothes." Therefore, on this day, people would add to their cold-weather clothes, as well as perform ancestor worship and tomb-sweeping, burning cold weather clothes for their ancestors...
Therefore, comparatively speaking, the Ghost Festival is the real Ghost Festival.
Within the Mystical Sect of Taoism, the three Yuan festivals represent the birthdays of the Three Officials, hence during the Upper Yuan Festival, Heavenly Official’s Blessing, Ghost Festival, Earth Official Pardon Sins, and during the Lower Yuan Festival, Water Official Relieve Calamity.
In Buddhism, in order to save his mother from the suffering of the Hunger Ghost Path, Shakyamuni’s disciple Maudgalyayana held an Ullambana gathering on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, to offer sustenance to monks from all directions.
Thus, during the Ghost Festival, whether it’s the Mystical Sect or the public, all hold worship ceremonies.
The commoners offer ancestor worship, burn Paper Money, and release river lanterns...
Buddhists hold the Ullambana assembly, recite sutras, chant Buddha’s na, hold incantations, release flaming mouths, and pray for the deceased, hoping for their rebirth in the Pure Land. The public would donate food and clothes to support monks attending the assembly...
And the Taoist likewise hold rituals, to liberate the deceased...
...
At the Shen Family jetty, a multitude of commoners gathered, lighting candles on straw and paper boats, densely floating into the river.
In the distance, river lanterns also drifted over from all directions. The flickering candle flas on the dark lake surface resembled a starry sky reflected upon it.
A magic platform was also set up by the river, shrouded in swirling incense with a stack of offerings piled up. Wang Daoxuan, in his Daoist robe, struck the wooden fish instrunt and chanted in a low voice, "Qingling Cave shines bright in Beidou Palace, commanding forty-two departnts alongside ninety million subjects, governing the ten directions and nine lands of the Three Realms, wielding power over the Five Sacred Mountains, Eight Extres, and Four Borders..."
What he recited was the Earth Official’s treasure decree, a devoted prayer of conversion.
Shen Jinghong’s family had lost quite a few people this year. His father and elder brother were given proper burials, but the second and third branches of the family didn’t dare to make a fuss and could only bury their dead in secret, waiting for the family business to stabilize before revealing this matter.
Although the two sides had an ugly fallout, being from the sa house, Shen Jinghong still felt distressed. Therefore, he notified Wang Daoxuan in advance to co down from the mountains and perform a ritual during the Ghost Festival to liberate the souls.
In front of the altar, the surrounding commoners prayed sincerely and took so offerings from the altar table, breaking them and throwing them into the river.
What they didn’t know was that the recent Thunder Punishnt not only struck death upon "Feast for the Eyes," but also obliterated all the accumulated resentful spirits and fierce ghosts in Liangzi Lake.
The offerings thrown into the water all ended up feeding fish and shrimp.
After "Feast for the Eyes" died, the charred remains, though foul-slling, were indeed a delicacy for various creatures in the lake, attracting even fish and shrimp from surrounding rivers and lakes.
With offerings scattered, the fish thrived in abundance.
Such a spectacle was not seen in previous years. When the commoners around saw this, they thought it was the resentful spirits and fierce ghosts transforming into fish to scramble for food and began to silently recite scriptures fervently, praying for the liberation of the souls.
On the other end of the riverbank, away from the crowd, Sha Lifei looked at the distant lights of the boats, sowhat surprised, and asked, "Aren’t those places Miao Villages? Do they also have this custom?"
Beside him, Shen Jinghong quickly explained, "These are the Miao people who are well-acquainted with the Han people. Although they are quite cautious, they have been intermarrying for many years, so their customs have grown similar."
After speaking, sowhat absentmindedly he asked, "Young Hero Li really can’t make it tonight?"
He had requested Wang Daoxuan to conduct the ritual with a little ulterior motive in mind, hoping to invite Li Yan and his associates for a al, to strengthen ties.
Sha Lifei laughed it off, "Brother Yan has other important matters to attend to and prefers not to be disturbed. To be honest, we plan to leave in a day or two; our descent from the mountains is also a way to bid farewell."
"Ah, you all are leaving?" Shen Jinghong imdiately felt a bit panicky.
Sha Lifei shook his head, "We belong to the pugilistic world, accustod to roaming everywhere. There’s always a day of parting."
"For this period, thank you for Young Master Shen’s care. Brother Yan asked to pass on a ssage to you, if the Shen Family wants to prosper in the future, build good relationships with the officials in the Ministry of Industry and wait patiently for the right mont..."
Shen Jinghong was stunned, "What mont?"
The main offices of the Ministry of Industry were all concentrated in the Capital, and although there were officials and clerks assigned locally, they were all managed by the governnt office.
To be honest, even though the Shen Family was in decline, they were still mbers of the hottest Chamber of Comrce, and to curry favor with those low-ranking officials without real power seed pointless.
"The workings of heaven must not be revealed."
Sha Lifei did not know himself and could only randomly fob off with a remark.
...
Dozens of miles away, within a river in the mountains.
Splashing!
The water surged, and a large black fish surfaced, flicking its head so that a wet package fell onto the grassy riverbank.
Lv San hurried forward to pick it up. Unwrapping the package, contained several pieces of Yin Chen Wood, fine in texture and emanating Yin Evil Qi.
He collected the package, muttered a few words in the Tuo Master language, and the black fish flicked its tail, plunging back into the water, disappearing from sight.
Lv San then stored the objects, placing them in the large basket carried by Wu Ba on his back, filled densely with various stones and spirit wood branches.
This black fish was none other than the Lake God known as Black Head King.
Lv San beca acquainted with this wild god and got to know many hill and river spirit monsters and gods nearby.
These beings were not deep in Dao, existing only in these secluded areas. If they were near big cities like Wuchang, they would have been Suppression and Killing long ago; they could only secretly practice their cultivation on ordinary days.
Considering their cultivation hardships, Lv San got an idea and introduced all these wild gods and spirit monsters to the Tuo Master.
User Comments
0 comments from readers