Guan Di a.k.a Guan Yu Birthday

Today is the 24th of the Sixth month of the Chinese Lunar Calender. In the Taoism, its the birthday of the God Guan Di （关帝）or Guan Yu (关羽）as when he was popularly known as in the Romance Of Three Kingdom novel. As a general during China turbulent Three Kingdom Era, Guan Yu was a famous military general of the Shu army under the leadership of Liu Bei. He is well know for his loyalty to his sworn brother and lord Liu Bei and righteous action both on and off the battlefield. Below is an extract from Wikipedia.com on the worship of Guan Di in Taosim,

"Guan Yu is revered as Saintly Emperor Guan (simplified Chinese: 关圣帝君; traditional Chinese: 關聖帝君; pinyin: Gūanshèngdìjūn) and a leading subduer of demons in Taoism. Taoist worship of Guan Yu began during the Song Dynasty. Legend has it that during the second decade of the 12th century, the saltwater lake in the present day Xiezhou County (解州鎮) gradually ceased to yield salt. Emperor Huizong then summoned Celestial Master Zhang Jixian (張繼先), thirtieth descendant of Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, to investigate the cause. The emperor was told that the disruption was the work of Chi You, a deity of war. The Master then recruited the help of Guan Yu, who did battle with Chi You over the lake and triumphed, whereupon the lake resumed salt production. Emperor Huizong then bestowed upon Guan Yu the title of Immortal of Chongning (崇寧真君), formally introducing the latter as a deity into Taoism.

In early Ming Dynasty, the forty-second Celestial Master Zhang Zhengchang (張正常) recorded the incident in his book Lineage of the Han Celestial Masters (漢天師世家), the first Taoist classic to affirm the legend. Today Taoism practices are predominant in Guan Yu worship. Many temples dedicated to Guan Yu, including the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County, show heavy Taoist influence. Every year, on the twenty fourth day of the sixth month on the lunar calendar (legendary birthday of Guan Yu, Emperor Guan was actually born on the twenty second day of the sixth month of the year 160), a street parade in the honor of Emperor Guan would also be held."

At the age of 17 my parents brought me to Yuan Long Temple, a temple devoted to Guan Di. I went through a religious ritual to bestow upon me a "God-Son" status from Guan Di. It was an elaborated ritual involving a Taoist medium (someone who willingly let God control their body, mind, action and speech) waving a black "Ba Gua 八卦" flag over my head and lots of chanting and praying. To be frank, at that point of time I have no idea what I am into but I trusted my parents that everything they did for me, in a religion point of me is for my good. This ritual is like a Baptism in Christianity. Since than, every year on the 24th June of Chinese Lunar Calender, I will always accompany my parents to Yuan Long Temple to pay respect to Guan Di. Before I head to US and during my home trip over the 2 years, I will visit this temple to thank Guan Di for the protection when working overseas.

I am not someone who totally believe in God or stuff. But tell myself, would I rather stop believing Guan Di exist and leave everything to science or should I choose to believe Guan Di existence as a deity who render protection and safety to devotees? In life, there are many things that cannot be explain by existing science but that doesn't mean its not true. Given the choices, I would go for believing in God Guan Di as a guardian angel who protect against the unknown and unexplained but also exercise wisdom in decision or judgment to minimize the unknown and unexplained risk in life. Its like doing the best you can and leave the rest to God.

Well, enough of my Theory of religion and life. So today as usual like the past years of my life since 17. I went down with my parents to Yuan Long Temple to pay respect to Guan Di on his birthday. A relatively quiet temple on most other day, today is filled with fellow devotees, lots of smoke from the joss stick and voices here and there. Its a great atmosphere with so many people going in and coming out of the temple.


3 different Fruits and 5 of each is always the standard offering to Guan Di in Taosim. We set the fruits on a plate supplied by the temple stuff on the main alter and make our way to get the Incense paper and joss stick...


It cost merely 2 dollars for the basic incense paper and joss stick from this corner of the Temple, enough for a simple prayer session. Of course for the elaborated one, it will cost a bit more but nothing much to burn the pocket. All money goes to maintenance of the temple day to day operation.


For occasion like today, the temple management did a great service of offering lunch F.O.C for visiting devotees. Its simple lunch of economic fried Bee Hoon and Curry vegetable prepared on the spot but more importantly is the "Care For Devotee" action that it symbolize. It was service with a smile by the food caterer and at one point of the lunch, one of the temple stuff even offer to hold the drink dispenser button even though I said I can handle it myself.


Lots and lots of people, what you see here is just a fraction of visitors taking a break and having their lunch. For respect reason, I did not take picture of the temple interior where some religion ceremony is being carried out. There is lots of people in there too.


To be honest, I have no idea what those lights and flags are for despite my parents been devoted Taoist all their life and have been practicing various aspect of it at home especially during the Heaven Jade Emperor Birthday. Maybe the lights stand for life when purchased for prayer and flags belongs to some heaven general?

Taoism is a colorful religion, so colorful that I am only starting to learn about it...