The story of the sugar cane and Jade Emperor "天公“。

Its almost 5am right now and my family had just wrap up the offerings and prayer ceremony to the Heavenly Jade Emperor "天公". Its a common Chinese tradition to make offerings to the Heavenly Jade Emperor on the 9th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. It is also the time to offer prayers and ask for blessing for the family, relative and friends.

Besides all the usual offerings like Fruits, Chinese dessert, "kueh" and burning of incense papers (money in the spiritual context), a single or a pair of Sugar cane with leaves are part of the offerings in Hokkien culture. There are 2 folklore stories related to the use of Sugar cane plant as offerings. I learn this 2 stories today, one from my colleagues and one from my dad.

Story 1 goes like this. Long time ago, pirates were common sight along the coast of China. One day the pirates attacked a certain village in Fujian province where the Hokkien people populate. In their attempt to escape from harm, they ran into a Sugar cane plantation and hid in it for days until the pirates left the area. For the days in hiding, the Hokkien people survived on sugar cane juice to quench their thirst and hunger. Thankful to the protection offered by the Sugar cane plantation, the Hokkien people made the Sugar cane plant as part of the religious offering to the Jade Emperor each year as its considered a sacred plant that save their life.

Story 2 goes in a similar fashion. It was told during the time when the Jade Emperor was just a normal immortal, he was engage in war with the Demons. As the war against the Demons grew out of proportion and favor, he retreated to a Sugar cane plantation with his fellow comrades (also assume to be immortal) to rest and recover. It is within the Sugar cane plantation that the plan of battle was hatched and eventually lead to a overwhelming victory by the now Jade Emperor. Thus the Sugar cane plant is presented as offering.

Back to modern science and technology. Facts and Fiction are two conflicting entities at times. I like to drink Sugar cane juice at the hawker center after a round of greasy tasty meal. Its refreshing and cooling. As to the 2 folklores written, I had this feeling that it could just be a story cooked up by some Sugar cane merchant of the past to generate sales of sugar cane plants during festive seasons. Nevertheless, its a tradition practiced by my family for many years and it does not cost a bomb to get a pair for offerings once a year.

This is the only day I could set fire in the public without been called an arsonist. Of course all precaution are made to ensure that no trees are burn down.