cool lunar 1st and 15th Chinese practices

[Yoda]

It sounds like many Chinese extra practices on the lunar 1st and 15th of every month like making offerings, bathing, purifying the home, avoiding meat and eggs, etc.

 

Cowtao mentioned using pomelo leaves as a bathing practice on the 1st and 15th and using a camphor lamp to purify the home.

 

I'd love to hear of any more practices along those lines if anyone knows any.

 

Tao Toe,

Yoda

[witch]

If the lunar first and fifteenth are what I think they are, that refers to the new and full moons. Witches of course have lots of things we do on those days. At the very least special bath salts, soaps and/or oils are used to mark the days. Or are you particularly asking about taoist practice?

[C T]

It sounds like many Chinese extra practices on the lunar 1st and 15th of every month like making offerings, bathing, purifying the home, avoiding meat and eggs, etc.

 

Cowtao mentioned using pomelo leaves as a bathing practice on the 1st and 15th and using a camphor lamp to purify the home.

 

I'd love to hear of any more practices along those lines if anyone knows any.

 

Tao Toe,

Yoda

Hello!

 

These two days are believed to be 'auspicious' days, so whatever practices one does on these days, the merits can be multiplied many-fold. There is, however, the flip-side of it, meaning that whatever 'harm' or negativity one might engage in, the demerits will also be super-multiplied! Thats the belief anyway..

 

That's why it is common for Chinese householders to visit the Taoist/Buddhist temples on these 2 days to make extravagant offerings of incense, oils, fruits and flowers, and pray for 'bigger' blessings of good health, longevity, prosperity and family harmony, and at the same time, use the occasion to offer thanks for same.

 

 

 

There is a joke in the East that if one were to start a business printing 'dud paper money' (which the Chinese buy in large quantities to be burnt as offerings on all the special and auspicious dates in the Chinese calendar) one might just as well be printing real money, and such one can be called an alchemist of the highest order!

 

Have a nice day!

Edited November 16, 2009 by CowTao

[Taomeow]

I've read somewhere that Zen Buddhists in Japan were allowed to kill people on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, but not on any other days.

[Smile]

I've read somewhere that Zen Buddhists in Japan were allowed to kill people on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, but not on any other days.

hahaha, I would like to see a reference to that.

[~jK~]

Edited November 17, 2009 by ~jK~

[Kameel]

Well...my Chinese wife bows to Kuan Yin statue, lights incense and eats only veg food on those days. My American wife does none of these things (just kidding- no american wife)

[Taomeow]

hahaha, I would like to see a reference to that.

 

No haha, Smile! I seem to recall it was Prince Shotoku (574-622), the first Japanese ruler to take buddhism seriously (it was popular before him too, but perceived more as a set of magic tricks than moral imperatives.) He established the Constitution of Seventeen Clauses in which he emphasized peace and harmony within the state and nonviolence and obedience on the individual level. To this end, however, he promoted buddhist violence against "enemies of buddhism." He was of the "general buddhist" opinion that human beings are imperfect by default, that buddhism could improve human beings and help them create a peaceful and harmonious society, and he firmly believed it could be done by force.

Edited November 17, 2009 by Taomeow

[Smile]

 

No haha, Smile! I seem to recall it was Prince Shotoku (574-622), the first Japanese ruler to take buddhism seriously (it was popular before him too, but perceived more as a set of magic tricks than moral imperatives.) He established the Constitution of Seventeen Clauses in which he emphasized peace and harmony within the state and nonviolence and obedience on the individual level. To this end, however, he promoted buddhist violence against "enemies of buddhism." He was of the "general buddhist" opinion that human beings are imperfect by default, that buddhism could improve human beings and help them create a peaceful and harmonious society, and he firmly believed it could be done by force.

Yes haha Taomeow, for a second I thought you talked about Buddhism, but it turned out it was just a wanna-be dipshit royalty making up rules as they go.