Chinese prayer

Chinese New Year celebration doesn't just begin on the actual day by itself. In fact, Pre-CNY preparations and small scale events already begin few weeks before Chinese New Year and ends after 15th / 16th day of Chinese New Year.

Winter Solstice Festival (冬至- Dong Zhi)
22nd December Gregorian Calendar

Not only a Festival of the Chinese, Winter Solstice Festival is also celebrated in Japan - Toji (冬至) , Korea - Dongji (동지,冬至), and Vietnam - Đông chí.

 

The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms. Dong Zhi (冬至) is the 22nd solar term, and marks the winter solstice.

Dong Zhi Festival was originally celebrated as an end-of-harvest festival. Dong Zhi is now celebrated as a time for the family to get together.

In Southern China and Oversea Chinese (mostly Southern Chinese), one activity is the making and eating of Tang Yuan (汤圆) - Balls of glutinous rice, which symbolizes reunion.




In northern China, people typically eat dumplings on Dong Zhi.
Dong Zhi Festival usually falls on 21 December (22 December East Asia time) of the Gregorian Calendar.


After Dong Zhi, it is time to start count down to Chinese New Year.

La Ba Festival (腊八节 - La Ba Jie)

8th Day Of The 12th Lunar Month
Falls on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, La Ba Festival was originally an occasion for people to give sacrifices to their ancestors, and to pray to heaven and earth for a good harvest and good luck for the family. Many years later, it has become a La-Ba Congee eating event - a porridge that contains different types of rice, beans, dried nuts, bean curd, and meat.


In Northeast China, Northwest China and Jiang-Nan, this custom has been preserved, but it has become rarer in Southern China. Oversea Chinese (mostly Southern Chinese) rarely or never celebrate and younger generation never heard of this festival.

 

The La Ba Festival (腊八节) had not been on a fixed day until the Southern and Northern dynasties, when it was influenced by Buddhism and got a fixed time on the 8th day of 12th lunar month, which was also the enlightenment day of the Buddha.

La Ba Festival (腊八节) corresponds directly to the Japanese Rohatsu (臘八) and the South Asian Bodhi Day.

Siddhārtha Gautama (the Buddha) once attempted to find the right path to awakening by starving himself. One day, when he was starved and weakened, he met a village girl who gave him milk and rice pudding (congee) and he regained back his health. He attained enlightenment not long after that incident. The Laba congee is thus sometimes referred to as "Buddha congee" to remember this incident and Buddha's enlightenment.

Wei Ya (尾牙) - Thanksgiving Prayer
16th Day Of The 12th Lunar Month

Wei Ya (尾牙) is a traditional annual celebration for the Chinese Earth God - Tu Di Gong (土地公), also known as, Fu De Zheng Shen (福德正神) - The grand-pa god of wealth and merit.

Fu De Zheng Shen (福德正神) 
Ya(牙) Prayer is bi-monthly (every 2nd day & 16th day of Chinese Lunar Month) prayer offering to honor Tu Di Gong (土地公). Chinese bosses (Southern Chinese & Oversea Chinese) pray to Tu Di Gong for business success.



Through out the year, Ya(牙) Prayer is small scale (prayer offering on the altar) but at the end of year, on the last Ya Prayer, known as Wei Ya (尾牙) , will be major prayer. Employers / Bosses will treat their employees to a banquet to thank them for their hard work throughout the year.

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