No 1277 of Living Life Series 1
Traditions may fade but they don't die. They take on a new flavour. They become unique in a new way or form. There is the same traditions but very different basis behind them.
Christmas is one of them. It is no longer as centred on Christ but more on meaning of the spirit behind Christ - the need to give and to receive. Even the secular and non-Christians embrace Christmas spirit and fun.
The same goes with the Hungry Ghost Festival of the ethnic Chinese in South East Asia during the seventh lunar month. It is no longer centred on hungry ghosts alone but more on need for charity among the living.
There is the gathering of temples, clans and associations to jointly raise funds for get together more of humans and less of spirit. The gods or saints now are invited to join in - to bless the living - not just the dead once a year.
Yes, the old emphasis on the dead and the forgotten and deprived dead takes second fiddle to the need to gather the living and the gods to come together to bless all - not just the dead and deprived souls.
There is the tending to the living and the gods. That is something unintended but comes naturally. The tradition is no longer what it was directed at centuries ago.
It is far from that though near as well. This is the nature of humanity. The near may be far. Didn't the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 tells us?
Also, the far from tradition may be near. There are those who avoid the Hungry Ghost Festival but daily in their hearts transfer merits mentally to the departed and wish at heart that all may be well and happy. Aren't this evidence of the far from tradition of the Hungry Ghost Festival being near in spirit to the festival.
Then there are those who take up Buddhism or Christianity who no longer partake in the festival. But they still remember the poor wandering souls and devote services to bless them. They also invoke blessings for the living who are in need. Isn't this motivated by the spirit behind the culture of the Hungry Ghost Festival?
Another tradition is that of the Mid Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival of the eight lunar month. This is no longer connected with worship of the Moon - symbolic of completeness, fertility and romance, no longer to do with thanksgiving worship of mountain gods for good harvest during Shang dynasty.
It is even integrated into Christian church services where there is a strong Chinese congregation - Mid Autumn Service. The significance is still the same - love, fellowship, fruitfulness and fertility in life. wholeness, completeness and what have you.
You name it and there is always the excuse... Invariably the far may be near. Those who disown Chinese popular religion may yet be near in essence to it. That is most fascinating, isn't it?
We may give up and yet we go one round circle to embrace it in another form. Tradition dies hard. Tradition takes new form and even new and augmented meaning. But it is the same thing after all.
Religion does embrace culture and rejuvenate it. This way the family can stay together even if members are of different religious persuasions
Christmas is one of them. It is no longer as centred on Christ but more on meaning of the spirit behind Christ - the need to give and to receive. Even the secular and non-Christians embrace Christmas spirit and fun.
The same goes with the Hungry Ghost Festival of the ethnic Chinese in South East Asia during the seventh lunar month. It is no longer centred on hungry ghosts alone but more on need for charity among the living.
There is the gathering of temples, clans and associations to jointly raise funds for get together more of humans and less of spirit. The gods or saints now are invited to join in - to bless the living - not just the dead once a year.
Yes, the old emphasis on the dead and the forgotten and deprived dead takes second fiddle to the need to gather the living and the gods to come together to bless all - not just the dead and deprived souls.
There is the tending to the living and the gods. That is something unintended but comes naturally. The tradition is no longer what it was directed at centuries ago.
It is far from that though near as well. This is the nature of humanity. The near may be far. Didn't the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 tells us?
Also, the far from tradition may be near. There are those who avoid the Hungry Ghost Festival but daily in their hearts transfer merits mentally to the departed and wish at heart that all may be well and happy. Aren't this evidence of the far from tradition of the Hungry Ghost Festival being near in spirit to the festival.
Then there are those who take up Buddhism or Christianity who no longer partake in the festival. But they still remember the poor wandering souls and devote services to bless them. They also invoke blessings for the living who are in need. Isn't this motivated by the spirit behind the culture of the Hungry Ghost Festival?
Another tradition is that of the Mid Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival of the eight lunar month. This is no longer connected with worship of the Moon - symbolic of completeness, fertility and romance, no longer to do with thanksgiving worship of mountain gods for good harvest during Shang dynasty.
It is even integrated into Christian church services where there is a strong Chinese congregation - Mid Autumn Service. The significance is still the same - love, fellowship, fruitfulness and fertility in life. wholeness, completeness and what have you.
You name it and there is always the excuse... Invariably the far may be near. Those who disown Chinese popular religion may yet be near in essence to it. That is most fascinating, isn't it?
We may give up and yet we go one round circle to embrace it in another form. Tradition dies hard. Tradition takes new form and even new and augmented meaning. But it is the same thing after all.
Religion does embrace culture and rejuvenate it. This way the family can stay together even if members are of different religious persuasions
