#joss papers

Hokkien people believed that the Jade Emperor was instrumental in rescuing them from their plight, which is why Hokkiens celebrate Bai Tian Gong. The sugarcane as well is commemorated as it kept them hidden and safe when the bandits were searching for them. In Hokkien dialect, the sugarcane plant is pronounced as ‘kam jia’, which sounds very familiar to ‘kam xia’, the word for gratitude. Thus, in Hokkien Chinese New Year, Sugarcane Stalks are often placed on either side of the offering table 🎑 or the front door of the house. This symbolizes the appreciation and gratitude of the Hokkien people to the Jade Emperor for protecting their ancestors all those years ago and hopes that he would continue to give them his blessings.

Typically, the ceremony 🎑 commences on the eve of the 9th day, typically starting at 11pm on the 8th day of Lunar New Year. But due to mum’s advanced age, she preferred not to jostle with other families burning the joss papers at the public bins. So, she Bai Tian Gong (拜天公) on the actual day at about 6am in the morning then send me down to the bin to do the burning.

According to legend, a group of Hokkien villagers were fleeing from a bandit raid during the Ming Dynasty. They hid in a sugarcane field, where they were pursued by the bandits. The bandits searched the field for days, but they could not find the villagers.

On the ninth day of the first lunar month, the bandits gave up and left. The villagers emerged from the sugarcane field, grateful to have been spared. They decided to celebrate this day as a day of thanksgiving to the Jade Emperor.

Bai Tian Gong (拜天公) is celebrated with a variety of rituals and customs. One of the most important customs is the offering of prayers and food to the Jade Emperor. This is usually done on the eve of the ninth day of the first lunar month from 11pm onward.

To better understand the story behind Bai Tian Gong, we first have to go back hundreds of years back in time to the Ming Dynasty. At the time, within the province where modern-day Hokkiens can trace their ancestral origins to, was a place rife with outlaws and bandits. It was during one fateful Chinese New Year that these bandits went on a murderous spree, going around pillaging villages and killing its residents indiscriminately. Fearful for their life, some of the villagers ran away in the dead of night and hid themselves within the sugarcane fields. They prayed hard to the Jade Emperor for their survival.

Ultimately, on the 9th day of the Chinese New Year, the bandits gave up on trying to find the villagers and returned to their hideouts. Realizing their assailants had left, the villagers emerged from their hiding spots, happy that they’ve managed to survive the ordeal. They praised the divine for answering their prayers and were grateful to the sugarcane fields for providing them shelter. This is why the Sugarcane is held in prominence in all Hokkien celebrations. More elaborate celebrations are usually conducted at temples.

After the joss papers (金纸) and hell money (冥鈔) had been offered (burned), mum used the Moon Blocks (筊杯) or two coins to ask if the ancestors and gods had finished “consuming” the food. If the answer is “No”, we give them another 5-10 minutes before asking again. Once we get a “Yes”, it is our turn to eat Lunch.