What is the ancient Taoist priest s Zhai Jiao Ritual for?

"Zhai Jiao ritual "first use earthen to build a high platform as an altar, and then prepare worship supplies, and the worshipping Taoist priest should bathe and change clothes and not eat meat and wine before worshipping, and then chant a ritual of chanting Buddha.

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Zhaijiao ritual was deduced by the Taoist priests of the Shangqing School and the Lingbao School, and gradually formed a complete set of rituals and procedures. After the Ming Dynasty, Taoism declined, but the Zhaijiao ritual was still spread among the people. During this period, many folk religions were rented out, and they were widely spread, and many Jiao rituals were absorbed by folk religions.

The Zhaijiao ritual is commonly known as the "dojo", which is called "according to the science of teaching", referred to as "science and education", that is, the ritual. In the Taoist official view, people can often see Taoist priests wearing Taoist robes with gold and silver threads, holding different ritual instruments, chanting ancient tunes, and dancing in the mandala.

There are three main types of modern Taoist Jiao activities: Zhengyi Taoist Temple: such as Shanghai Baiyun Temple, Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple, Longhu Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion, etc.

Zhengyi Zhaijiao activities include performing duties, consecration, fulfilling vows, celebrating birthdays, entering the table, offering to the heavens, refining, delivering, fighting the dead, opening, inviting the saints, Huo Si Chao, Yingluan receiving the car, prolonging the life and other rituals. Sutra confessions include morning and evening homework, Jade Emperor confession, Lei Zu confession, Zhenwu confession, Sangong confession, Doujing Dou confession, Chaotian confession, Qingxuan confession, Jiuyou confession and so on.

The Zhengyi Taoist Temple attaches great importance to the Jiao ceremony, because this is their main economy, so the Zhengyi Jiao activities are very exciting and the content is also very rich. Diaspora Taoist priests refer to Taoists who are scattered among the people and do not live in temples, and most of them are orthodox sects. They are characterized by not living in temples, or as a family unit, which is passed down from generation to generation; or as an individual, and make disciples; As soon as there is an opportunity, they will go to the people's homes to hold a Jiao fasting activity.

It is mainly distributed in the suburbs of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, Hubei and other places.

The scattered Taoist priests inherited the legal system of Longhu Mountain, inherited from the family, and lived together for generations. Therefore, the recitation of the scriptures is also a view of the commonly used scriptures, mainly: the three official Beidou Sutra, the Lingguan Sutra, the Emperor Heart Seal Sutra, the Jade Emperor Confession, the Taishang Sanyuan Great Confession, the Stove King Confession and so on.

It is presented in six parts:

The original meaning of "fasting" refers to Qi and purity, and then it means fasting and purifying, which means that before the sacrifice, you must bathe and change your clothes, do not eat meat and wine, and do not sleep in the house, so as to show the sincerity of the sacrificer. The Tao receives this ceremony, at the beginning of the prayer, vegetarian pure heart, bathing and cleansing, called "fasting" at the beginning of "accumulating virtue and relieving sorrows", and then "and God to keep longevity", and then "dedication", "happiness", "harmony", that is, "cultivation", this is the highest state of fasting. Therefore, Taoism attaches great importance to fasting and has formulated a set of fasting methods.

According to its scale and work can be divided into: including three seals and seven products, three seals refer to the golden seal, jade seal, yellow seal; The seven products refer to the Three Emperors Zhai, the Natural Zhai, the Shangqing Zhai, the Zhijiao Zhai, the Tutan Zhai, the Ming Zhen Zhai, and the Sanyuan Zhai (see "Dongxuanling Bao Xuanmen Dayi").

Various fasting methods have different meanings, such as the Golden Seal Zhai "to eliminate natural disasters and protect the emperor", the Jade Seal Zhai to save the people, please thank you, the Yellow Seal Zhai "to pull out the suffering of the Nine Shades of Hell" and so on.

The Taoist priest of the Quanzhen sect still maintains a vegetarian diet. Zhengyi Taoist temple is at the beginning.

On the 1st, 15th or other religious holidays, vegetarian food is required, and so on. They are all fasting to serve the Tao.

The original meaning of "Jiao" is sacrifice, which is an ancient ritual. "Shuowen" says that one is a crown and the other is a sacrifice. Taoism inherited and developed the sacrificial side of Jiao as a way to commune with the gods.

Jiao" also has "Jiao method". The so-called "Jiao Law" refers to the procedures, etiquette and other rules of the Jiao Ceremony.

There are many names of "Jiao", and there will be corresponding Jiao names for all people in the world who need them, such as Jiulong Jiao for Rain, Zhengyi Chuan Du Jiao, Luo Tian Da Jiao and so on. The Zhai method and the Jiao method are different, and later merged with each other, and after the Sui and Tang dynasties, "Zhai Jiao" was collectively called, which has been passed down to this day and has become synonymous with Taoist rituals.

"Jiao ritual" refers to certain laws and regulations on which Jiao prayer activities are based. Generally, there is a distinction between yang and yin, that is, there is a distinction between clear Jiao and secluded Jiao.

Qingjiao has prayers for blessings and thanksgiving, but illness and longevity, blessings for the country, prayers for rain, relief of misfortune and disasters, birthday celebrations, etc., belong to the Taiping Jiao and other rituals.

There are ritual things such as summoning the souls of the dead, bathing in the bridge, breaking the prison and breaking the lake, refining and giving food, etc., which belong to the ritual of helping the dead and fasting.

The Gongguan Taoist congregation has to hold birthday celebrations, celebrations and other ceremonies every time it is a new year, a sun, an important festival, and a Christmas of the patriarch.