Pai Thi Kong

Something is definitely wrong with the New Year celebration this year... The spirit is not as high as it was in the previous years anymore.

2 days ago, was Pai Thi Kong, or praying to the Sky God. My dad says the street outside of my house would look as if there is a festival going on, and take a look at the current situation...

Quiet, ain't it?

Well, time to prepare...

2 shoots of bamboo, some "mee ku", a decorated cloth, table, some sweets and small pieces of fruits on sticks, orange, etc.

All set.

The cloth...

And the table setting...

Guess who was even more anxious than all of my family members...

Somehow the praying tradition of all families vary. For my family its the same thing every year. The table was set with goods and food, two bamboos on the side, a big joss-stick and lots of gold paper. My neighbours just walk to the main gate with 3 joss-sticks, pray, and they are done with...

Here comes the big joss-stick...

After that, folding of the gold paper into money-like shape...

My turn to pray...

Next, 'kai' session, or cleansing of one's soul. We use dolls with our names written on it to cleanse ourselves... Don't ask me why, I am definitely not familiar with all this traditional stuff...

No, they are not voodoo dolls, they are hand-made...

One were to pick up the doll, move it all around you while praying, or chanting... My grandma helped me with mine, so I don't really know how to perform it...

My uncle in action...

Mine...

Next will be the burning process. Again, don't ask me why... I guess its to send all the gold papers to the Sky God...

Burn outside, please!

Even the bamboos were not left out...

Went straight to sleep after that. I no longer have the energy to help clean everything since I have to wake up at 6 the next day to go to school... *sigh*

P.S. this post is a little late than I promised 'someone' because I was having problems with uploading photos to blogspot.com. Case solved now.

Signed off,
Teng Aun.