General rituals and activities of
Zhaijiao Keyi mainly include:
I. Zaowantan Gongke (Morning and
Evening Classes)
They are daily rituals that Taoists in a
temple shall carry out in the morning and evening. The goals of these rituals
are: (1) to cultivate morality and mould temperament; (2) to pray for good luck;
(3) to strengthen the Taoist determination; (4) to release souls of the deceased
from purgatory; and (5) to embody the Taoist convention and
administration.
II. Zhujiang Keyi (Ritual Used to
Welcome Deities and Immortals)
This ritual is used to welcome deities and
immortals to the altar, show the prestige of the founder of Taoism and ask them
to descend and protect canons.
III. Jigu Keyi (Ritual Used to
Sacrifice Alone Soul)
This ritual is always used in the evening
class to sacrifice alone souls and relieves the soul of the deceased from
purgatory.
IV. Zhushou Keyi
(Ritual Used to Celebrate the Birthday)
It is the ritual used on the birthday of the
founder of Taoism.
V. Qinghe Keyi (Ritual of
Congratulation)
It is also the ritual used on the birthday
of the founder of Taoism. In general, it is held on the birthday of the founder
of Taoism.
VI. Jiejia Keyi (Grand Ceremony Used
to Meet the Jade Emperor)
It is the special ritual held by Taoists in
the morning when the Jade Emperor tours the heaven. It is a grand ceremony held
to welcome the Jade Emperor to a Taoist temple at 0:00 o'clock on the lunar
December 25. Through this ritual, the Jade Emperor is invited to the world to
grant good luck, get rid of disasters and prolong the human life.
VII. Dahuixiang Keyi (An Activity
Carried Out When a Ritual is Finished)
It is always used to strengthen Tao and its
power, eliminate the fault, turn the prayer wheel and release the masses from
sufferings when a ritual is finished.
VIII. Jinbiao Keyi (Ritual Used to
Submit Prayer Statement to the Heaven)
Jinbiao is
also called as Huabiao or Fenshu. It is a very important ritual
broadly used for large sacrifice activities. In this ritual, Taoists will write
down the desires of disciples on the prayer statement and submit it to the
heaven palace. In this way, the sages will fall to the altar to grant good
lucks, prolong human life and release the soul of ancestors from
sufferings.
IX. Shuihuo Lianduyi (Ritual Used to
Cultivate and Release Soul Using Water and Fire)
A ritual commonly used by the Taoism to
cultivate and release the souls and ghosts of the deceased with true yang
(referring to the kidney yang) and true water (referring to the kidney
yin).
X. Deng Yi (lamp
ritual)
A Taoist ritual always held after sunset
uses a lamp as the main magical instrument. In this ritual, the lamp can
illuminate the heaven, bring light, break the darkness, and emblaze the deep
hell and the blessing hall.