(Dan Tri) - According to folk beliefs, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is an occasion to open the gates of hell and grant amnesty to the dead, so there is a ceremony to worship homeless souls. This is also the day when prisoners in hell have the opportunity to be pardoned.
On the afternoon of August 10 (7th day of the 7th lunar month), at Khanh Van Nam Vien (District 11), the largest Taoist temple in Ho Chi Minh City, a ceremony to pardon the dead was held by the Chinese community. This was the final ritual and concluded the 7-day ceremony during the ghost month. According to folk beliefs, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the birthday of Dia Quan (one of the Three Great Gods). On this day, Dia Quan opens the prison to pray to the Jade Emperor and Thai At to open the gate to pardon the sins and save the dead who are suffering in hell so that they can return to their graves to rest in peace, bless their descendants and be reincarnated into another life. The forgiveness ceremony takes place from the 1st to the 7th of the lunar calendar. The 1st is the opening day of the ceremony. After people register the names of the deceased with different types of tablets and offer incense, lamps, and fruits, the Taoist priests at the temple will continuously recite sutras to invite the souls to receive the offerings. The 2nd and 3rd will be the days of breaking the gates of hell, the Taoist priests will read sutras and perform ceremonies for the souls. The 4th to 6th will be the days of resolving the knots, releasing the souls' worries. The 7th is the bridge crossing ceremony, people will carry the tablets of the deceased across the bridge, then burn them. Before the bridge crossing ceremony is performed in the afternoon, the Taoist priests will perform the Three Purities' grand ceremony. The Taoist priest will chant sutras for the deceased relatives sent by the people to pray for them. The Taoist priests will represent the Three Purities - Thai Thanh - Ngoc Thanh - Thuong Thanh to deliver the deceased and preach to the wandering souls to let go of their resentment. The priests will recite the sutras for 3 hours. During the ceremony, "no one is allowed in or out". The main hall will be completely closed, and people are not allowed to enter or exit during the recitation. Ms. Minh Phuong (75 years old) and her family members attentively listen to the recitation through the window. Inside the memorial tablet display area, many people gathered to prepare for the bridge crossing ceremony that began at exactly 4 p.m. Each person will hold a nearly half meter long incense stick with a memorial tablet. Each incense stick represents a soul. Each incense stick is also attached with grapefruit leaves to ward off evil spirits and prevent them from following the souls of relatives and ancestors. People go in line to the outside through the side entrance, not passing through the Main Hall. The Taoists began to lead the souls across the golden bridge and silver bridge that had been prepared right outside the courtyard of the Taoist temple. According to folk beliefs, the bridge was built between the living world and the underworld, and the souls would be led across and liberated. Leading the procession were female Taoists chanting sutras to clear the way for the souls. Following them were the men and women who invited the golden boys and jade girls to guide the souls across the bridge smoothly. When crossing the bridge, people walk and sprinkle money to offer to the hungry ghosts guarding the bridge in the river to make them happy and allow the soul to return to its family. The bridge crossing ceremony took place in order, lasting more than 20 minutes. After crossing the bridge, people will burn the ancestral tablets of their loved ones and keep the incense stick still burning when they return home, so that the ancestors' souls will follow the incense stick back home to their children and family.
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