Chapter 13 Zhongyuan Pudu Talks about Yu Lan

After the end of summer, it will be the Zhongyuan Festival in a flash. The name of Zhongyuan is the same as that of Shangyuan. It has nothing to do with superstition. It was originally a festival of Buddhism and Taoism, and its original name was Melon Festival.Some people who believe in ghosts and gods call July the ghost month, and the Ghost Festival is the ghost festival. It is said that from the beginning of July, the gates of hell will be opened. Get short-term wanderings and enjoy some human blood.Everyone thinks this month is an unlucky month, neither marrying nor moving, especially if there are young children in the family, it is forbidden to play outside after sunset, so as not to encounter ghosts and cause disasters.

According to the July 15th, it becomes a Buddhist festival, because that day is the day when the monks complete the summer festival, so Buddhists, on the day when the merits and virtues are completed, give to the Buddha and the monks to repay the kindness of their relatives.This is what the Ghost Festival is called the Yulan Basin Festival.According to the records in the "Ullambana Sutra", when Sakyamuni first promoted Buddhism, he accepted two Indian scholars as his disciples, the first was Maha Sha Buddha, and the second was Maha Moggallana (that is, known as Mulian Monk).Mu Lian is extremely persevering, diligently practicing Buddhism, and has great supernatural powers among all his disciples.He wandered into heaven by chance, and saw the dead soul of his loving mother in the hell, and the evil ghosts were going through all kinds of hardships. Mu Lian rushed to hell to rescue her without avoiding difficulties, and also used the alms bowl to feed her mother.Unexpectedly, as soon as my mother touched the bowl, the food immediately burned and turned into ashes in an instant, and she still suffered from starvation.Mu Lian saw that her mother suffered for this, so she asked the Buddha for advice.The Buddha told Mu Lian: "Your mother committed a lot of evils and sins during her lifetime. Monks from the ten directions must put food and flavors in the Yulan basin on the 15th day of the seventh month. The scriptures will be used for salvation, so that both the living and deceased parents will be blessed. Blessed shade, to get rid of the suffering of the three paths." Mu Lian was eager to save her mother, and made a vow to follow through, so that the soul of his mother was able to escape from the sea of ​​suffering.According to the "Tripitaka" records: "Mu Lian was born into a hungry ghost by his mother, and the Buddha ordered him to make a Yulan basin, and put strange fruits and vegetables on the plate for the Buddha, and the mother got food." ("Yu Lan" in Sanskrit means "hanging upside down." "Meaning) Buddhism was introduced to China from India. In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, some people held the Ullambana Basin according to the "Ullambana Sutra" and "Tripitaka", and compiled stories and dramas to promote filial piety. It has been passed down to the present , and throughout Southeast Asian countries that believe in Buddhism.According to legend in various parts of China, every July 15th, the Hungry Ghost Festival, is the day when the souls of the ancestors return home. Regardless of whether they are rich or poor, they have to spend money to preserve fragrant flowers, vegetables and fruits, and burn them as offerings to sacrifice to show filial piety.Even the Miao and Yao compatriots in the remote Yunnan-Guizhou border area will also burn paper money on July 14th to 15th to offer sacrifices to the ancestors.Their sacrifices are even more grand than those of the Han people. There are a total of two days of boxing. The fourteenth is called the Jiangnan Festival, and the fifteenth is called the Jiangxi Festival.As for the origin of the name, even the old chiefs only know it for granted, but can't explain why.Their sacrifices are different from those of the Han people. There is a kind of watermelon mountain and purple eggplant cake, which are indispensable in the sacrifice.Watermelon Hill is to select the largest watermelon from the middle, divide it into upper and lower parts, and cut it into several tooth patterns.Purple eggplant cake is made of glutinous rice and stuffed with vegetable and eggplant puree.According to those who have participated in the ceremony, there are many kinds of purple eggplant cakes, and the Miao women show their skills, which also means competition in cutting and cooking skills. It is a rare delicacy in Miaojiang.

In some provinces in the Yellow River Basin of China, in addition to offering sacrifices to the ancestors, there is also the custom of offering valleys.When the new grain is harvested, the whole ear of grain is displayed on the altar. After burning the scorpion to send the gods, the grain is sent back to the field and inserted. It contains the meaning of telling the harvest and recommending the new! In the night of Zhongyuan, in addition to the flame openings, river lanterns (called water lanterns in Taiwan) are also lit in areas near water.Legend has it that placing water lamps in streams can illuminate the darkness and lead some lonely ghosts back to the seat, transcending reincarnation and reincarnation.In the Qing Dynasty, the second gate in Beiping Nancheng was the most large-scale.Back then, grain was transported from the south to the north by grain officials inspecting the seventeen warehouses in Jingdong. Of course, there were not a few people who drowned in the canal over the years. Therefore, the grain officials had a special fund for the Zhongyuan Festival to put river lanterns to sacrifice orphans. for.In the early years, the river surface of the second gate was wide, the water was clear and clear, and the ships were navigable. When the river lanterns were set up, there were thousands of stars and stars, and the reflections of the light and the flickering flickered, which was very spectacular.Since the founding of the Republic of China, Beihai, Shichahai, and Gaoliang bridges have also released river lanterns to sacrifice to orphans. Compared with the grand occasion of releasing river lanterns at the second gate in the early years, it is much inferior.

In 1976, the author traveled to Thailand, and happened to be in Bangkok on the fifteenth day of the July Mid-Autumn Festival. Thailand is a Buddhist country and is known as the country of ten thousand Buddhas.On that day, for all the temples near the Chao Phraya River, in the evening, the ceremony to celebrate the Zhongyuan kicked off.Firstly, the eminent monk, the great virtue, went to the altar to give a lecture on the "Ullambana Sutra", and then the eminent monk led, and the believers and disciples held candles and burned incense, followed the eminent monk to chant scriptures and turned around the Buddha, and finished reading a volume of "Tripitaka" around the Taidian. Then the crowd went to the river to set off river lanterns.In the temple, someone sells a lotus-shaped oil-paper lamp with candles inserted in it, which will not get wet in the water.As for the self-made believers, there are kerosene lamps, battery lamps, plastic lamps, flower basket lamps, and aquarium lamps. The blurred and dazzling colors are dazzling.The last thing to put up is the water row lamp made in the temple. Some monks in the temple are masters in making water row lamp. The evening fragrance is pleasing to the eye.Compared with domestic river lanterns, it has a different flavor.I heard that before Japan invaded Taiwan, the Hungry Ghost Festival also paid attention to the discharge of water and lanterns. They called the Hungry Ghost Festival Yuzhongyuan, but it was gradually abolished later and has become a term in history.However, the elderly over 70 or 80 years old still have a vague impression of the discharge of water and lanterns back then!

Beiping celebrates Zhongyuan and there is also a grand ceremony of burning Dharma boats. Anyone who died before July 15th, everyone said that they had done good deeds and accumulated virtues before they were alive, so that they could catch up with the Dharma boat and be reborn without suffering from hell. It is the reward of doing good deeds.The Dharma burning boat is hosted by the Buddhist Association every year, and it is funded by various charitable organizations in the jungle to support the charity.The dharma boat is bound by Mingyipu, and Beiping Mingyipu is famous all over the country for pasting the ghost vessels. As long as you are willing to spend money and paste the treasures of the dharma boat, the appearance is decent, then let alone!When the Anhui Department of the Beiyang Government was in power, Wang Yitang served as the chief of internal affairs, and Zhu Shen served as the chief of justice. Wang and Zhu initiated a memorial service for the fallen soldiers and orphans. Yankou sacrifices to the lonely soul.The dharma boat is more than three feet high and eighty-nine feet long, with gold axes and jade axes, and fanning banners. It is really decorated with dragons and nine colors, and golden threads are shining, which makes people doubt whether it is true or not.When the meritorious deeds were completed and the Dharma boat was burned, not only the Wulong Pavilion was crowded with people, but also the teahouses along the stone railing in the Yilan Hall across the sea were full.At that time, it was believed that although this grand event was not unprecedented, it could be called unprecedented. In short, regardless of superstition, Zhongyuanfu originated from the lack of filial piety and thought, and pursued the distant future with caution. Compared with Shangyuan, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Valentine's Day , wouldn't it be more profound and far more meaningful!