On this day, Taiwanese households would prepare for the “Jade Emperor ritual,” in which various food items would be offered to the highest ranking deity to pray for good fortune for the coming year.
Taiwan News
Date:| 2017/02/04
By: Wendy Lee ,Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Taipei (Taiwan News) — On the ninth day of the first month of Lunar calendar,
(By Wikimedia Commons)
Taiwanese people along with the Hokkien community celebrate the birthday of the Jade Emperor (Tian Gong, or Yu Huang Dadi), who, according to Taoist beliefs, is the supreme deity and “the God of Heaven.”
The Jade Emperor is the Ruler of Heaven, and the Lord of the Imperial Court. His birthday falls on the ninth day of the first lunar month.
In Chinese culture, nine is considered to be an auspicious number given it has the same pronunciation with the word “everlasting” in Mandarin. It is also the highest single-digit number in the decimal system, which stands for grandness and eternity.
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