SYMBOLISM OF THE NEW LIGHT
meaning of he three Taoist rituals.
107
In the Christian Easter liturgy, after the deacon has finished chanting the Exsultet, there is next a sequence of readings from the Old Testament, followed, at least since recent changes, by a renovation of the baptismal vows by all those present. Towards midnight, the solemn Easter Mass takes place with the joyful intonation of the Alleluia to mark the resurrection of Christ which happened in the early hours of Easter Sunday. Just before Mass, however, the celebrant and assistants change their ritual garments from purple (mourning) to white (expressing joy). At the same time, the sanctuary undergoes a quick metamorphosis: all signs of sorrow are removed: the purple curtains behind the altar are taken off, the purple veils covering the holy images since Passion Sunday (two weeks before Easter) are taken away and flowers are put on the altar. In just a short time there is a dramatical transformation from sorrow to exultation, symbolizing the sudden triumph of the live Jesus rising from the dead.
Then Holy Mass starts in a shortened form until the intonation of the hymn Gloria in Excelsis by the celebrating priest. A new eruption of joy follows: while the chorus starts singing the ancient hymn, the organ for the first time since Holy Thursday starts playing; and at the same time altar bells and the big church bells join in with their respective sounds of jubilance. They all manifest a cosmic rejoicing at the resurrection of Jesus.
The very sequence of the three rituals in the Christian liturgy37 provides an excellent hypothesis to interpret the sequence of the Taoist rituals. Although each of the three Taoist rites contains its own logic and significance, yet the sequence appears to be obscure and somehow unrelated. It makes one wonder whether the original version (both meaning and sequence) has been gradually forgotten and therefore invested with a new symbolism in later times.
First of all, the 'Rolling up of the Screen' is to be interpreted as a preparatory act before the Taoist priests enter into an audience with the Three Pure Ones.38 Therefore it seems to be out of place here and explains why some Taoists perform it during the Noon Audience on the second day of the chiao.39 If that is the original meaning of the ritual, there is no apparent similarity with the Christian act of decorating the sanctuary. One can only wonder why it was performed in the context of the fen-teng and just before the “sounding” ritual.
SYMBOLISM OF THE NEW LIGHT
meaning of he three Taoist rituals.
107
In the Christian Easter liturgy, after the deacon has finished chanting the Exsultet, there is next a sequence of readings from the Old Testament, followed, at least since recent changes, by a renova- tion of the baptismal vows by all those present. Towards midnight, the solemn Easter Mass takes place with the joyful intonation of the Alleluia to mark the resurrection of Christ which happened in the early hours of Easter Sunday. Just before Mass, however, the celebrant and assistants change their ritual garments from purple (mourning) to white (expressing joy). At the same time, the sanc- tuary undergoes a quick metamorphosis: all signs of sorrow are removed: the purple curtains behind the altar are taken off, the purple veils covering the holy images since Passion Sunday (two weeks before Easter) are taken away and flowers are put on the altar. In just a short time there is a dramatical transformation from sorrow to exultation, symbolizing the sudden triumph of the live Jesus rising from the dead.
Then Holy Mass starts in a shortened form until the intonation of the hymn Gloria in Exselsis by the celebrating priest. A new eruption of joy follows: while the chorus starts singing the ancient hymn, the organ for the first time since Holy Thursday starts play- ing; and at the same time altar bells and the big church bells join in with their respective sounds of jubilance. They all manifest a cosmic rejoicing at the resurrection of Jesus.
The very sequence of the three rituals in the Christian liturgy37 provides an excellent hypothesis to interpret the sequence of the Taoist rituals. Although each of the three Taoist rites contains its own logic and significance, yet the sequence appears to be obscure and somehow unrelated. It makes one wonder whether the original version (both meaning and sequence) has been gradually forgotten and therefore invested with a new symbolism in later times.
First of all, the 'Rolling up of the Screen' is to be interpreted as a preparatory act before the Taoist priests enter into an audience with the Three Pure Ones.38 Therefore it seems to be out of place here and explains why some Taoists peform it during the Noon Audience on the second day of the chiao.39 If that is the original meaning of the ritual, there is no apparent similarity with the Christian act of decorating the sanctuary. One can only wonder why it was performed in the context of the fen-teng and just before the “sounding” ritual.
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