157
limited by the size of its villages and their economic status, Tung Chung did not adopt the tso-she ceremony in the earth god worship as Kwangtung's countryside did in the 1920s. Again, worship is mainly on a personal, rather than village, basis.
The most important supra-individual/lineage inter-village social activities in Tung Chung, as remembered by the older generation, were the chiao ceremony and the Houwang's Birthday Festival. Literally meaning sacrifice or offering, the chiao is a large-scale Taoist ceremony, performed to wipe away evil, forestall calamities, restore peace, and renew life in the way of cosmic harmony for the entire population of a community. It consists of a series of rituals, which are commonly called ta-chiao (arranging sacrifices or making offerings). In spite of its rich meaning, the chiao can be better understood as a festival with a dual purpose: giving thanks to the deities and offering sacrifices to the spirits of the dead. Basic items of activity include chanting by Taoist priests, called nun-mo-lao (chanting fellows), inviting local deities to the altar placed in a matshed, going to the puppet show and the communal meals, and joining a parade through the villages. Beginning in the late Ch'ing, the chiao ceremony was held in Tung Chung regularly in the 14th lunar month, and especially after plagues had taken many lives there. The Shek Mun Kap village, being the oldest village in the area, served as the locale. According to an old villager, the village became a local venue of social and economic activities after some shops were established there. Villagers liked to gather at the place to gamble and chat. It was, therefore, a suitable centre for popular festivals.
As an inter-village ceremony, the chiao required donations from all households at every village. From each village, a man was chosen as yuan-shou (leader of worship) by casting the divining blocks in front of the earth god at the entrance of Shek Mun Kap. He had to pass the divination three times in a row. These men took charge of money collection, the preparations for the occasion, and the hiring of matshed and stage builders, the puppet show troupe and the nun-mo chanters, etc. They also acted as the village representatives in assisting the ceremony. At the site of the chiao ceremony, in front of the earth god shrine at Shek Mun Kap, a matshed was set up temporarily to enshrine the Houwang image "invited" from the local temple. Oblations, joss sticks, and candles were put in front of the idol. Erected behind the earth god shrine was the gigantic bamboo and paper figure.
157
limited by the size of its villages and their economic status, Tung Chung did not adopt the tso-she ceremony in the earth god worship as Kwangtung's countryside did in the 1920s * Again, worship is mainly on a personal, rather than village, basis
The most important supra-individual/lineage inter-village social activities in Tung Chung, as remembered by the older generation, were the chiao Mii, ceremony and the Houwang's Birthday Festival. Literally meaning sacrifice or offering, the chiato is a large-scale Taoist ceremony, performed to wipe away evil, forestall calamities, restore peace, and renew lite in the way of cosmic harmony for the entire population of a community. It consists of a series of rituals, which are commonly called ta-chiao | ], (arranging sacrifices or making offerings). In spite of its rich meaning, the chiao can be better understood as a festival with a dual purpose: giving thanks to the deities and offering sacrifies to the spirits of the dead.” Basic items of activity include chanting by Taoist priests, called non-mo-lao lyf (chanting fellows), inviting local deities to the altau placed in a matched, going to the puppet show and the communal meals, and joining a parade through the villages. Beginning in the late Ch'ing, the chao ceremony was held in Tung Chung regularly in the 14th lunar month," and especially after plagues had taken many lives there. The Shek Mun Kap village, being the oldest village in the area, served as the locale. According to an old villager, the village became a local venue of social and economic activities after some shops were established there. Villagers liked to gather at the place to gamble and chat.” It was, therefore, a suitable centre for popular festivals.
IK
As an inter-village ceremony, the chiao required donations from all households at every village. From each village, a man was chosen as yuan-shou k1⁄2ľ (leader of worship) by casting the divining blocks (E) in front of the earth god at the entrance of Shek Mun Kap. He had to pass the divination three times in a row. These men took charge of money collection, the preparations for the occasion, and the hiring of matshed and stage builders, the puppet show troupe and the nun-mo chanters, etc. "They also acted as the village representatives in assisting the ceremony. At the site of the chao ceremony, in front of the earth god shrine at Shek Mun Kap, a matshed was set up temporarily to enshrine the Houwang image “invited” from the local temple." Oblations, joss sticks, and candles were put in front of the idol. Erected behind the earth god shine was the gigantic bamboo and paper figure
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