Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2005/12/29/232505/Longhua Temple countdown for the New Year.htm
The 10-meter high "Lucky Tree" in the Longhua Temple has a part to play in the temple's New Year's Eve celebrations. Visitors may buy a "lucky scrip" and write down their hopes for 2006. Then they knot the scrip and throw it onto the tree's branches. — Wang Rongjiang
Longhua Temple countdown for the New Year
Created: 2005-12-29 CST, Updated: 2005-12-30 CST
Shanghai residents who want to express their hopes and wishes for fortune in 2006 may follow tradition and go to ring the big bell in the Longhua Temple, part of the Buddhist ceremonies and celebrations that will be held on the night of December 31 and run through into New Year's Day.
The ringing of the bell and the welcoming of the New Year kicks off at 11pm when the monks walk out of the temple's main hall singing Buddhist hymns. The abbot will give his blessing to all the visitors to the temple.
As usual, a total of 108 guests will be selected to be the lucky bell ringers. Guided by the abbot, they will walk up into the bell tower one by one and ring the 3,000-kilogram bronze bell with its dragon carvings. The last chime is timed to sound at exactly midnight when January 1, 2006 begins.
Bell ringing in Buddhist lore symbolizes the easing of vexation, increasing one's intelligence, celebrating the growth of the holy tree, approaching closer to the Buddha and giving blessings for the well-being.
Buddhism deems that the earthly world is entangled with 108 types of annoyances and one bell chime can remove one of them.
But there are other traditions about why the bell should chime 108 times.
One is that 108 is the sum of 12 months, 24 solar terms (a solar term is one of 24 days in the traditional lunar/solar calendars that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon) and 72 hou (five days is one hou), so 108 rings means that people will enjoy good weather, safety and prosperity for the whole year.
Another explanation is that the number shows respect for the 108 most prominent monks in Buddhist history.
"No matter what the correct reason is, ringing the bell is a best way for people to share happiness and perhaps, have their wishes heard by the Buddha," says Ingrid Tang, vice director of Xuhui District Tourism Bureau, the event's organizer.
Launched in 1989, the annual ceremony has attracted more than 200,000 visitors from home and abroad in the years since then. The Longhua Temple, which was first built during Three Kingdoms Dynasty (220-280 AD), is one of the most ancient temples in Shanghai. Today's Longhua Temple and its big bell were rebuilt during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Before the ceremony begins, visitors can view Buddhist dances, Chinese martial art shows, magic shows and acrobatic performances. The monks will recite blessing sutras. Precious Buddhist calligraphy, paintings and ceremonial wares will be exhibited.
Visitors will also be able to experience the splendor of Chinese Buddhist culture simply by tasting some of the hot vegetarian noodles cooked by the temple's chef.
A 10-meter-high artificial "lucky tree" designed by folk artist Zhu Bingren stands on the temple square for the upcoming New Year. Its trunk is dragon-shaped. The branches and leaves are gold and red. The tree sits on a three-tier lotus pedestal decorated with eight traditional auspicious paintings and 1,000 Chinese characters of fu (meaning blessing and good fortune) in different calligraphy styles.
Visitors may buy a "lucky scrip," write down their wishes, knot the scrip, and throw it onto the tree.
"Then you may trap the luck within the knot and have your dreams realized," Teng says with a smile.
Date: 10pm, December 31-2am, January 1
Address: 2853 Longhua Rd
Admission: 200 yuan for entrance (those with 200-yuan entrance ticket may pay another 380 yuan for one strike of the temple bell after midnight.) Tickets for the 108-ring ceremony are not for sale.
The ringing of the bell and the welcoming of the New Year kicks off at 11pm when the monks walk out of the temple's main hall singing Buddhist hymns. The abbot will give his blessing to all the visitors to the temple.
As usual, a total of 108 guests will be selected to be the lucky bell ringers. Guided by the abbot, they will walk up into the bell tower one by one and ring the 3,000-kilogram bronze bell with its dragon carvings. The last chime is timed to sound at exactly midnight when January 1, 2006 begins.
Bell ringing in Buddhist lore symbolizes the easing of vexation, increasing one's intelligence, celebrating the growth of the holy tree, approaching closer to the Buddha and giving blessings for the well-being.
Buddhism deems that the earthly world is entangled with 108 types of annoyances and one bell chime can remove one of them.
But there are other traditions about why the bell should chime 108 times.
One is that 108 is the sum of 12 months, 24 solar terms (a solar term is one of 24 days in the traditional lunar/solar calendars that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon) and 72 hou (five days is one hou), so 108 rings means that people will enjoy good weather, safety and prosperity for the whole year.
Another explanation is that the number shows respect for the 108 most prominent monks in Buddhist history.
"No matter what the correct reason is, ringing the bell is a best way for people to share happiness and perhaps, have their wishes heard by the Buddha," says Ingrid Tang, vice director of Xuhui District Tourism Bureau, the event's organizer.
Launched in 1989, the annual ceremony has attracted more than 200,000 visitors from home and abroad in the years since then. The Longhua Temple, which was first built during Three Kingdoms Dynasty (220-280 AD), is one of the most ancient temples in Shanghai. Today's Longhua Temple and its big bell were rebuilt during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Before the ceremony begins, visitors can view Buddhist dances, Chinese martial art shows, magic shows and acrobatic performances. The monks will recite blessing sutras. Precious Buddhist calligraphy, paintings and ceremonial wares will be exhibited.
Visitors will also be able to experience the splendor of Chinese Buddhist culture simply by tasting some of the hot vegetarian noodles cooked by the temple's chef.
A 10-meter-high artificial "lucky tree" designed by folk artist Zhu Bingren stands on the temple square for the upcoming New Year. Its trunk is dragon-shaped. The branches and leaves are gold and red. The tree sits on a three-tier lotus pedestal decorated with eight traditional auspicious paintings and 1,000 Chinese characters of fu (meaning blessing and good fortune) in different calligraphy styles.
Visitors may buy a "lucky scrip," write down their wishes, knot the scrip, and throw it onto the tree.
"Then you may trap the luck within the knot and have your dreams realized," Teng says with a smile.
Date: 10pm, December 31-2am, January 1
Address: 2853 Longhua Rd
Admission: 200 yuan for entrance (those with 200-yuan entrance ticket may pay another 380 yuan for one strike of the temple bell after midnight.) Tickets for the 108-ring ceremony are not for sale.
Tel: 6456-9090, 6436-5345
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