Chinese Rituals

Relationship: Im/migrant
Joss sticks and its holder
Joss sticks and its holder

Whenever there's a senior family member's birthday, the one who passed's birthday, and the traditional god worship day, my family will prepare a ritual.  The ritual must have a whole cooked chicken, few cakes, few apples or oranges, some pork, and three or six mini red cups filled with white wine. The cups will line up neatly with a pair of red chopsticks next to it in front of everything. Then the chicken will place in the center of a big round pan with fruits and deserts on one side and pork on the other side,  The joss stick holder is always put on the upper left corner of the table. When these things are all set up, my family will light up either three or six joss sticks and put it in the holder. We bow and pray at least three times. After all family members are finished and the joss sticks are no more left, we will pour the white wine on the floor. The purpose of this ritual is to ask god to always protect us and bless us. Meanwhile, it is the way to honor the dead, telling them what and where happens and let them to stay rest in peace. 

Year: 2010

– Annie Liu

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant