conduct religious rituals

Classification of Religious Rituals

• Rituals for the Living: These are mainly conducted to relieve the living from disasters, pray for blessings, and prolong their lives. For example:
  • The Qiucisi Jiao is a ritual for those seeking to have children.
  • The Wenchang Jiao is specifically performed to ensure that students can smoothly advance in their studies and achieve academic success.
  • The Caishen Jiao can assist believers in achieving success in their careers and amassing wealth.
• Rituals for the Deceased: These are carried out to rescue the souls of the deceased who have long been in the underworld, enabling them to be reborn in the human or celestial realms and ascend to the immortal world. For instance:
  • The Xuehu Jiao is designed for women who have given birth, raised children, or had abortions during their lifetimes. It aims to prevent them from falling into the Blood Lake Hell after death.
  • The rituals for 超度 the deceased include the Kailu Daochang (Path - Opening Ritual) and the Liandeng Daochang (Lotus Lamp Ritual), which can help the souls of the deceased ascend to the immortal world.
• Rituals Benefiting Both the Living and the Deceased: These are typically held on the birthdays of the patriarchs, during the ordination ceremonies of Taoists, or when opening an altar to transmit precepts. They are intended to pray for blessings for the living and to offer salvation to the deceased.