Saturday, March 13, 2010

An Upbeat Tao

An interesting song of Tao.


The lyrics
There was something undefined, formless and inaudible,
Coming into existence before Heaven and Earth.
And in my boundless silence
I tell the sky.
Unique is what you are, Continuously revolving
I've been searching
for light that I couldn't sight
And in the greatest of your mist finally I came to find.
It is worthy to be the
mother of the Earth
I don't know its name; but I called it "TAO''
My existence in ways you need to feel,feeling energy
I close my eyes and need
I make a further effort, I gave it another name
Beauty simply is "the Great", to be great, is to go on, therefore.
TAO is great,
The Heaven is great,
The Earth is great,
The King is also great.
In the world there are four that are great and the King is one of them.
Man models himself after the Earth.
Earth models itself after Heaven.
Heaven models itself after TAO.
TAO models itself according to the Law of Nature.

有 物 混 成 , 先 天 地 生 , 
寂 兮 寥 兮 , 獨 立 而 不 改 , 
周 行 而 不 殆 , 可 以 為 天 下 母 。 
吾 不 知 其 名 , 字 之 曰 道 , 強 為 之 名 曰 大 。 
大 曰 逝 , 
逝 曰 遠 。 
遠 曰 返 。 
故 道 大 , 天 大 , 地 大 , 王 亦 大 。 
域 中 有 四 大 , 而 王 處 一 焉 。 
人 法 地 , 
地 法 天 , 
天 法 道 ,
道 法 自 然 。

(Rap)
Yo there was a mixing beginning
Before the Existence of the Land and Sky
Remain Silence and wide
Cant be modify cycling never die
Everything call Mama but I got it No Name
And I call it Biggie Tao da complete description
Expand and Extinct to No limit distance
Bounce back to the surrounding 
So Biggie Tao Tao is da biggie thang thang
Tha Universe is a biggie thang thang
Tha Horizon is a biggie thang thang
Tha King of Man is a biggie thang thang
Four of the Biggie Sections of Four Biggie Thang
Man imitating the Land
Land imitating the Sky
Sky imitating the Biggie Tao
Tao imitates its ALL Natural

 Kudos to the team!

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Chinese Temples 庙宇文化 Book 3 is out!

The third volume of Chinese Temples in Singapore, Miao Yu Wen Hua 庙宇文化, has been released and are available at most newspaper stand.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

List of Monkey God Temples in Singapore

Here is a list of Qi Tian Da Sheng 齐天大圣 (the Monkey God) sintuas (temples/shrines) in Singapore.

1. Qi Tian Gong - Eng Hoon St (Tiong Bahru)
2. Bao An Gong (Poh Ang Keng) - Tampines Lnk
3. Xuan Sheng Tan - sintua, location?
4. Qi Yin Tan 齐阴坛
5. Nan Sheng Tan - HongLim Complex
6. Shui Lian Gong (Hougang)
7. Tian Sheng Gong (Hougang)
8. San Tan Shui Ling Gong (Kembangan)
9. Sheng Yin Dian (Lengkok Baru) (amended)
10. Tian Long Gong (Beach Rd)
11. Lian Bao Tan (AMK)
12. Jiu Shan Gong (Jurong West)
13. Tian Xian Fu, Sheng Yun Tan (Ghim Moh)
14. Lian Xian Gong (Geylang)
15. Ping An Tan (Geylang)
16. Shan An Gong (AMK)
17. Shun Sheng Qi Fu Gong (Pending Rd)
18. Cheng Xing Qi Tian Gong (Race Course Rd)
19. Ming Yan Ge (Aljunied Rd)
20. Lian Sheng Gong (Jln Tenteram)
21. Nan Tian Gong (Tampines)
22. Shang Lian Tan (Bukit Merah) (Amended)
23. Xing Fu Tan (Yishun)
24. Qi Yin Tan (Sim Place)
25. Chi Feng Hua XIng Tan (Jln Besar)
26. Qing Sheng Tan (Yishun)
27. Nan Da Qi Xuan Tan (Jurong West)
28. Qi Xuan Tan (Bukit Merah)
29. Sheng Jia Miao(ponggol
30. Sheng Ling Gong (Yishun)
31. Jiu Tian Xuan Nv Gong (AMK)
32. Sheng Yun Tan (Rehill Cl)
33 Shun Sheng Shan Gong (Rivervale)
34. Da Sheng Gong (Payar Lebar) (amended)
35. Qi Yun Tan (Teban)
36. Hua Guo Shan Gong (Bendemeer)
37. Pi Li Da Sheng Miao (Serangoon)
38. Jin Dian Xuan Sheng Tan (Bk Purmei)
39. Yu Feng Fa Shen Tan (Woodland)
40. Xuan Sheng Tan (Bedok Res)
41. CCK Qi Tian Gong (Bk Batok)
42. Qi Fa Tan (Woodland)
43. Tian Ling Gong (Henderson)
44. Lian Sheng Tan (Jalan Membina) - 44 years old
45. Yin Nan Dian (Marine Parade Dr)
46. Zhu Yun Gong ( Chai Chee United Temple )
47. Lian tian gong (Geylang Bahru)
48. Shan Fu Gong Temple (Bukit Batok Central) [Thanks to HuangXin]

If you know of any not listed here, please email me at mailto:tao.victor@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Nine Emperor Gods

Long Nan Dian sent off Nine Emperor Gods at the East Coast Parkway on 7 Oct 08 (9M09).


Monday, September 29, 2008

Nine Emperor Gods Festival

From first to the ninth day of the Ninth Lunar Month, Singapore comes alive with celebrations or commemoration in honour of the Nine Emperor Gods or Jiu Huang Ye (Kiu Ong Yah in Hokkien) all over the island. From East Coast at Ulu Siglap to Bukit Batok, some 12 temples/sintuas organise this massive events.

For some temples, they use the divining block (sheng bei) approach and so, they could be inviting the 9 Emperor Gods earlier than the eve of 9M1. This year, Feng Shan Gong is the earliest, inviting the 9 Emperor Gods on 21 Sep 08. Some temples like Long Nan Dian invited the 9 Emperor Gods on 27 Sep and the rest on 28 Sep.

Some of the 9 Emperor Gods temples/sintuas are:
神仙宫 Blk 39A Margaret Drive
武吉巴督斗母宫九皇五帝 Blk 503 Bukit Batok East Ave 2
后港斗母宫 779A Upper Serangoon Road
蔡厝港斗母宫 2 Teck Whye Lane
汫水港斗母宫凤山寺 Opp Blk 123 Yishun Ring Rd
金山寺 25 Jln Ulu Siglap
南山海庙 Blk 701 Bedok Reservoir Rd
玉海棠,观音堂 Blk 117 Bedok Reservoir Rd
葱茅圆九皇宫 28 Arumugan Rd
龙南殿 Next to Eunos MRT open space
凤山宫 49 Defu Lane 12
龍南寺--Blk 283 Bukit Batok Ave 3
玄武山  Blk 236 Jurong East St. 21
Here is a short video clip of Xuan Wu Shan temple visiting Long Nan Dian. In the next few days, there will be yewkeng (procession) as temple visit each other.



Monday, February 12, 2007

The second book on Chinese Temples launched

Shin Min Daily has launched the second book on Chinese Temples on 1 Feb 2007. In this second book, about 40 Chinese Temples were featured. The book, priced at S$5 each, is available at newstands and in major bookstores.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Book: Ritual is Theatre, Theatre is Ritual

This book: Ritual is Theatre, Theatre is Ritual: Tang-ki: Chinese Spirit Medium Worship by Margaret Chan is probably the first English edition book on Tang-ki worship in modern day Singapore. This book is also a Tangki Worship 101 for many who might have witnessed numerous such events in Singapore and yet have no idea on what they were all about.

This book is both for those "inside" and those "outside". Many Singaporeans probably have a hard time explaining to their foreign friends about this interesting and colourship worship. Tang-ki worship is also very much an oral tradition, where knowledge is passed down from grandparents to grandchildren, and much detailed information has been lost. So, this book is certainly timely, especially for present day kids and adults alike who are asking to understand and know more about what their grandparents and parents have been and are worshipping.

Certainly a good guide book for one to read before and after attending a temple event where there are tang-kis (spirit mediums). This book is now available in all major bookstores in Singapore.

Ritual is Theatre, Theatre is Ritual
Tang-ki: The Chinese Spirit Medium Worship
By Margaret Chan

Published by
Wee Kim Wee Centre
Singapore Management University
& SNP International

ISBN : 981-248-115-X
Bookshop Price: S$39.90