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Month of Pu-Tu in Lukang
Day Thirty ~ the Following Days
Day Thirty, Turtle-shaped Rice Cake Shops
August 1st, Rice Vermicelli Eateries Rice vermicelli and other food vendors are busy meeting the demand in July. They only have time to do their own Pu-Tu offerings on August 1st when things quiet down. (Pork butchers also celebrate Pu-Tu on August 1st or 2nd after the busy Pu-Tu month.)
August 2nd, Beggar Huts After the feast month, beggars return to their gathering place after the end of Pu-Tu. They used to cluster together either at Lunahteng, called the northern hut, or the area between Heping Lane and the End of the Harbor, called the southern hut. The beggars would also do some simple Pu-Tu activities with the food they get the other days. August 3rd, Beggars Out of Food Again In lunar July, beggars are given abundant food everywhere every day. After Pu-Tu activities in different parts of Lukang for a month, they resume their normal life. From August 3rd onward, they need to wander around and ask for food again. the Following Days Most people associate Pu-Tu with Ghost Month, i.e., July of the lunar calendar. However, some ghosts might remain in the human world after the end of July. There are several special Pu-Tu activities in Lukang post July, in order to send back these overstaying ghosts. According to Mr. Chuang and Mr. Li, experts in Lukang culture and history, these special Pu-Tu activities are Pu-Tu Netting, Detention of Wandering Ghosts, Year-end Pu-Tu, and finally Pu-Tu at Fishpond. August 15th, Pu-Tu Netting in Dongshi Dongxing Temple, the main religious center at Dongshi Village, worships the Lord of the Li Manor. During the sunset hours on August 15th of the lunar calendar each year, local residents come between 1 pm and 5 pm with rice and dishes as offerings. Pu-Tu God is invited to the Table of Gods, with the company of Lord Li, Lord Huang, Lord Qing in the neighborhood. Four fruits, three meats and alcohol drinks are presented. A Square Table of Eight Immortals is set up at the sedan chair to welcome Highness Li. At the two sides of the altar are the goodies prepared by religious believers for ghosts. They hope that these ghosts would enjoy the meal, collect golden and silver paper money, and then follow the Lords through the Waterland to Hell. This would give Dongshi Village safety and peace. August 20th, Detention of Wandering Ghosts by Fengtian Temple Before this ceremony starts, Fengtian Temple (dedicated to the Lord of Su and located across from Mazu Temple Believer Hotel) needs to apply for the Grand Order from Mazu Temple. This means they are going to capture scattered spirits under Mazu’s instruction. This is done via two routes: one from Fengtian Temple to the north; the other toward the south. The ritual involves the collection of hell bank notes and incense sticks (with fire put down) in front of households. These notes and sticks are then placed in the minivan following the divine sedan chair for the Lord of Su Manor. Once the minivans for the northbound route and the southbound route meet, the Lord Su will take all the gathered notes and sticks (a symbol for scattered spirits) to the seaside. The burning of these notes and sticks is essentially sending ghosts back. October 1st, Year-end Pu-Tu at City God Temple This is the closing of Pu-Tu for the year. Offerings will be put on table in City God Temple to ask all the lingering ghosts to go back. Around September 15th, Pu-Tu at Fishpond The square in front of the Lukang Folk Arts Museum today (Photo 30-2) used to be a fishpond. Many people died here accidentally. Pu-Tu at Fishpond is for these wandering ghosts. This is a special event designated by the Lord of the Li Manor. The street block for the Lukang Folk Arts Museum (formerly the residence of the Koo family) is called Gong-guan-hao, and the neighborhood temple is Hufu Temple (dedicated to the Lord of the Li Manor.) According to local elders, each year the Lord Li descends and assigns a date for the puja to lingering ghosts next to the fishpond, also known as Pu-Tu at Fishpond (Photo 30-3). The dates picked by Highness Li are mostly around September 15th of the lunar calendar. This religious ceremony is hosted together by the lords from the three street blocks next to the fishpond, including Lord Xun Zhang and Lord Yuan Hsu at Fortune-Blessing Temple in An-Pin Lane (Photo 30-4); the Lord of the Wei Manor at Fuxing Temple on Shixia Street (Photo 30-5), and the Lord of the Li Manor at Hufu Temple at Gong-guan-hao (Photo 30-6). In addition to these gods, the General from the Central Military Legion as well as his signals of the Five Camps are devotionally invited. The fishpond was a dangerous spot and many accidents occurred here. The instruction from the Lord Li is a merciful reminder for the safety issue to the nearby residents. Although the fishpond is now a parking lot, it is hoped the history will be remembered.
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Source: 2. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=226105290892290&story_fbid=1816186755217461 3. http://outdooredu.skjh.chc.edu.tw/lukang/modules/tadnews/index.php?nsn=79 4. Interview by Lukang Explorers
Photo 30-1, 30-2, 30-4, 30-5, 30-6: taken by Lukang Explorers Photo 30-3: Lukang Hsueh on Facebook |
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