Summer holiday has just gone, students have to study in schools again, There is a First Writing Ceremony or Qi Meng (Enlightenment) Ceremony on 2nd September in The Sam Tai Tze Temple, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong. Lots of parents came with their kids, pray for progress in academic performance. Although I am not a superstitious person, I have already participated the ceremony for few years as I live nearby. This ceremony also becomes parts of my memories.
暑假過去，又是學生們每天朝七晚五的日子。 在今天九月二日的下午，在深水埗的三太子廟有一場開筆禮，有不少家長帶自己的小孩到廟，祈求新的一年學業進步。雖說我也不是十分迷信的人，但因為住在廟的旁邊，近幾年九月也會參與這個典禮。這典禮也算是我的回憶一部分。
In fact, the ceremony is held since 2011. It is believed that it is efficacious so more and more people come to pray. Just give you some information about this temple. This Sam Tai Tze Temple was built in 1898. It is the only temple in Hong Kong where Na Cha (also known as Sam Tai Tze) is the main deity. The Pak Tai Temple next to it was built by local fishermen in 1920.
其實這個典禮也是2011年才開始有的，可能是靈驗吧！後來典禮愈來愈多人參加。
給大家科普一下吧，這是一間道教的三太子廟，建於光緒二十四年(一八九八年)，是香港唯一一間以哪吒為主神的廟宇。而旁邊的北帝廟則於一九二零年由該區漁民所興建。
Here is a brief introduction of the Origin of Sam Tai Tze Temple:
It was said that in 1894, a terrible epidemic broke out in Sham Shui Po. The Hakka(客家) people brought the image of the patron deity Sam Tai Tze, from their native place in Huiyang(惠陽) to Sham Shui Po to help suppress the epidemic. They carried the image to parade in the district, and the epidemic subsided. The Hakka people attributed this to the divine power of Sam Tai Tze. The temple presently houses some artifacts of the late Qing Dynasty(清朝), such as bells and drums dating back to a hundred years ago. (Cr: http://www.ctc.org.hk/en/directcontrol/temple14.asp)
這座廟背後也是有一個故事的，以下是來自網上的一小段介紹:
據說在一八九四年，香港發生瘟疫，瘟疫迅速蔓延，有人歸咎於妖魔鬼怪作祟，區內客籍居民遂建議前赴廣東惠陽迎接三太子神像來深水埗區驅邪鎮妖。供奉神像出巡後，該區的瘟疫便告停止；因此，當地居民於一八九八年籌建三太子廟以作紀念。廟內現仍存放一些清末的歷史文物，如鐘和鼓等。 (來自: http://www.ctc.org.hk/en/directcontrol/temple14.asp)
Apart from the main deities of Sam Tai Tze and Pak Tai, the temple also houses Tai Sui (the Sixty Gods of Time), Kwun Yum (Goddess of Mercy), Tong Sam Chong (Monk who required Buddhist), Pao Kung (God of Justice), Lady Golden Flower (Patron of Pregnant Women), Wenchang Dijun and Shing Wong (City God).
除三太子及北帝兩位主神外，此廟亦供奉太歲、觀音、唐三藏、包公、金花娘娘、財神、文昌及城隍等多位神祇。
The ceremony started from two o’clock. I came there at half past two as I was afraid there were lots of people when it just started. Yet, I still had to wait for more than a half of hour before I could come in.
典禮由下午兩點開始，我怕人太多，所以在兩點半才開始排隊。可是，也是排了半個小時多才進到去。
In the past, Pak Tai temple was built near to the sea. It was moved to here in 1920. You can enter to the temple by two sides.
深水埗北帝廟原建於海旁，於1920年拆遷移到三太子宮旁，現在兩間廟是打通，變成有兩個入口。
The Sam Tai Tze is in the left hand side
這邊入口是供奉三太子
The Pak Tai is in the right hand side. Wenchang Dijun, who is next to Pak Tai, is a Taoist deity in Chinese Mythology, known as the God of Culture and Literature. And this is the reason why this ceremony is held in here.
右邊這個入口供奉北帝，當中也供奉著文昌大帝，即是道教主宰人世間功名利祿的天神，所以這個開筆典禮會在這舉行。
Many parents came with their kids. But almost of kids are small, not many people as old as me came to pray for Wenchang Dijun.
真的有不少家長帶著小孩排隊，可有好像只有我一個是這麽大的去。
Staff gave this card to every kids in the queue. They can write down their name and desire in the card.
排隊的入口有人派這張卡，學生們可以在上面寫上自己名字和祈福字句。
A Chinese brush is distributed to us. Taoist priest chanted for a while and we were told to touch celery and scallion which have meaning of wisdom and work hard. The religious ceremony ended after we touched the big Chinese brush.
進去後先有人向每人派一支毛筆。之後有道士在唸經，其後叫孩子們逐一摸有寓意聰明的蔥和勤力的芹菜。 最後摸一下一支很大的毛筆，儀式就大功告成。
It is hard to take photos during the religious ceremony. I just search a picture of The Sam Tai Tze from the Internet. You can find more information from this link: Sam Tai Tze & Pak Tai Temples, Sham Shui Po
由於儀式進行期間，不好拍照，所以沒有在廟中拍很多照片，在網上找了一張三太子廟的相，有興趣的人可以到以下連結了解更多Sam Tai Tze & Pak Tai Temples, Sham Shui Po
可以換領禮物的紙
Everyone beat the drum and bell for three times before leaving the temple.
臨走時，個個逐一向上面的鼓和下面的銅鑼各敲三下。
These are pencil case and notebook as gift to all visitors.
這就是所送的文具，有筆袋， 記事本等，也頗精美。
這本記事本的封面十分搶眼，寫著狀元秘笈可我不敢在學校裏用
Some meaningful sentences lists in this two cards, like Haughtiness invites ruin; humility receives benefits. I still remember that when my Chinese teacher forced us to remember these sentences as we can use them as grounds of argument for Chinese writing and speaking
這是寫著一些古人的金句，好像滿招損，謙受益，勾起當年我DSE時，中文老師要求我們背這些句子，，不論作文還是口語，也可當作論據。
This ceremony is held on the first September every year. You can come to join next year or just come to this temple in normal day, Let’s come to eat rice noodle roll and pork liver noodle in MICHELIN restaurants in Sham Shui Po. After that, you can walk around five to ten minutes to the temple, the only temple in Hong Kong where Sam Tai Tze is the main deity.
這個典禮一年一次，每次也在九月第一一個星期六下午舉行，有興趣參觀這個典禮的，可以下年再來，可平常也可以到此參觀一下哦！來香港的深水場埗吃完米芝蓮推薦的腸粉，豬潤米後，可以過來走一走，看一下全港唯一一間以哪吒為主神的廟宇。這間廟宇距離米芝蓮推薦的合益泰小食只有5-10分鐘的步程。
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