Chinese New Year Day 4 Prayers | 年初四，消灾补运拜拜

Many people will go to temples during the Chinese New Year holidays to pray and get blessings from divine forces for good luck in the new year. One very old temple in Singapore, the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery is always crowded during these times. On Monday, it was not an official holiday in Singapore but because the 2nd day of the new year was on Saturday, some employers decided to close for Monday while others gave a day off in lieu.

在农历新年期间，很多人都会到寺庙去祈祷拜拜，祈福。希望在新一年里得到神灵保佑。新加坡一座非常古老的庙宇，连山双林寺在这段时间里总是拥挤不堪。星期一已经不是新加坡的公定假期，但由于年初二是星期六，一些雇主决定在星期一休息，而其他人则补回一天假给员工。

When I visited the temple on Monday, I expected crowd but still it was crowded beyond my expectation.

当我周一去时，人真的多过我的预料。

IMAGE LINK|图片链接: https://www.supload.com/HkygdSOwG

One of the service is a kind of group prayers where the monks will chant and pray for a group of people. Before that, you have to register, give your details and pay $25. That means you have to join a queue which was long enough until just outside the temple when I arrived after 08:30 am. Parking is always a problem. This time for the first time ever, I was routed to parked in front of the 3rd temple building. See?

其中一个活动是消灾补运。和尚为一团人念经祈祷。在此之前，您必须登记，提供您的资料支付$25。就是说你必须县排队。上午08:30后列队已经长达到寺庙外。这期间停车总是一个问题。这次有史以来第一次，我被安排在第三座寺庙大楼前停车。看到了吗？

IMAGE LINK|图片链接: https://www.supload.com/ryPKIrTDM

After the payment, you moved to another counter to and the person there will record your details, name, age and address on a piece of paper to which will be referred by the monk who would be doing the prayers. Then you join another queue outside the temple and wait for your turn to be called to join the next group prayers.

付钱后，您必须在一张纸上写下姓名，年龄和地址，而这将是和尚看着来念经祈祷用的。然后，你加入寺庙外的另一个队列，等待轮到你加入下一团的祈祷。

Someone from the temple will organize the group in the prayer area to exit and bring in the next group from outside. It can be quite chaotic and you end up in long wait if you don't plan well. If you go alone, you better be very early because you have to move from queue to queue just by yourself. Therefore, you should at least come with 2 people so one could queue for registration and the other join the prayer queue. When the person completed the registration, he/shecan join the other person the in prayer queue. When it's time to enter the prayer hall, the one/two person in the queue could be joined by many more family members.

寺庙的护法人在祈祷区组织下一团人进祈祷区。有时候会非常混乱，如果你的计划不好，你会等很长时间。如果你一个人去，你最好早点去，因为你必须自己一个人排队。因此，你至少有两个人更好，因为一人可排队登记，另一人加入祈祷队列。当完成登记注册后，就去跟着已经在祷告队列中的另一人。当下一团进入祈祷大厅的时候，可能会有更多的家庭成员加入。

After the group assembled in the prayer hall, the monks will recite the prayers and during the process devotees are supposed to kneel for about half an hour. Chairs and benches are provided for senior people who cannot kneel. In between, one monk will go around to sprinkle some holy water on everyone there. After the prayers, when I exit with the group, I saw one many carrying a bulldog. Yes, it's year of the dog after all.

集合好后，和尚会为信徒念经祈祷。期间，大家要跪着大约半个小时。有提供椅子和长瞪给不能下跪的和老年人。之间，一位和尚会走动将圣水洒在信徒上。在这之间，一个和尚会绕过去在每个人身上洒一些圣水。在祷告结束后，当我离开时，我看到有位先生捧着一只斗牛犬。是的，毕竟这是狗年嘛。

The queue for the registration already extended much longer outside the temple. See?

寺庙外的登记的列队一延到外很长了。看到吗？

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The queue for the prayer also much longer. Here's the evidence.

排队等进祷告区的人也越来越多。看证据。

IMAGE LINK|图片链接: https://www.supload.com/HkygdSOwG

After the prayers, I go on my rounds around the other 2 temple buildings which has less people compared to the first building. There are some lantern display In there. Hereare some pictures I took around the 2nd temple building.

念经祈祷完后，我继续到另外两座寺庙。那里人就少一点。这是我在第二座寺庙周围拍摄的一些照片。

IMAGE LINK|图片链接: https://www.supload.com/HkygdSOwG

IMAGE LINK|图片链接: https://www.supload.com/HkygdSOwG

IMAGE LINK|图片链接: https://www.supload.com/HkygdSOwG

This 2nd building has many plants and they are selling this Buddhist Pine for $88. I have something like that at home but it’s going to be a long time before they are $88. LOL.