A Brief Review of Taoist Blessings and Rituals Drawing from the Example of the Spring Festival

Abstract

This article offers a brief introduction to Taoist rituals that are performed to seek blessings. The focus is especially on the Taoist blessing ceremonies that take place during the Spring Festival, which is now recognized as a United Nations floating holiday since 2024. The article explains that Taoist rituals for blessings have been performed since ancient times and can be divided into three categories: daily religious activities, festival rituals, and special religious activities. The article also briefly discusses other categorizing methods for Taoist rituals. The two major rites of Taoist rituals are Retreat (Zhai) and Offering (Jiao). Other important elements of Taoist rituals include the altar, scriptures, talismans, and more. As a religion that actively engages in social activities, Taoism is not only concerned with the self-cultivation and enlightenment of Taoists but also pays close attention to the demands and needs of the public. Serving the people has always been a fundamental principle of Taoism. It leads to a range of practices centred on individual wishes and blessings. The second and third categories of Taoist activities mentioned above are primarily oriented towards the purpose of blessing.

Keywords

• taoism
• the spring festival
• blessings
• taoist retreat and offering
• quanzhen taoism