T: | 打醮 |
J: | Da3 ziu3 |
Y: | Da jiu |
P: | Dǎ jiào |
L: | Worshipping the gods |
Also Known As: | Taai ping ching jiu |
T2: | 太平清醮 |
J2: | Taai3 ping4 cing1 ziu3 |
Y2: | Taai pìhng chīng jiu |
L2: | The Purest Sacrifice Celebrated for Great Peace |
Dajiao, [1] called the Taiping Qingjiao or Taai ping ching jiu in Hong Kong, is a Taoist ritual and festival which is performed every year.
The ritual is to pray and request the Taoist Deities to bestow peace and harmony in the particular neighborhood or location. Pak Tai is the most popular Chinese Deity for this religious service and rituals. Believers have to abstain from meat and eat vegetarian food at the festival. It is performed across Greater China: Sichuan, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong and Hong Kong.
The festival name is transliterated as Tai Ping Ching Chiu from Cantonese. Some of these festivals are called Da Jiu Festival, a famous one of which is the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. This festival is also practiced in Hong Kong in Sheung Shui Wai, New Territories, Yuen Long and Kam Sheung Road.