The Medium of The Dead (問米婆)

This is a common method of spirit communication technique also known by other name: 問米， 帶亡，牽亡， 過陰. How it is called depends on the place of the origin of course. 問米 means “asking rice”. This is because in the ritual, rice is thrown to “open” the way to the underworld. This is a Chinese custom practice in Hong Kong, Taiwan, SEA and amongst many Chinese societies. I will not go into details of explaining other terms.

There are still some famous mediums in operation in Malaysian villages. Those who live in Malaysia and Singapore must have heard of them. The famous mediums will need you to take a number few months before the appointment. Some even set a rule of how many person she would consult every day.

It is not difficult to become a medium. An aspiring student needs only to prepare the altar setup as shown:

Then she would close her eyes and recite the first mantra. After certain time of mantra recitation, the person will go into trancelike condition. Her soul is then believed to go down the underworld to fetch the person she wants to find. Once the dead is found, the dead will possess the medium. After that the requesters can start conversation proper.

請神咒：”打馬將軍帶亡神，帶亡神帶我見亡魂某某人。”

(Meaning: Horseman, please bring me to see so and so.)

Once the conversation between the dead and the living is over, the medium will then recite the second mantra to send the dead soul back to the underworld:

送神咒：”打馬將軍帶亡神，弟子送你上云程，那里來的那里去，功德圓滿到太清。”

(Meaning: Horseman, I send you back from where you come from.)

According to the Ah Mah medium who is an expert of this field, the underworld is very dark and cold, only those who are met with timely dead are allowed to enter. Those who die of untimely dead cannot be granted entry. So those are the wandering souls in our world.

N/B: Please respect others custom before commenting as you want people to respect your believe and your customs. Thank you.