Magic, Food & Traditional Thai Medicine

 

The all famous red hot Tom Yam soup that will make you sweat and drive away the fever

 

We all know that magical practices and Thai traditional medicine work pretty close together as many kathas are used to bless herbs and to heal; Thai traditional medicine likewise put much emphasize on treating ordinary daily diet as medicine in maintaining consumers’ health. This is undoubtedly one of very distinct aspects of traditional medicine compared to our modern healing systems out there.

 

It is true to say due to this daily diet that Thai ladies and gentlemen are renowned throughout the world to have amazingly attractive figure with fair and smooth complexions envied by all those who struggle to keep the standard but still failed miserably.

 

Perhaps it is because of the geographical condition, climate and environment of Thailand enable a vast variety of plants to flourish throughout the year and many of these edible plants, vegetables and herbs also have very special and outstanding healing effects.

 

Some examples are: melon, winged bean, cucumber, bitter fruits, chilli, gingers, lemon grass, Thai basil, mint, limes etc. Not only that these plants are delicacies on the dining table, they are very helpful in maintaining health and preventing many illnesses.

 

Hence I always think we should study magic, traditional medicine and culinary arts together holistically to get the maximum benefits: physically and spiritually.

More On Hotel Taboos

Over the years, I have heard many of such dos and don’ts about staying in a hotel from many frequent travelers. According to these friends, hotel is a pretty haunted place; old or new. So just for the fun of it, I am sharing what I heard in the hope to draw more comprehensive inputs:

 

·         If you notice that fruits are displayed in a hotel corridor or beside lifts; please don’t take a bite as these fruits are the offerings to local spirits and to appease them.

·         This normally happen in smaller hotel in a more remote area… If there is a bowl cupped upside down, please don’t pick it up as it may be a spirit is being sealed underneath it by some magician and left there for some reasons.

·         Please don’t stay in a room with some ‘fu’ or talisman attached onto the door, wall or anywhere in the room. These talismans are normally meant to oppress spiritual activities.

·         If you are staying alone in a room with twin beads, please put your luggage or a pillow in the middle of the bed indicating to the spirit that the room is taken.

·         Whenever possible, on the first arrival to a new place. If your religion allows you to; do go to the nearest shrine to pay a respect to the local deities. You don’t have to do too much offerings, just simply burn a joss stick or a bow will save you many troubles later.

·         On the event that you are disturbed in your sleep, please don’t panic and scream, yell or curse. You know, spirits are just like human; once you have panicked, they tend to disturb you more often. My usual way without resorting to magic is just say to the thin air to ask for the spirits to leave you alone: Such words when said calmly are pretty powerful.

 

Just to tell you a personal experience:

 

My pal and I were on a tour and we put up in a small hotel room in Ipoh. In the middle of the night, my pal felt someone was tickling his feet and he opened his eyes and saw an old man smiling at him. He screamed in panic and woke me up. He told me what had happened and decided to flee the place and sleep in the car instead. I didn’t think I could sleep in a car more so that we will have some travelling to do the next morning; so I continued to sleep. Not long after that, I heard ghostly knocking sounds around the room and as the sounds intensifies; I felt a cold face pressed onto my face. Without reciting any mantras or resort to any magic, I just say plainly: “Hey friend, you have your life and I have mine. I don’t disturb you, so please don’t disturb you.” As soon as I have uttered the words, the knocking halted and I was able to sleep throughout the night.

 

On later dates when I passed through Ipoh, I will make a point to book the same room again; but I supposed the spirits have decided to leave me alone and nothing happened thereafter.

 

More on hotel survival guide:

 

http://liewsp1-magicsea.blogspot.com/2012/09/haunted-hotel-survival-guide.html

Lupan's Art Of Oppress & Win (厭勝術)

The words厭勝 is actually壓勝; meaning to oppress and hence to win.

 

There are basically two types of knowledge an ancient master artisans must master: the first is the art of building construction, and the second is the magical art. The combination of the two is known as the knowledge of Lupan (魯班術).

 

The knowledge of Lupan is a two edge sword: On one hand, it can be used to help people; on the other, this art can also used to harm. We probably don’t see much of the Lupan magic now-a-days in China. As far as I know, certain sects of Lupan magic are very popular in Vietnam still.

 

In olden days, if a house owner mistreated his artisans, they can do hanky-panky stuffs such as putting small gadgets on the main house pole; or an empty basket facing outside and then the house owner will lose a lot of money in a very short time or even facing bankruptcy.

 

However, if the house owner has treated his artisans kindly and generously, the artisans will still put a basket on the house main beam. The difference is that this time the mouth of the basket facing inwards. It is believed that by doing so, the house owner will prosper and earn big money.

 

In view of such knowledge can cause the innocence to be in great trouble, masters of the old are very careful in selecting their disciples. But things have changed now-a-days as almost anyone with money can almost certainly get hold of the knowledge once was strictly guarded.

 

More On Dead Man’s Lamp (照尸燈)

We have talked about the gambler’s magic oil taken from the oil of the deceased’s illuminator lamp. If you cannot remember the ritual, below is the link to jog your memory:

 

http://liewsp1-magicsea.blogspot.com/2013/07/about-gamblers-magic-oil.html

 

Mr. Ong has supplied another use of this magic oil as narrated by Mr. Ong’s mother:

 

Normally this is a ritual done by a jealous woman who shared a same husband. If you happen to be one as described, then go to the funeral parlor and get some oil from the illumination lamp. But first, you must ask the permission of the deceased by whatever means you think is suitable.

 

Once you have successful in getting some oil, store it in a bottle and when you have got an opportunity, anoint some of the oil on to the corner of your opponent’s shirt. Your target and your husband will break up within a very short period.

 

Do not forget to thank the deceased with some food offering after you have achieved what you want. Please don’t abuse this ritual, remember what goes around, comes around. If you’re on the righteous side, then you have nothing to fear.

 

 

The Magic Of Joss Paper

 

There are many types of joss paper used by the Chinese community. This particular type is known as the “flow money”. The purpose of “flow money” is for “road opening” purposes. Well, people believe that an inferior spirit is not free to move across water. For example, a river has river guardian and a bridge has a bridge guardian. The only way to let the spirit pass through is to pay a toll fee with this flow money.

 

This also explains why during a traditional Chinese funeral procession, flow monies are thrown along the way. The throwing of flow money is not common in the western world as this type of action is treated as littering; majority of the Chinese community in Asia still continue to uphold this practice.

 

My purpose of this posting is not to introduce you with this seemingly littering practice, but to explore the magic of joss paper. It is a common practice to use this flow money to cure common skin illness:

 

·       Rub a piece of flow paper on skin ulcer and the ulcer can be cured in a few days.

·        Another recipe by Mr. Ong’s friend: rub a piece of joss paper on cracked heels and they will heel in a few days.

 

A very important aspect of this healing method is that the flow money must be collected on the road left over by the funeral procession. The purchase ones will not be effective.

 

Rites & Gods of Chinese Pear Orchid

The pear orchid (梨園) is also known as Chinese opera communities; Cantonese opera (粵劇) and The Hokkian opera (閩劇) are two main Chinese opera schools. So, let’s take a look at the basic rites of these two main groups.

 

According to Mr. Ong, The Hokkien opera is the oldest among others according to Chinese history. Hokkien, Teowchew and Hainan operas begin by an offering ritual to the “8 fairies” while the Cantonese opera begins with a “ministers of six countries” ritual.  

 

The god of Cantonese opera (粵劇)

 

Hua Kuang Emperor (華光大帝) belongs to the god of the south and he is mainly worshipped by the Cantonese opera as the founder of the opera. It is believed that Hua Kuang can prevent fire incidents in the opera theatre.

 

It is a custom for the Cantonese opera crews to make handsome offerings to Hua Kuang (拜華光) prior to any opera performance at anytime and at any place. The insider believed mishaps will occur if the offering ritual is omitted intentionally or unintentionally.

 

Legend has it that the association of Cantonese opera is also known as the association of viburnum flower (瓊花會館) because Hua Kuang has once created havoc in the Jade Emperor’s viburnum party (瓊花會). The main hall that houses Hua Kuang statue is also known as the palace of viburnum (瓊花宮).

  

The gods of Hokkian opera (閩劇)

 

The Hokkian opera can be subdivided into two schools and majority of them worship the Tiandou general:

 

·         The mainland

o   The Fuzhou opera folks worship Tiandou general (田都元帥)

·         The Taiwan

o   The Northern band music (北管樂)

§  Xipi (西皮): This group worships Tiandou (田都元帥)

§  Fulu (福祿): This group worships Xiqin (西秦王爺)

o   The Southern band music (南管樂)

§  The guardian deity is Tiandou general (田都元帥)

  

All of the opera groups will need to make offerings to the selected grandmaster and patron gods and goddesses, including the so call the worship of “white tiger” (拜白虎) at the beginning and ending of opera performances. The “white tiger” in this context simply means the local and wandering spirits.

 

One God Many Identities (五顯大帝)

Before I go on to talk about some Taoist magic related to pilferage and gambling, I would like to tell you a very special deity mainly worshipped by the southern Chinese Taoist communities. There is a saying that goes, “The foxes rule north, but the 5 obvious rule the south (of China).”

 

Literary this god is known as “the emperor of 5 obvious” (五顯大帝), “the god of 5 obvious” (五顯神)”, the god of 5 abilities” (五通神)”, the 5 saints” (五圣)”, the 5 gentlemen” (五郎) and etc. I will call this god as “5-god” to save my typing. The spouse of the 5-god is called “the old grandmother” (太媽). Basically I believed that this 5-god is a Taoist deity, but there is another source pointed 5-god to Buddhist origin.

 

It is actually confusing to trace the descriptions of this god from ancient texts: Some of the texts refer the god as the spirit of 5 planets, old mountain spirit, a monkey spirit or even a tree spirit. There are two very extreme descriptions about this 5-god. On one end, it is said to be a demon of lust and fond of having sex, similar to the western incubi; on the other hand, it is said to be the patron of merchants and gamblers.

 

This 5-god was so popular in the old China that until there is a saying from the scholars:

 

"可笑世人窮不起，偏于五顯去求財。"

 

(I scorned at the folks who are afraid of poor and persisted to ask for fortune from the 5-god.)

 

Having said so, this 5-god is less popular than the 5-brothers now-a-days. I don’t know if there is a link between the two, perhaps someone would enlighten me.