All Terms for the Format of the Zhongyuan Festival Paper Offerings
First generation: Refers to father. Format of the paper offering: "Guxian kao (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Nan."Second generation: Refers to grandfather. Format of the paper offering: "Guzu kao (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Sun."
Third generation: Refers to great-grandfather. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Zengzu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Zeng Sun."
Fourth generation: Refers to great-great-grandfather. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Gaozu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Xuan Sun."
Fifth generation: Refers to heavenly ancestor. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Tianzu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Lai Sun."
Sixth generation: Refers to illustrious ancestor. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Liezu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Kun Sun."
Seventh generation: Refers to ancestral founder. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Taizu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Reng Sun."
Eighth generation: Refers to distant ancestor. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Yuanzu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Yun Sun."
Ninth generation: Refers to the progenitor. Format of the paper offering: "Gu Bizu (surname) Gong Hui (name) Lao Da Ren Bi (surname) Lao Ruren Zheng Hun Shou Yong." Self-reference at the end: "Xiao Er Sun."
How to Write the Zhongyuan Festival Paper Offerings?
The text on the paper offering is written vertically from right to left, with each column containing the following content:First column: "Zhongyuan Sheng Hui Zhi Qi Qian Bei Ming Zi Cheng X Feng" (i.e., During the time of the Zhongyuan Festival spirit gathering, sincerely prepare some paper money for the afterlife and bundle it into several packages);
Second column: "Shang Feng XX" (i.e., Humblely present to XX);
Third column: "Gu XX Shou Yong" (i.e., Already deceased XXX senior respectfully receives it);
Fourth column: "Xiao XX Si" (i.e., The living filial descendant XXX offers this tribute);
Fifth column: "Tianyun XX Nian XX Yue XX Ri Kou Hua" (i.e., On the lunar date of XX year, XX month, XX day, prostrate and burn it).
Notes on the Zhongyuan Festival Paper Offerings
One, different generations have different titles; generally, four generations are traced back, namely, the late father, the late grandfather, the late great-grandfather, and the late great-great-grandfather, to demonstrate the idea of "respecting ancestors and remembering the past."Two, honorifics are always male on the right and female on the left. The self-referential terms also change accordingly, which are respectively: son, grandson, great-grandson, and great-great-grandson.
Three, a large "Feng" (seal) should be written at the junction on the back of the paper offering to indicate that it is sealed, and other spirits should not open it arbitrarily.
Four, roll up a bundle of paper money, wrap it in white paper, and write "Tiaofu Zhuyong" (i.e., For the use of the carrier). "Tiaofu" refers to the "postman" in the afterlife. Without the carrier, the paper money cannot be delivered.
Click on the 【Premium Calculation】 below to learn about the latest auspicious or inauspicious signs early!
