The Xinchou year’s last “Divine Pardon Day,” which took place on Tuesday, was considered the most auspicious of the year’s six pardon days as its timing saw the alignment of 11 ones.
Folklore specialist and feng shui master Liao Ta-yi (廖大乙) said the 11 ones are: the month (January), the day (the 11th), the Republic of China calendar year (111), the time of the event (11:11am) and the Chinese character yi (一, 1) on a plaque at the Tiantan Tian Gong Temple in Tainan’s West Central District (中西區).
Each year has five to seven divine pardon days, Liao said, adding that this is calculated according to the sexagenary cycle, or the stems-and-branches system.
Photo: Wang Mei-hsiu, Taipei Times
The “one” on the plaque symbolizes that the Jade Emperor’s plans ultimately supersede whatever mortals plan, Liao said.
Even without the “one” on the plaque, it would still be auspicious, as 10 ones means perfection, he said.
This particular “Divine Pardon Day” sees the conclusion of the current year, calculated according to the stems-and-branches system, and welcomes in the new year, Liao said, adding that the character yi symbolizes that there is a beginning and an end.
The character yi represents all-encompassing inclusiveness, a sense that if a person is sincere in their beliefs, regardless of what they are, they will be pardoned and granted better luck throughout the year, Liao said.
People can be unaware that they said or did something that offends an otherworldly being, he said.
Tuesday was a day when people could be pardoned for such offenses, and more than 1,000 attended the event, he added.
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