In Singapore, Chinatown is a landmark that everybody knows. The most commonly used dialect in Chinatown between 1940 and 1990 is said to be Cantonese. Therefore, Chinatown is like Guangzhou in China, bustling with hawker trade, goldsmiths, bakeries, wet markets, restaurants, tea houses and even funeral parlours and undertakers.

Over time, Singapore’s Chinese population has gradually increased and expanded. The population of the Cantonese clan has also multiplied.

Generally, most of the funeral parlours and undertakers in Chinatown are operated by Cantonese. Most of their clients are Cantonese from different birthplaces in Guangzhou (for example, Sanshui, Dongguan, Panyu, Siyi, etc.).

These clients will only look for undertakers run by the Cantonese as they only believe in those who have a common language (Cantonese) to help them.

Due to the increase in the Chinese Cantonese population, the demand for Cantonese Taoist services also increases. The number of Cantonese Taoist Priest gradually increased from dozens to about 150. At that time, it was common to see young Priest, who were only 16 years old, holding ceremonies and prayers under the leadership of senior Priest.

A senior Taoist Priest, who started to be a priest since 1952, narrated the life of a priest is tough during the period between 1940’s and 1970’s. During those days, Cantonese Taoist ritual begins at 6.30pm and ends at 5am the next morning. Each ritual interval is only 30 to 45mins. Hence, the priest has to conduct prayers overnight with minimal rest, for several nights continuously in a week.

Although they are paid for the overnight chanting services, the hardship they have to endure was unimaginable. This situation continued until the early 1970s, when a then veteran Priest boldly reformed and changed the chanting ritual time to start at 6:30 pm, and ends at 12:30 am. With the support of the other Priests, the era of the all night long Taoist rituals is finally ended.

The late 1970s starts another chapter for the Cantonese Taoist Priest in Singapore. The change from a full night prayer to half night prayer was well supported not only by the Taoist Priest but also the undertakers and funeral parlour owners. They are relieved that they need not provide full night support services anymore. As it turned out, the shortening of the prayer time without compromising on the quality of the chanting has benefitted both the Taoist Priest and the funeral industry.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Cantonese Taoist Priest providing prayers services was said to be in their golden years. With increasing prayer request, the strength of 150+ Cantonese Taoist Priest plus Musician sometime is not enough to handle the workload. Occasionally, Cantonese Taoist Priest from KL, Ipoh or Penang may, upon request came over to Singapore to conduct prayers.

However, over the years, due to the ageing population and different education level between the old and the new generation, Taoism believer has shrunk by more than 50 percent. Especially for the Cantonese group of believer, which saw a big drop in the percentage. The lack of understanding of the Cantonese ritual rights by the common Cantonese public is part of the reasons for the decline.

Hence, we would like to share knowledge of the Cantonese Taoist ceremonies and worship so as to allow more people know more about Cantonese Taoism.

新加坡广东道教简论

在新加坡，牛车水是个无人不晓的地标。据说在1940年至1990年间的牛车水最常使用的方言是广东话。所以，牛车水就像中国的广州，繁华的小贩贸易，金匠，面包店，潮湿的市场，餐厅，茶馆甚至是殡仪馆和寿板店。

随着时间的推移，新加坡的华籍人口逐渐增加和扩大。广东氏族的人口也成倍增加。

一般来说，牛车水的殡仪馆和寿板店大多是由广东人经营。他们的客户，大多数是来自广州不同出生地的广东人（例如，三水，东莞，番禺，四邑等）。这些人只会寻找广东人开办的寿板店，因为他们只相信那些有共同语言（广东话）为他们办事的人。

由于广东人口的增加，广东道教道长服务的需求也在增加。广东道教道长的人数也慢慢从几十位增加到大约一百五十位。当时，通常会看到年仅16岁的年轻小道长，在资深道长的带领下举行仪式和祈祷。

我从一位自1952年以来开始担任为广东道教的资深道长口中叙述了从1940到1970年代期间的道长生活。在那些日子里，广东道教仪式都是从下午6点30分开始，到第二天早上5点结束。每次仪式间隔只有30到45分钟。因此，道长们都是在很少的休息时间的夜晚里进行诵经仪式，有时还一周里连续几个晚上都是如此。

虽说他们因提供通宵的诵经服务而获得报酬，但他们承受的艰辛是难以想象的。这种情况一直持续到1970年代早期，当时一名资深道长大胆改革，把诵经仪式时间改为从下午旁晚6点30分开始, 到凌晨12点30分结束。在众道长的支持下，这终于结束了广东道教仪式通晓的诵经的时代。

1970年代后期开始了新加坡广东道教道士的另一章。从通宵诵经仪式到一个晚上的诵经仪式，其变化不仅得到了道士们的支持，即使寿板店和殡仪馆业主也不再需要提供通宵服务。事实证明，缩短诵经时间而不影响诵经质量对道士和殡葬业都有帮助。

在1980年代和1990年代，据说是广东道教道士提供诵经服务的黄金岁月。随着诵经服务要求的增加, 150多位道教道士和音乐家有时不足以应付工作量。偶尔，来自吉隆坡，怡保或槟城的广东道教道士也应要求前往新加坡进行诵经。

然而多年来，由于人口老龄化，新老一代教育水平不同，道教信徒跌了50％以上。特别是对于广东群体的信徒，其中百分比大幅下降。广东信徒对广东道教仪式缺乏了解，是导致兴衰的原因之一。

因此，我们在此分享一些广东道教仪式和拜祭知识，让大家更了解广东道教。