INVITING & WORSHIPPING OF DEITY AND ANCESTOR
Why the need to:
One thing that can be observed for Taoist believers is that you can see most people have deity statues and ancestral tablets in their homes, and some companies will have deity statues in their offices.
The purpose of having deity statues and ancestral tablets at home or deity statues at office is not only for the believers to worship the ancestors or deity conveniently, believers also believe that the deity they worship will protect them from “dirty things” evil spirits or bad luck, and bring prosperity and good luck to the family or company. This cultural thought is deeply rooted in the minds of most believers.
However, to worship a deity or ancestor, you do not simply put the statue on the altar table and pray. Without the “attachment” of the deity, the status is just a display art piece. Hence, there is a need to perform “Consecration” rites (开光仪式), giving the statue special spiritual power, in order to begin to worship and to obtain the blessings from the deities and ancestors.
Therefore, a Taoist priest is engaged to chant and do a prayer to invite the deity to its statue (开光神象，请神上位). After the ritual, believers will then do their prayers as the deity is now the guardian for the family or the company.
安奉神像和祖先牌位（安奉神祇/祖先）
为何需要：
对于道教信徒来说，在他们的家中或办公室可观察到的一个共同点是，你可以看到大多数人家里或办公室都会安奉神像和祖先牌位。
这样做的目的不仅是为了方便信徒祭拜所安奉的祖先或神灵。信徒们也相信他们所信奉的神灵将保护他们免受 “骯脏的东西” 或坏运气的意外伤害，并为家庭或公司带来繁荣和好运。这文化思想深深植根于大多数的信徒脑里。
然而，正如我们所理解的那样，要安奉一尊神像或祖先的牌位，它不仅仅是只将神象摆在祭坛桌上并开始祈祷那么简单。信徒们知道他们必须礼请道长来帮神象开光点睛，神象才算是已被安奉的家庭守护神。信徒们就能开始拜祭神灵或祖先的牌位，以获得神灵和祖先的庇佑。
