In Cantonese Taoism, when one passed on, ‘Da Zhai’ is one ritual that most family member would request Taoist priest to perform for the deceased. The purpose is to let the deceased to reincarnate to a better life. Family members also can take the opportunity to pay tribute to the ancestors.
The rituals include chanting of prayers, ‘Breaking Hell’ ceremony to save the deceased, crossing the ‘Gold and Silver’ bridges to reincarnate to a better life and burning of paper artefact eg. big paper house, car, aeroplane and so on.
Believers believe that the netherworld is the same as the present world and thus they will burn the paper artefact for the deceased.
Video- “Breaking the Hell’s Gate” ritual
“打斋” 的意义
在广东道教中，当一个人去世后，“打斋”是大多数家庭成员要求道士为逝者进行的超度仪式。其目的都是为了让逝者早日脱离苦海、转世投胎。其次也可以顺道藉此功德来祭拜已故祖先。
法事包括诵经超渡，“破地狱”，过“金银桥”和焚烧纸札物品如大纸房，汽车，飞机等等。
信徒认为，地狱世界与现在的世界是一样的，因此他们会为逝者焚烧纸札物品供它们享用。
