39A-2000 0205 0505 07052000

Date: 2 May 2000

Location: Xian Sheng’s house, Taman Melawati

Table of Contents

(A) Register with NRD first before conducting the BAITIANGONG way of Marriage.
  1. Xian Sheng announced the Baitiangong way of Marriage for Brother Chin Foo Ming with Sister Leong Yoke Choo.
  2. Xian Sheng pointed out that the Chinese people in Malaysia are descendants of those from China. He further explained that, in ancient China, marriage was established by a couple kneeling down, facing skywards, and praying, after which they were recognised as husband and wife.
  3. Xian Sheng invited the followers to verify his statement by consulting with the elderly. He added that couples did not hold any wedding celebrations, such as wedding dinners or other ceremonies. They only needed to kneel down, pray facing skywards, and cohabitate to be recognised as husband and wife.
  4. Nowadays, marriage has become more elaborate and involves more formalities, with the government requiring couples to register officially before they are legally recognised as husband and wife.
  5. Xian Sheng clarified that he was not performing a government marriage registration but rather conducting a spiritual way of marriage for the couple. He emphasised that the couple still needed to register officially with the National Registration Department (NRD).
  6. Xian Sheng noted that he had previously registered marriages, having served as an Assistant Registrar of Marriages (No. 1391, from 14 April 1982 to 1999). However, after he sued the Minister of Human Resources, Fong Chan Onn, for distorting his statements during the World Chinese Conference in Mauritius in 1992, the government confiscated his Appointment Certificate.
  7. He remarked that Fong Chan Onn is someone who frequently distorts facts. This was corroborated by members of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM), who recently published a newspaper article claiming that Fong Chan Onn had distorted the truth about their President.
  8. Xian Sheng believed that his status as an Assistant Registrar of Marriages was improperly revoked by the Kuala Lumpur NRD as a result of his lawsuit against Fong Chan Onn. They learned of his certification from the records he submitted to the court.
  9. The KL NRD deceived Xian Sheng into handing over his Appointment Certificate for updating, claiming that it was undated. They falsely stated that they would reissue a new certificate with a fixed date printed on it. To this day, the KL NRD has failed to return his Appointment Certificate.
  10. When Xian Sheng pressed them for his Appointment Certificate, he was instructed to reapply for a new one, which the NRD conveniently “swept under the carpet,” as there have been no updates since. He remarked that this reflects how the Malaysian government operates, bringing attention to its dark and troubling side. He clarified that he was not mocking the government but merely stating the facts.
  11. To further illustrate his point, Xian Sheng mentioned that he had recently bought a condo at Venice Hill Condominium and Golf Resort. He subsequently attended a court case in which the government sued the developer for not having a Housing Development License, failing to submit an approved Building Plan, and obtaining an advertising permit, yet they somehow managed to build two 25-story blocks comprising a total of 500 condominium units, which were sold to the public. Unsurprisingly, the court dismissed the lawsuit due to technical and procedural errors made by the government prosecutors.
  12. The government’s failings, including corruption, lack of accountability, and incompetence, are best encapsulated in the popular term “Malaysia Boleh,” where political patrons can bypass regulations, construct illegal towering buildings, sell them without the necessary permits and documentation, and evade any legal repercussions.
  13. Xian Sheng remarked that some things are fundamentally wrong. However, corrupt government officials can manipulate circumstances to present wrong as right if they so desire. To describe this behaviour, he employed the Chinese idiom “官字两个口” (government officers have two mouths), meaning that officials can say whatever they please to serve their interests.
  14. Xian Sheng stated that the antics of the KL NRD are inconsequential to him and reminded the couple that he is conducting a spiritual union for them, but they would still need to officially register their marriage with the NRD.
  15. Xian Sheng reminded the couple that they must obtain an official marriage registration with the government, or they will not be legally recognised as husband and wife, although the Spiritual Movement would acknowledge them as a couple once they have performed the Baitiangong Way of Marriage.
  16. In the future, Xian Sheng requested that couples obtain their marriage registration at the NRD before conducting the Baitiangong spiritual way to be acknowledged as husband and wife.
(B) Baitiangong way of Marriage follows the traditional practices of Ancient China.
  1. Regarding the Baitiangong Spiritual way of Marriage, Xian Sheng explained that he is taking us back to the traditional practices of Ancient China, where couples simply knelt down, prayed towards the sky, and cohabited together to be declared husband and wife.
  2. In those times, there was no need for registration or documentation of any kind. It was only in later years that some smart Alec insisted that couples must be registered before they could be considered married.
  3. Subsequently, some people insisted that the bride participate in a Bridal Hair Combing Ceremony, while others introduced Braiding Hair for luck, which added a layer of superstition to marriages. The simple marriages of the past became more elaborate and complex as additional customs were incorporated over the years. Additionally, the business community joined in by suggesting wedding dinners and gifts of bamboo shoots and roasted pigs.
  4. Xian Sheng stated that if we were to review historical records, we would see that these ceremonies and customs were not part of that period.
  5. In discussing the evolution of Chinese marriage customs, Xian Sheng referred to the Bridal Palanquin “轿子,” which transported the bride to the groom’s house, as her feet were not permitted to touch the ground for superstitious reasons. The groom would then carry his bride over the threshold to shield her from any evil spirits that might be present at the entrance. However, these customs have since fallen out of practice.
  6. Xian Sheng discussed the mass weddings conducted by Reverend Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church, which originated in South Korea. Couples living abroad who are members of the Unification Church can have their marriages blessed by Reverend Moon via satellite video link, allowing them to be declared husband and wife without first obtaining registration from their local government. (However, they must still register their marriages in their respective countries afterwards.) However, couples are required to pay a registration fee to participate in the Blessing Ceremony, which ranges from $100 to $300.
  7. Xian Sheng inquired whether the followers were aware of such mass weddings. One sister mentioned that her friend had participated in the Blessing Ceremony.
  8. Xian Sheng concluded by stating that there are many forms of marriage around the world.
(C) Marriages should be as simple as possible.
  1. In the Baitiangong way of marriage, the best practice is for both husband and wife to make individual requests in prayer. The husband requests how he would like his wife to treat him, while the wife does the same, expressing how she wants her husband to treat her.
  2. Xian Sheng reiterated that this is not a marriage registration; rather, they are there to support the spiritual union by praying to the CREATOR to grant both the husband and wife’s requests. The couple would pray in the front row, with the others gathered behind them, all praying to the CREATOR together.
  3. The couple would pray and make their own requests, while the rest of the attendees pray as follows:
    1) Pray that both the husband and wife may have their requests granted.
    2) Pray to the CREATOR to bless the couple, “出入平安, 身體健康, 做事順利, 萬事如意” (May they have safe travels, good health, success in all their endeavours, and may everything go as they wish).
    3) Pray that they love each other, consult with each other, and support each other.
  4. Xian Sheng stated that the Baitiangong way of marriage is indeed that simple. He added that marriage should be kept as simple as possible.
(D) Baitiangong marriage: Leong Yoke Choo vs. traditional marriage: Chin Yoke Choo.
  1. In contrast to the simple Baitiangong way of marriage, other marriage ceremonies, in their various forms, tend to be more complicated.
  2. For example, in a church wedding, the bride typically wears a beautiful white gown with a train, which usually requires two bridesmaids, often girls or sometimes boys, to hold it while walking to the dais. Some wedding ceremonies can be quite extravagant and grand.
  3. In a traditional Malay Muslim marriage, the “Nikah” involves a Bertandang ceremony where the couple sits on a beautifully decorated platform known as the “pelamin”. Family members and guests gently sprinkle water on the couple as a gesture of blessing and good fortune.
  4. There are many forms of marriage ceremonies. In some cases, the woman is passed to the man’s family, signifying that she becomes part of her husband’s family. Xian Sheng illustrated this with the surnames of the bride and groom. Since the groom’s surname is Chin, his wife would be known as Mrs Chin, and she would lose her maiden name, Leong, after the marriage.
(E) Collecting a dowry is akin to selling your daughter, and this is wrong.
  1. In Baitiangong, we practise the saying, “同枱食飯，各自修行” (Eating at the same table, but each pursuing their own spiritual path). Marriage, therefore, is a union of two people and not the sale of a woman into the man’s family through angpow or dowry. These practices are unnecessary, as both partners enter into the marriage of their own free will.
  2. In the Baitiangong way of marriage, such customs or practices do not exist. Both individuals like each other and wish to marry freely. Xian Sheng questioned how this could possibly be a concern for others.
  3. Nonetheless, Xian Sheng promptly added that it does concern the bride’s father and mother, as they have raised her to a marriageable age. However, they should not accept dowries from the groom’s family, as this implies selling their daughter. Xian Sheng declared this custom to be wrong, and in Baitiangong, such practices are absent. Collecting a dowry is akin to selling a daughter.
  4. Xian Sheng explained why Baitiangong does not follow traditional Chinese marriage customs, particularly those involving dowries. If a woman encounters marital problems, she can always return to her parents, as she remains their daughter regardless of marriage.
  5. Xian Sheng asked if any parents would truly refuse their daughter to return home if she were divorced. He stated that they would welcome her, as she remains their birth daughter. This principle applies to both the man’s and the woman’s family.
  6. Xian Sheng reiterated the phrase “同枱食飯，各自修行” (Eating at the same table, but each pursuing their own spiritual path) to illustrate that, after marriage, both the groom and the bride continue to maintain their own family lineage.
  7. Baitiangong does not follow the traditional Chinese customs of “嫁” (to marry off a woman) or “娶” (to take a wife). Instead, Baitiangong practices “結婚” (marriage), which refers to the union between a male and a female. Therefore, we do not use the terms “嫁” or “娶.”
  8. In the past, the bride used the term “嫁” when she wished to marry into the groom’s family, while the groom used the term “娶” to take a wife into his family.
  9. That is why, in a family that practices ancestral worship, a woman married into the family is expected to pray to her husband’s ancestors.
  10. In the Baitiangong family, the wife continues to pray for her own ancestors during her daily prayers, typically upon waking and before sleeping. She begins by reciting the Baitiangong prayer, then prays for all the saints in Heaven, and finally asks the CREATOR for forgiveness on behalf of her own ancestors. The husband similarly prays for his own ancestors.
  11. Xian Sheng reemphasised that in a Baitiangong marriage, the wife is not considered to be marrying into the husband’s family. She continues to pray for her own ancestors. This reflects the meaning of “同枱食飯，各自修行” (Eating at the same table, but each pursuing their own spiritual path).
  12. Xian Sheng reiterated that the wife is not marrying into the husband’s family or taking on his family lineage and ancestors. He stated that there is no such practice in Baitiangong, and this is the biggest difference from traditional Chinese marriages.
  13. Even in China, wives have retained the use of their maiden names, since a long time ago. However, Xian Sheng is unsure when this change occurred. (For more information, please refer to https://feeshy.github.io/lists/surnames)
  14. If we refer to the elderly women in our society, they also retain their maiden names. Xian Sheng mentioned several elderly families within Baitiangong where the wives continue to use their maiden names rather than adopting their husbands’ surnames. Xian Sheng noted that it is only in recent times that there has been a suggestion for women to take their husband’s surname.
(F) Praying to the CREATOR can never be wrong.
  1. Xian Sheng explained that historically, the Chinese character for pray or worship depicted a person kneeling with hands clasped. The character was originally a pictorial representation of a person in this posture. Xian Sheng requested that this image be shown to those unfamiliar with it.
  2. This is definitive proof that the Chinese people were already praying to the CREATOR before the emergence of Islam and Christianity. They prayed by kneeling down. Over time, the character evolved into its present form.
  3. Xian Sheng referred to the current Chinese character “天” (Tian). The character is built upon the symbol “人” (human), reflecting humans as the highest and greatest form of life on Earth. Humanity’s greatness is symbolised by adding a horizontal stroke through “人,” forming the character “大” (Greatest). However, despite this greatness, humans can never surpass Tian. Tian is the CREATOR to which humans direct their prayers. The character “天” (Tian) is formed by adding an additional horizontal stroke above “大,” symbolising that Tian exists above or beyond human greatness.
  4. Therefore, “天公” (TIAN GONG) is the CREATOR to whom humans direct their prayers. This is why our Spiritual Movement begins with the phrase “拜天公” (Bài Tiān Gōng), meaning “Pray to the CREATOR.”
  5. The earliest character for “pray,” depicting humans kneeling toward the Heavens, shows that praying to the CREATOR can never be wrong.
(G) The Baitiangong way of marriage was how marriage was conducted in ancient China.
  1. Xian Sheng explained that the purpose of gathering here today is to carry out the Baitiangong way of Marriage, as the couples are followers of Baitiangong.
  2. Xian Sheng reiterated that the bride and groom would kneel and pray to the CREATOR, asking for whatever they desired from their spouse. At the same time, the rest of us would arrange ourselves behind them and pray for their requests to be fulfilled.
  3. The couple would then register their names and signatures in our record book, and we would consider that they had undergone the spiritual way of marriage.
  4. Xian Sheng once again reminded the couple that they must go to the Registrar of Marriages, complete the registration form, and pay the registration fee as part of the government process. Once that is done, they are free to carry out the marriage process.
  5. Registration with the government is necessary; otherwise, the couple will not be recognised as husband and wife when applying for a house loan as a married couple.
  6. Xian Sheng suggested the NRD at Complex Campbell, Jalan Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur. Sister Leong Yoke Choo mentioned that they had booked the registration for the 9th of May, which is just a week away.
  7. Xian Sheng reiterated that they are conducting the Baitiangong spiritual way of marriage, which focuses more on the couple’s prayer requests.
  8. Xian Sheng asked if anyone would like to raise any questions or make any comments, whether positive or negative, about the Baitiangong way of marriage, as Baitiangong is very transparent in all aspects. He also expressed a desire to understand why anyone might think the Baitiangong way of marriage is wrong if they do.
  9. Xian Sheng ended by saying that this was the way marriage was conducted in ancient China.
(H) The first ancestors of the Chinese people came from Africa.
  1. Xian Sheng asked the newcomers if they knew where the very first ancestors of China came from. He stated that many were unaware of this answer, but the followers of Baitiangong knew it.
  2. Xian Sheng addressed a newcomer from China and directed the question to him. The brother from China shook his head, indicating that he did not know. Xian Sheng then stated that our first ancestors came from Africa.
  3. Recently, researchers conducted blood tests in China to trace their DNA. Xian Sheng reaffirmed that DNA does not change across generations, making it highly accurate. The results concluded that the first person to reach China actually came from Africa.
  4. The natural question is why Africans have dark skin, whereas Chinese people have fair skin. Xian Sheng pointed out that there are Chinese people with dark skin as well.
  5. Xian Sheng said that although we may not have seen a Chinese person with dark skin, he had. He recalled meeting a Chinese man who worked as a metalworker and had migrated from China. This man had lived in Malaysia for a long time. Xian Sheng first encountered him as a young boy, and the man had dark skin, much like an Indian. Xian Sheng explained that the man’s dark skin was the result of his long hours working with a forge, which caused his skin to darken due to prolonged exposure to UV radiation from the flames.
  6. Similarly, people with dark skin from certain southern countries, when living in colder regions for extended periods, may see their skin become fairer over time. Their skin will continue to lighten as time passes. For example, Indians living in Northern India tend to have fairer skin compared to those from the Southern regions. People’s skin colour can change over tens of thousands of years, depending on the climate. This is why our ancestors in China developed fair skin after living there for so long, even though their origins were in Africa.
  7. Xian Sheng reiterated that he trusted the results of DNA testing, which are highly accurate and have proven that the first pair of people in China came from Africa. There is no denying the origins of the Chinese people, as it is based on facts.
  8. However, some researchers in China refuse to accept the conclusion of ‘The Chinese Human Genome Diversity Project’ from September 1998, as they wished to “save face” (regarding their claim that the Chinese race originated from the Peking Man.)
  9. Xian Sheng stated adamantly that these conclusions are not for anyone to deny, as they are scientific facts.
(I) If you wish to get married, it’s best to avoid divorce. If you plan to divorce, it’s better not to marry in the first place.
  1. Human life is merely a brief moment in time.
  2. This is why Xian Sheng advised the followers, “If you wish to get married, it’s best to avoid divorce. If you plan to divorce, it’s better not to marry in the first place,” as life is but a fleeting moment in time.
  3. Xian Sheng advised everyone to think carefully before committing to marriage; otherwise, they risked facing divorce soon after marrying.
  4. We should avoid considering divorce after marriage. If divorce is on our minds, it’s wiser to forgo marriage entirely.
  5. Nevertheless, it is hard to assume that any couple can remain as they were before marriage. Before getting married, they were highly tolerant of each other. However, after marriage, they often refuse to extend the same tolerance, leading to divorce. They divorced because they were unable to support and love one another mutually.
  6. Nevertheless, we hold onto the hope that everyone will ‘Think Good, See Good, Hear Good, Speak Good, and Do Good.’ Ideally, no one should divorce after getting married. All of us should apply the principle of ‘Think Good, See Good, Hear Good, Speak Good, and Do Good’ when asking the CREATOR to bless the couple with, “出入平安, 身體健康, 做事順利, 萬事如意” (May they have safe travels, good health, success in all their endeavours, and may everything go as they wish). We pray that the couple will love, support, and consult each other in all aspects of their lives. With such mutual understanding and care, divorce would be unlikely. Furthermore, we pray to the CREATOR, hoping the couple will be granted everything they have requested of each other. This is how we pray for the couple.
  7. Xian Sheng encouraged us to embrace an open and tolerant attitude, for in doing so, we would avoid life’s difficulties. If we are unable to adopt this mindset, we will encounter many difficulties and issues in life.
  8. Xian Sheng invited everyone to pray to the CREATOR before proceeding to record the details of the marriage.

    [The bride and groom prayed at the front, with everyone else praying behind them. Following the prayer, the details of the couple were recorded, along with the signatures of the witnesses.]

Date: 5 May 2000

Location: Old Kwong Tung Funeral Parlour, KL.

(J) The age of the soul is based on the number of reincarnations it has undergone.
  1. Xian Sheng announced the obsequies for Brother Hwang Swee Huat, aged 65, and Brother Chiew Kok Foo, aged 19, both of whom were males.
  2. Xian Sheng asked the congregants to reflect on whether, when the time comes for someone to depart, it is their choice to remain—considering that one is 65 years old and the other is 19 years old.
  3. When the time comes for a person to leave this world, age becomes irrelevant. Even a newborn might depart immediately after birth, as it all depends on the circumstances.
  4. What truly matters is not the physical body of the person who passed away, but one’s being which is their soul.
  5. Feeling sadness is natural, as the deceased was someone’s son or father. However, this concerns the soul, and we must all strive for a deeper understanding of it.
  6. Speaking about the soul, Xian Sheng explained that all of us here are reincarnated, having previously lived, died, and reincarnated to live again in an unending cycle. The only exception is for those who have entered Heaven, who will never reincarnate as humans again. Therefore, the soul, or one’s being, is what truly matters.
  7. Xian Sheng used Brother Chiew Kok Foo as an example to illustrate the concept of ageing in the context of reincarnation. Brother Chiew had once been someone’s son. Now that he has passed away, he will come to realise that he has undergone many reincarnations. Xian Sheng asked, “If Brother Chiew had reincarnated 1,000 times, while both his parents had reincarnated only 100 times, who would be the older one?”
  8. We may never know, but it is entirely possible that the soul of Brother Chiew Kok Foo was once an ancestor of his parents.
  9. Xian Sheng then used Brother Kwang Swee Huat as the next example. Although Brother Kwang may have passed away at the age of 65 if he had only reincarnated 100 times, while his son had reincarnated 1,000 times, we may never know for certain, but it is possible that his son could be Brother Kwang’s ancestor.
  10. This is why it is important to understand the significance of the soul in Baitiangong, rather than focusing on the importance of the body.
  11. Xian Sheng drew attention to the fragility of the human body by contrasting a 19-year-old and a 65-year-old, thereby emphasising the importance of the (immortal) soul.
  12. The age of the soul is based on the number of reincarnations it has undergone.
  13. Xian Sheng reminded the congregation to consider that, from the perspective of the soul, their son may not truly be their son in the earthly sense but could, in fact, be their ancestor.
  14. It is important for Baitiangong followers to understand the significance of the phrase “同枱食飯，各自修行” (Eating at the same table, but each pursuing their own spiritual path).
  15. Xian Sheng explained to the sons and daughters that if they had reincarnated thousands of times, it is possible they could actually be their parents’ ancestors. In this cycle of reincarnation, they could have coincidentally been born into this life by their mother, who was once their descendant in a past life.
  16. Referring to the deceased Brother Hwang, Xian Sheng suggested that his son could have reincarnated more times than him, potentially making Brother Hwang the descendant of his son.
  17. Therefore, when it comes to determining who is older and who is younger, the age of the body is not as important as the age of the soul.
(K) I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice.
  1. Sometimes, we might think we are smarter than our son, but when he grows up, he might prove to be smarter than us. So, who is truly smarter – the son or the father?
  2. Perhaps the son is not as clever, making the father the smarter one. However, when it comes to knowledge, it is difficult to determine who is truly smarter.
  3. Some people say, “我食鹽多過你食米” (I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice), but this phrase is quite difficult to understand.
  4. Taking “我食鹽多過你食米” (I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice) literally, one could say that someone who has reincarnated more times than you have, in a way, eaten more salt than you have eaten rice.
  5. Xian Sheng reminded everyone present, facing him, that they have reincarnated into this world. Our souls passed away in our previous life and have now reincarnated into our present life.
  6. Xian Sheng posed the question, “Wouldn’t it be very confusing then?” He then answered that it is not confusing at all, as all of GOD’s creations are governed by the Divine Law of Nature.
  7. Today, we are someone’s father, but if we reincarnate in the next life, we will once again become someone’s son.
(L) When we welcome and love GOD, GOD will likewise welcome and love us.
  1. Today, Xian Sheng wanted the congregation to know the existence of the CREATOR, who is referred to as the ‘Head of the household’.
  2. If we welcome HIM, HE will welcome us in return. If we love HIM, HE will also love us. However, if we do not love HIM, how can HE love us in return?
  3. HE is the CREATOR, whom we refer to as “主” (Head) or “天公” (TIAN GONG) in our prayers. Xian Sheng reiterated, “How can HE love you if you don’t love HIM?”
  4. If the Head of the household does not allow us to enter his house, we would be unable to enter. We may only enter with his permission.
  5. This is why he is called the Head, as every family has a Head of the household, and without his permission, we cannot enter his house.
  6. Similar to the concept of the Head of the household in this world, we know that Heaven and Hell exist, and there must also be a Head for them. Xian Sheng asked who this Head is and answered that it is the CREATOR, whom we address as “天公” (TIAN GONG).
  7. The Chinese have sayings such as “人算不如天算” (Man’s plans are no match for those of Heaven), “天啊公tolong” (Oh, GOD, please help!), and “天有眼” (Heaven sees all). All these sayings refer to this TIAN.
(M) Only humans can kneel to pray to the CREATOR.
  1. Xian Sheng asked the congregants to examine how the Chinese character for “pray” is written. He then directed their attention to the notice on the wall, which displayed the pictograph of the ancient Chinese character for “pray.”
  2. The pictograph for “pray” is drawn as a man kneeling to pray, suggesting that for early Chinese people, praying inherently involved kneeling down with clasped hands.
  3. The act of praying is exclusively reserved for humans. Xian Sheng asked why the character for “pray” is depicted with a human kneeling rather than a beast, such as a monkey. This illustrates that praying is an action reserved solely for humans.
  4. In “拜天公” (Bài Tiān Gōng), the act of praying is exclusively reserved for humans to pray to the CREATOR.
  5. Xian Sheng explained that the character “天” (TIAN) is composed of two strokes forming “人,” which symbolises humans. Humans are regarded as the highest and greatest form of life on Earth. By adding a horizontal stroke to the middle of “人,” the character “大” is created, meaning big or great, signifying that humans are the greatest on Earth. However, human greatness has its limits. By adding another horizontal stroke at the top of “大,” the character “天” (TIAN) is formed.
  6. Xian Sheng asked who can pray to TIAN, and he explained that only humans can pray to TIAN. He reiterated how the character “天” (TIAN) is formed, with the top stroke symbolising something that surpasses human greatness, emphasising that humans can never be greater than TIAN.
  7. Xian Sheng reiterated that “天” (TIAN) is exclusively reserved for humans to pray and that the pictograph for “pray” confirms that humans kneel to pray. As “天” signifies Heaven, Xian Sheng asked who humans pray to in the Heavens, to which he replied, “天公” (TIAN GONG).
  8. Xian Sheng urged the congregants to reflect on his explanation of the early Chinese character for “pray.” He highlighted that it demonstrated how the Chinese prayed to the CREATOR, just as they were doing that day.
(N) Baitiangong is not a new-age spiritual movement.
  1. Xian Sheng asked, “Why must we pray to the CREATOR?”
  2. The CREATOR is the Head of the household, owning the planes of Heavens and Hells, as well as the universes, which consist of the suns, moons, planets, and stars.
  3. The CREATOR created the Five Elements – metal (金), wood (木), water (水), fire (火) and earth (土) – to serve humans.
  4. Today, Brother Hwang Swee Huat and Brother Chiew Kok Foo, composed of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, have now passed away and will return to the earth. Whether buried or cremated, their bodies will ultimately return to the earth.
  5. However, in Baitiangong, we encourage cremation so that the ashes can be scattered into the sea. The Chinese saying, “四海為家,” which literally translates to “make the four seas one’s home,” has been handed down through generations.
  6. Xian Sheng reminded the congregants that the early Chinese character for “pray” portrays a human kneeling to pray to the CREATOR. He called on the congregants to reflect on its significance.
  7. The day will come when we know that we must be cremated, and have our ashes scattered into the sea, following the saying, “四海為家” (make the four seas one’s home).
  8. This is why the Baitiangong Universal Spiritual Movement is not a new-age spiritual movement, as humans have been praying to the CREATOR for thousands of years.
  9. Sadly, humans have long abandoned the proper way to pray to the CREATOR. Today, Xian Sheng is guiding us back to the beginning, when we first knew of the CREATOR, marking a new beginning. We will follow the Chinese character for “pray” to lead us back to the proper way of praying to “天公” (TIAN GONG), the CREATOR.
(O) The CREATOR created an abundance for humanity, asking not a single cent in return.
  1. Xian Sheng asked if anyone in the congregation had any questions they would like to ask him.
  2. Xian Sheng invited anyone who felt that the Baitiangong way of Obsequies was wrong to step forward and express their opinion. They were free to share their thoughts, such as the belief that it was wrong not to offer food to the deceased (as a symbolic act of sacrifice to the ancestors).
  3. The Baitiangong Spiritual Movement is not selfish in controlling the narrative by disallowing others to speak and doing all the talking.
  4. Xian Sheng added that if anyone thought the Baitiangong way of Obsequies was wrong, they should let him know, as he was interested in hearing them.
  5. Xian Sheng stated that he refused to charge any money for conducting the obsequies. He explained that the reason was that the CREATOR did not charge us a single cent for everything HE created for us, namely the five elements – metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
  6. Only humans charge other humans for the five elements that the CREATOR designed for us. Xian Sheng emphasised that the CREATOR never told us HE wanted to charge us for using them.
  7. Xian Sheng asked if the CREATOR charged us any money for creating the leaves on trees, which absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale and release the oxygen we inhale. He answered, “No.”
  8. Therefore, based on this reasoning, Xian Sheng stated that he knew the CREATOR wanted nothing from us in return.
  9. He also knows that a deceased person does not require anything from us. He asked whether the deceased could eat any of the food offered to them and replied that they could not, as the food remained untouched. Similarly, the same applies to the hell money people burn for them, as the deceased cannot receive anything from the living.
  10. Xian Sheng exemplified his point by saying that if the deceased were able to receive the hell money burned for them, he would be the first to die. He explained that he had more than enough money to buy and operate ten “纸扎铺” (shops that sell funeral paraphernalia such as joss paper, incense, effigies, hell money, etc.).
  11. Xian Sheng aimed to convey that the hell money burned as offerings cannot be obtained by the deceased, and this is why we should cease these practices.
  12. On the contrary, if we were to burn a 5 million hell note for the deceased, we would be cheating them instead. Xian Sheng advised people not to cheat the deceased. It is bad enough that the living cheats each other, so when a person has passed, the living should stop cheating them. Xian Sheng emphasised that it is important that we stop cheating the deceased.
  13. Xian Sheng asked, if our intentions were not to cheat the deceased, then what purpose would bring us here today?
  14. Xian Sheng explained that our intention is to pray and make a request to the CREATOR: “GOD, Brother Hwang Swee Huat, aged 65, has passed away. Please forgive, pardon, and lessen his sins. If he is deserving, please grant him a good place in Heaven.”
  15. Our other intention in coming here is to pray and request the CREATOR: “GOD, Brother Chiew Kok Foo, aged 19, has passed away. Please forgive, pardon, and lessen his sins, even though he was only 19 years old. If he is deserving, please grant him a good place in Heaven.” These are our intentions here today.
(P) It is our responsibility to care for our parents and pray for them after their passing.
  1. This is not the first double obsequy we have conducted. Recently, we held a double obsequy in Kepong for a husband and wife who passed away just days apart.
  2. Xian Sheng described that obsequy as a miracle. He explained that the wife had passed away, and there was a great commotion when he arrived at the family home. The children, coming from different religious backgrounds – Christianity, Buddhism, and Japanese Shinto – made the situation very chaotic.
  3. The husband, however, insisted that the family conduct the Baitiangong way of Obsequies, as both he and his wife were followers of Baitiangong.
  4. The family was thrown into a state of frenzy, but the final decision rested with their father, who chose to proceed with Baitiangong’s way.
  5. The husband told Xian Sheng that if circumstances allowed, he would prefer to join his wife and depart together. Xian Sheng agreed, saying it would be for the best. Coincidentally, that very night, the husband fell from his wheelchair, struck his head, and slipped into a deep coma. He passed away the next day, and Xian Sheng conducted the double obsequies for them. Xian Sheng remarked that it was indeed a very strange event.
  6. Today, Xian Sheng is conducting another double obsequy, which is also a miracle in its own right.
  7. Xian Sheng heard that Brother Chiew Kok Foo and his girlfriend had intended to perform a Baitiangong way of Marriage, but it was unsuccessful. (Brother Chiew was only 19 years old and had not yet reached the age for marriage, which is set at 21 for males.)
  8. Xian Sheng explained that Brother Chiew was meant to be part of an event involving two individuals, but it did not come to fruition. Today, he is part of an event involving two people, but this time, it is an obsequy. Regardless of the nature of the events, they both concern two individuals.
  9. Xian Sheng reminded the congregants of the names of the deceased – Brother Hwang Swee Huat, aged 65, and Brother Chiew Kok Foo, aged 19 – as they were about to conduct a mass prayer for them. He urged them to pray and ask the CREATOR to forgive, pardon, and lessen their sins. If they were deserving, to be granted a good place in Heaven. This was the purpose of attending the obsequies today.
  10. Xian Sheng stressed that it is not only our purpose but also our responsibility as individuals, to provide nourishment and support to them while they are still alive. We should not wait until they have passed away to offer our help, as we are no longer able to assist the deceased.
  11. Nevertheless, we can help the deceased by praying for their souls to be redeemed. We pray and ask the CREATOR to forgive, pardon, and lessen their sins, and if they are deserving, to grant them a good place in Heaven.