Consecration Ceremony (Kai Guang)

A deity statue just finished, its face solemn and serene, is in matters of faith still only a "work of art" -- what truly turns it into a divinely empowered "golden body" is the instant the ritual master's cinnabar brush touches its eyes. This rite is called kai guang dian yan, "opening the light and dotting the eyes." A statue that has never been consecrated holds no spiritual power.

The Meaning of Kai Guang

"Kai guang" means "to open the light," symbolizing the infusion of spiritual radiance into the statue and the opening of its divine eyes, so that it may perceive the world and protect all beings. "Dian yan" -- dotting the eyes -- is the single most crucial step: the cinnabar brush touches the statue's eyes, symbolizing that the deity has opened its dharma-eyes and can from now on "see" the prayers of the faithful. The rite is usually presided over by a senior Taoist priest or an eminent Buddhist monk, and must fall on an auspicious day.

Preparations Before Kai Guang

- Choosing the day: an auspicious day is selected, usually by the ritual master according to the deity's attributes and the temple's needs.

- Installation (ru shen / zhuang zang): before the rite, "treasures" are placed inside a small cavity in the statue's back, a step called "installing the spirit." Common items include the five grains (rice, wheat, millet, sorghum, beans -- for abundance), gold and silver foil (wealth), cinnabar (warding off evil), talismans (protection), scriptures (blessing), and pearls and agate (auspicious energy). The cavity is then sealed with a wooden plug, signifying that the deity's spiritual power has been infused.

- Purifying the altar: the ritual master first performs a purification rite to cleanse the space and drive off unclean energy.

The Kai Guang Dian Yan Ritual

1. The ritual master, robed in his vestments, burns incense and chants scripture to invite the deity to descend.

2. With a cinnabar brush (or a writing brush dipped in cinnabar), he dots the statue's features in turn, reciting the matching incantation at each:

- Eyes: "Dotting the eyes, the eyes see clear, able to behold all things of the world" -- so the deity may see the world's suffering.

- Ears: "Dotting the ears, the ears hear keen, able to heed the faithful of all directions" -- so the deity may hear the worshippers' prayers.

- Nose: "Dotting the nose, the nose discerns true, able to tell good from evil" -- so the deity may distinguish right from wrong.

- Mouth: "Dotting the mouth, the mouth speaks wise, able to preach and guide all beings" -- so the deity may teach and transform.

- Forehead: "Dotting the forehead, the forehead shines bright, able to light up the world" -- so the deity's wisdom may illuminate the world.

- Hands: "Dotting the hands, the hands work strong, able to save the people from fire and flood" -- so the deity may extend its saving power.

- Feet: "Dotting the feet, the feet stride firm, able to patrol and watch all lands" -- so the deity may make its rounds of the four directions.

3. Finally, a mirror (symbolizing light) is used to reflect over the whole statue, signifying that the illumination is complete.

4. Firecrackers sound together to announce that the kai guang is done, and the statue has officially become a "divided-spirit golden body" of the deity.

Enthronement and Procession

Once the kai guang is complete, the statue is "enthroned" (an zuo) -- set in its proper place in the temple or the home shrine, with a formal dharma assembly. For the consecration of an important deity, the temple will often also hold a "procession" (rao jing), letting the newly consecrated statue tour its jurisdiction and receive the worship of the faithful.

Things to Note

- Kai guang is an irreversible sacred rite; once done, the statue is regarded as a divided spirit of the deity and must never be carelessly discarded or damaged.

- If a home statue is damaged and needs replacing, the old one should be returned to a temple for a "de-consecration" (tui shen) rite before proper disposal.