Incense Attendant

Rituals

Religious Practise

Morning and Evening Rites Refining the Vital Breath Wandering About and Seeking Masters Fasting

Religious Discipline

Commandments of the Orthodox Oneness Sect Commandments of the Complete Perfection Sect Temple Regulations

Talismans, Registers, and Magic Skills

Talismans Registers Divine Incantations Finger Gestures Pacing the Big Dipper Magical Transformation Skills Praying for Happiness and Offering Sacrifice Summoning Spirits for Interrogation Exorcism Healing Diseases Expelling the God of Plague Numerology

Rituals

Names of the Three Fasts Great Ritual Offerings to the Overarching Heaven Lantern Rituals for the Destruction of Hell Rituals of Purification and of Sacrifice to the Ancestral Souls Rituals of Purification and Salvation Rituals of Scattering Flowers and Communicating with Spirits through Lanterns Rituals for Sending Petitions to the Heavens

Ceremonial Altars

Altars for Fasts Altars for Ritual Offerings Altars for Commandments The Ancestral Altar of All Skills

Daoist Headdresses and Dress

Ritual Implements

Wooden Fish Commandment Plaques S-shaped Ornamental Objects Magical Seals Magical Staffs Magical Swords Tablets Shallow Pans Streamers Inverted Bells Horsetail Whisks Bells Large Cymbals

Ritual Specialists

High Priest Cheif Cantor Inspector of Fasts Incense Attendant Lantern Attendant Scripture Attendant

Ceremonies to Celebrate the Birth of Spirits

Assemblies to Entice Spirits Pilgrimage Times and Temple Fairs

Origin of the Title of Incense Attendant ( 侍香 Shixiang )

The role of Incense Attendant, a Daoist ritual function, is taken by a Daoist ritual attendee. No records remain about the position of Incense Attendant in early Daoist rituals, for these were rather simple. Incense was used widely in people's life and Daoist rituals until the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The role of Incense Attendant appeared as late as the Regulations and Penalties for the Use of Lanterns and Candles in Pervasive Mystery Numinous Treasure Offerings (《洞玄靈寶齋說光燭戒罰燈祝願儀》 Dongxuan Lingbao Zhai Shuo Guangzhu Jiefa Deng Zhuyuan Yi ) compiled by eminent Daoist Lu Xiujing (406-477) of the Southern Dynasties. The title Incense Attendant wasn't used widely until the Tang and Five Dynasties. Today, Daoist Offering Altars ( 齋壇 Zhaitan ) still have Daoists especially in charge of incense.

Functions

The book Regulations and Penalties for the Use of Lanterns and Candles in Pervasive Mystery Numinous Treasure Offerings says that the Incense Attendant should "arrange the burner and keep the incense burning and the burner clean. He must be well prepared before all rituals, without any miss." The book Preaching Commandments for Assigning Tasks during Golden Register Great Fasts (《金籙大齋補職說戒儀》 Jinlu Dazhai Buzhi Shuojie Yi )

of the Tang and Five Dynasties requires the Incense Attendant to "finely decorate the burners, carefully clean the desks, and always keep incense-sticks burning. The mysterious mirror is always bright and can reflect any cordial sincerity. So do not fail in the middle of the task and miss the original heart." Meanwhile, it postulates that if he failed his task, the Incense Attendant would be levied a fine of incense or oil, or even a 12-year reduction of his life expectancy.