The baby-grabbing ritual held when a child turns one year old to predict future interests is a widely practiced traditional custom. It is believed that the God of Literature, Wenchang Dijun, blesses children with good academic performance and exam luck. On March 3 (the 27th day of the first lunar month), the eve of Wenchang Dijun’s birthday, Chiayi City Chenghuang Temple and YouLoveYuan Parent-Child Center will hold a public welfare traditional baby-grabbing event titled “Chenghuang Protects the People, Wenchang Guards the Children,” offering free participation for low- and middle-income families.
In traditional Taiwanese customs, the “baby-grabbing” ritual is the first important ceremony for a baby turning one. Eighteen meaningful everyday items such as a writing brush, abacus, coins, and books are placed on a rice sieve for the baby to grab freely. The item the baby chooses is believed to symbolize their future interests.
YouLoveYuan Parent-Child Center manager Weng Ziming said that modern baby-grabbing differs from the traditional belief that the chosen item represents a future career. Instead, it has evolved into “fun interaction among relatives and between parents and children.” Family members hope to preserve every important and beautiful moment and memory of the child’s growth, while also wishing for the child to grow up healthy and happy.
Lai Yongchuan, chairman of Chiayi Chenghuang Temple, said that Wenchang Dijun is the deity in charge of literary fortune and exams. During exam seasons, school principals and cram school directors often lead students to respectfully worship Chenghuang Ye (the City God) and Wenchang Dijun at the temple, and job-seeking candidates taking public service exams also come to pay their respects.
YouLoveYuan Parent-Child Center, together with Chiayi Chenghuang Temple and the Futingfu Social Welfare Foundation, is organizing a public welfare baby-grabbing event. Low- and middle-income families can register for free. The registration fees collected on the day will be donated to the Chiayi Chenghuang Temple public welfare fund. The event revives the beauty of traditional customs and also helps the government promote couples’ willingness to have children.
(China Times)