Bless their stationery: plan by Chinese parents to sanctify children’s study tools in temple ritual for exam luck halted by school
- Group of parents in southern China had hoped blessing ritual would bring their children luck ‘in first ever big exam of their lives’
- School authorities have stepped in to scupper plan for Taoist ceremony which they described as ‘anti-science and irrational’
A plan by a group of Chinese parents to consecrate the study tools of their children at a Taoist temple to bring exam luck has been scuppered by their school.
On May 28, in a WeChat group for the parents of a second-year secondary school class in southern China’s Hunan province, a mother announced the plan to bless their children’s stationery.
The dedication ritual was due to take place the following day at the popular Grand Temple of South Mountain which is situated at the foot of Mount Heng in the province.
The mother said the event, which would cost 1,000 yuan (US$140), had been approved by the parent committee and would be led by a teacher.
It would act to bless the children ahead of the “first ever big exam of their life”, the biology and geography general examination which is of great importance to their educational future.
After word of the plan reached the local education bureau, a member of staff with the school told Jimu News on May 29 that neither the school nor the teacher mentioned in the message knew about the “ceremony”.