Dotting the Eyes of the Auspicious Dragon

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The completed dragon must receive the dotting-of-the-eye ceremony at a temple on Lunar 9th of the first month, which is the Anniversary of the Lord of Heaven. The goal is to pray to the deity and ask him to instill divine essence into the dragon; therefore, “Dotting the Eyes of the Auspicious Dragon” not only symbolizes praying for blessings and warding off evil, it is also to deify the dragon. Blood from a white rooster is mixed with cinnabar and rice wine to make the paint, a calligraphy brush is then dipped into the mixture and used to dot the dragon’s head, body, and tail. The official presiding over the eye-dotting ceremony must also explain the meaning and symbol of the different locations during the process; it is a representation that the Auspicious Dragon and the deity is now one since the Auspicious Dragon is granted life once the eyes have been dotted to become a “Divine Dragon”. Dragons which have not had their eyes dotted are regarded as “wild dragons” according to Hakka tradition; they can only play a role in festival performances.