XXVII. The Traditional Sequence of the Opening Ceremony

1. The Goal of the Ceremony Is to Establish Order and Bring the Team Together

An opening ceremony can include purifying the space, settling positions, turning on the lights, opening the door, unveiling the sign, offering blessings, the first sale, and hosting guests. Its cultural significance lies in marking a new stage, bringing the team together, and expressing respect — it is not a spell that guarantees profit. The simpler and clearer the sequence, the more solemn and orderly it remains.

Where different religions or local customs are involved, participation should be respected as voluntary, and staff should never be compelled to take part. Many public malls restrict incense, drums, and fireworks, and these restrictions must be followed. The ceremony can be carried out through smokeless means such as cleaning, fresh flowers, safe electric lighting, and reading a statement of vision aloud.

2. Purifying the Space Before the Opening

Purifying the space first means genuine cleaning: removing construction debris, checking the air, wiping down doors and windows, inspecting the water, electrical, and gas systems, and clearing the passages. After the cleaning, tradition may add the symbolic sense of purification through clear water, an herbal scent, or a brief blessing — but allergens, open flame, and a slippery floor must all be avoided. Hiding clutter away in the storeroom does not count as purifying the space.

The purification can also follow the ceremonial sequence of "back to front, top to bottom, still to moving": tidy the back storeroom and equipment first, then arrange the main counter and register, and finally clean the shopfront and the bright hall. There is no need to be superstitious about a fixed number of steps — what matters is that every part of the space moves from clutter to being usable.

3. Installing the Counter, the Stove, and the Spirit Tablet

If these actions are regarded as important, each can be scheduled on its own chosen date, and need not all be crowded into the opening day itself. Installing the counter means formally fixing the main counter or register in place; installing the stove means the main cooking equipment's first positioning and lighting; installing the spirit tablet is carried out according to the holder's own custom. Any fixed installation work must be carried out by qualified personnel.

Forgoing a spirit tablet is entirely fine; if one is set up, avoid arguing over its position at the last minute on the opening day itself. Confirm the property manager's no-open-flame rule and the participants' own wishes ahead of time. Offerings should be kept hygienic, and disposed of properly after the ceremony, without creating waste or litter.

4. Turning On the Lights, Opening the Door, and the First Sale

Before the auspicious hour, complete staff positioning and safety checks; once the hour arrives, turn on the main lighting first, and only then open the main door and unveil the sign, in the sense of manifest brightness moving from inside outward. If customers are already waiting outside, one should not create a crush purely to hit the exact second. An automatic door can be opened through its normal procedure, with no need to open and close it repeatedly to "activate the qi."

The first sale can be a genuine, voluntary transaction, entered into the books as usual, with no fake transactions manufactured. Folk custom values "seeing a profit as the market opens," but "profit" here also carries the sense of things going smoothly and properly — an unwitting customer should never be made to carry the burden of the ceremony. Having change ready, working payment equipment, and receipts prepared matters more than designating some mysterious transaction amount.

5. Blessings and the Boundary of Taboos

Blessings should be positive and brief, and can center on integrity, harmony, safety, service, and lasting success. Tradition dislikes arguments, breakages, and filth on the day of an opening — this can be translated into rehearsing ahead of time, checking the equipment, and making everyone's role clear. If equipment happens to malfunction, handle it according to the contingency plan, and never conceal a safety problem out of superstition.

Setting off non-compliant fireworks or firecrackers, blocking a road, generating excessive noise, or compelling a religious ritual are all prohibited. If a so-called auspicious hour conflicts with a mall's business rules, a backup time should be chosen instead. What tradition means by "auspicious" in its rites must first of all be proper, legal, and considerate of everyone around.