What a Light of Brightness Lamp Means, and How to Offer One Online
The wall of flickering lamps along both sides of a temple hall is the Light of Brightness (光明燈). Lighting one asks the deity to illuminate the year ahead. At Tianyun Temple the lamps are free and the wall is genuinely shared — the lamp you light is visible to everyone online.
What it is
The Light of Brightness, also called the Peace Lamp, is a lamp a worshipper funds and offers to a deity, praying for a bright future and peace for the household. Traditionally it is lit around the lunar new year and kept for a year; nowadays people light one whenever they want things to go smoothly.
Who lights one
Asking for peace at the new year, students praying for exams, people starting a new job, families with someone travelling far — all common occasions. Temples also have Tai Sui lamps, Wenchang lamps for exams and matchmaking lamps; the intention is the same.
How to do it online
Enter Tianyun Temple, walk to the lamp wall in the main hall, and tap a lamp that is not yet lit. One per person. The wall is synced across the whole site: when it is busy the entire wall is ablaze, which is quite a sight. To turn your lamp off, tap the same one again.
What comes after
Lighting a lamp is the beginning of an intention. Offer incense while you are there, leave this year's wish on the wish wall, and when the wish comes true, come back to fulfil your vow and pass the lamp on to the next year.
Enter the temple — free, no signup →Frequently asked questions
The Light of Brightness asks for a bright year overall; the Tai Sui lamp is for people whose zodiac sign offends the year's deity. They do not conflict — you can do both.
Lamps at Tianyun Temple are completely free, one per person, so there is a lamp for everyone.
The first lunar month is the busiest time by tradition, but you can light one any day. Sincerity matters most.