1. The time for sweeping the tomb should not be too late
It is best to sweep the tomb between after sunrise and before 3 pm. Because the light is not good before sunrise, the yin energy has not dissipated yet. After three o'clock, the yang energy gradually dissipates and the yin energy gradually increases, which can easily attract Yin spirits or other unclean things.
2. The order of worship should be distinguished
When sweeping the tomb, the order should be divided: father, mother, eldest son, eldest daughter, second son, and second daughter. And so on. If there are sacrifices, everyone can eat them only after the ancestors have enjoyed them.
3. Women should not sweep graves
According to the ancients, women are feminine. If they enter a graveyard with heavy Yin, it may have a negative impact on their consciousness (such as being Shocked); ghosts and gods are afraid of women’s menstrual blood, so women who are pregnant or menstruating should not visit graves.
4. Reduce entertainment activities
On Qingming Festival, you should try to have as few entertainment activities as possible, let alone quarreling, causing trouble, bragging, or saying irrelevant things to show respect for your ancestors. What’s the point of visiting graves during the Qingming Festival?
1. Black luck is low: On the morning of the tomb-sweeping day, when washing your face, look in the mirror and find a darkening on your forehead, which means your fortune is sluggish. Try to avoid tomb-sweeping. If you must go, , you can bring consecrated protective items (such as amulets, etc.) for resolution.
2. Eating vegetarian food and prohibiting meat and vegetables: From getting up in the morning until arriving at the grave sweeping site, try to eat vegetarian food and dress neatly and modestly to show courtesy and respect for the ancestors.
3. Pay attention to safety: When burning paper money and placing offerings, pay attention to fire prevention to ensure safety. Try to carry the items yourself and avoid buying items sold by vendors near the sacrificial site. If you have to buy something due to inconvenience, you should prepare small changes in advance, put small amounts of cash in easy-to-access coat pockets, and put large amounts of cash on the inside to avoid being stolen by thieves.
4. Choosing a day for grave sweeping: Try to avoid weekends or other peak hours for tomb sweeping. Since there are more private cars among citizens now, peak grave sweeping will cause trouble for travel due to traffic congestion. You can choose to take various types of tomb sweeping. Public transportation may extend the tomb-sweeping time (leave early and return late) or stagger key periods to alleviate the pressure on road traffic caused by too many people and vehicles.
5. Keep an inventory at all times: Whether you arrive at the place of worship or leave, you must develop a good habit of counting the items you carry with you to avoid inadvertent loss of valuables. During collective sacrifices, you should always count the number of people, especially if you are carrying children. Parents should take good care of their children to prevent them from getting lost while playing.
6. Avoid remote places: Do not go to places that are too remote or inaccessible to worship. It is best to make a plan according to the routes you often take. Do not stay in remote places for a long time to ensure your own safety.
7. Do not disturb other spirits: The cemetery is a place where ghost spirits live. Do not laugh, curse, speak obscenely, run around and fight, urinate anywhere, and do not go to other graves with your feet when you encounter them. When stepping on tombstones, do not touch other tombstones and sacrificial objects. If you encounter them, you should sincerely recite Sorry for disturbing you. You should be polite and respectful within the cemetery area, and control your emotions and attitudes so as not to offend other ghosts by disturbing them.
8. Sacrifice time: Try to choose the time for sweeping the tomb when the yang energy is strong. Before dawn or in the evening, it is not good for the tomb sweeper, so you should try to avoid sweeping the tomb. Usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. This is the best time to visit the tomb.
9. Clean up the cemetery: Facing the ancestors’ cemetery, you need to clean up the weeds, add loose soil, and tidy up the surrounding environment to make the cemetery look full and tidy. At the same time, pray silently in your heart and place your hope on the nine springs. Next, pray to the ancestors to keep future generations rich and prosperous.
10. Pregnant women should avoid tomb-sweeping activities: Generally speaking, pregnant women should avoid tomb-sweeping activities during the Qingming Festival, and that’s not all. Strictly speaking, it is best for women not to participate in such activities when they are on their period, especially not to participate in Qingming tomb-sweeping activities after 3 p.m.