Qingming Festival is an important festival for worshiping ancestors, and its custom of worshiping ancestors has many historical origins. There are many taboos for sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival, such as not getting married, not celebrating birthdays, etc. Here I have compiled the taboos for worshiping ancestors during the Qingming Festival. Come and take a look!
The origin of tomb sweeping during Qingming Festival
Qingming dates back to the ancient "Cold Food Festival". The Cold Food Festival is the 105th day after the winter solstice every year, and it happens to be the day before Qingming. In the old days, during the Cold Food Festival, every household would not cook over a fire, but only eat cold food. The next day is the Qingming Festival. People go to the graves to burn paper and build the tombs to show their memory of the deceased.
In memory of Zhuge Liang:
During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang ruled Shu and was deeply popular among the people. However, after his death, the court did not build a temple for him, so the people worshiped on the field roads during the cold food period. Later, the imperial court self-reflected on its improper handling and formally offered sacrifices to Zhuge Liang in the temple of his ancestor (Liu Bei). However, the custom of cold food and wild sacrifices had already been formed and evolved into everyone offering sacrifices and sweeping the graves of their ancestors.
In memory of the hermit Jie Zitui:
According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, in order to escape the persecution of his stepmother Li Ji, Chong'er, the son of Duke Xiang of Jin, fled abroad accompanied by Jie Zitui and other ministers. They fled to In the Wei state, there was no food to eat and he was poor and sick. In despair, Jie Zitui cut off the meat from his own leg and lied that it was hare meat and cooked it for Chong'er to eat. Later, someone told the truth, and Chong'er found out. Nineteen years later, Chong'er returned to the country and became the king of Jin, that is, Duke Wen of Jin. He rewarded meritorious service and granted great titles to meritorious officials, but he only forgot about Jie Zitui, who was loyal to him.
When someone reminded him, Chong'er remembered old things and sent someone to invite him, but Jie Zi avoided seeing him. Duke Wen of Jin came to invite her in person, only to find out that Jie Zitui had carried his old mother on his back and hid in Mianshan, so he sent people up the mountain to search but could not find her. Duke Wen of Jin knew that Jie Zitui was very filial. If he set fire to the mountain, he would definitely run down the mountain with his old mother on his back. However, the fire burned for three days and three nights, and Jie Zitui and his son did not come out. Later, it was found that Jie Zitui and his son had been burned to death by the fire next to a withered willow tree. There is a piece of clothes left by him, with a poem written in blood: "I will sacrifice my flesh to you. I hope my lord will always be clear. It is better to be a ghost under the willow and never see him again than to accompany you as an admonisher. If my lord has me in his heart, remember me." I always reflect on myself when I die. I have a clear conscience in Jiuquan, and I work hard to restore Qingming." After seeing this, Duke Wen of Jin was very moved and burst into tears. He buried his mother and son in Mianshan, changed Mianshan to Jieshan, and built a temple to commemorate them. In order to remember Jie Zitui, Duke Wen of Jin ordered that the day when Jie Zitui was burned to death be designated as the "Cold Food Festival". Fireworks are strictly prohibited on this day every year, and only cold food is eaten. During the Cold Food Festival in the third year, Duke Wen of Jin led his ministers to Jieshan to worship Jie Zitui. He found that the withered willow tree had come back to life, so he named the willow tree "Qingming Willow" and stipulated that from Cold Food to Qingming Festival, people must pay homage to Jie Zitui. .
Later, the Cold Food Festival was gradually confused with Qingming, and Cold Food Tomb Sweeping was confused with Qingming Tomb Sweeping. Qingming gradually replaced Cold Food Festival.
Sacrifice to Gaozi:
Some people believe that cold food and grave sweeping originated from the ancient custom of ancestors worshiping Gaozi at the spring equinox. Gao Le is Gao Mu. In primitive society where people only recognized their mother but not their father, Gao Mu was their ancestor. Worshiping Gaozi means worshiping ancestors. The original date of the Cold Food Festival was in the second half of February, which was consistent with the ancient time of worshiping Gaozi. Therefore, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty established Cold Food as the ancestor worship festival. In later generations, the Cold Food Festival was reduced to the last three or two days, or was directly combined with the Qingming Festival, so the Cold Food Festival became the Qingming Festival.
Taboos of tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival
The specific process of tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival:
When people sweep tombs in the Qingming Festival, they will buy cartons of flowers, fruits and other offerings to worship. To clean the cemetery, when facing the ancestors' cemetery, you need to clean up the weeds, add loose soil, and tidy up the surrounding environment to make the cemetery full and tidy. At the same time, pray silently in your heart, place your hope under the nine springs, and pray for the ancestors to keep the future generations rich and prosperous. . Then burn incense first, usually 3 incense sticks and a pair of wax; then offer sacrifices, then burn paper money, and finally set off firecrackers to say goodbye; during the sacrifice, you can leave some paper money at the end to worship the local land and mountain gods.
Women can visit tombs during the Qingming Festival:
This is possible. In ancient times, the reason why women could not worship their ancestors was because of discrimination against women.
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.
Sacrifice time:
Try to choose the time for sweeping the tomb when the yang energy is relatively strong, before dawn or in the evening, which is not good for the tomb sweeper, so you should try to avoid sweeping the tomb, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The best time for grave sweeping is usually between three o'clock.
It is not allowed to worship ancestors at home during the Qingming Festival:
Since Qingming Festival is about worshiping ancestors, it is naturally best to go there in person to worship. However, considering that many friends who work abroad, the distance is relatively long. It is inconvenient to go home far away. You can pray three times at the river or crossroads where your ancestors are buried, then say some words of praise and burn some paper money and incense wax.
Chrysanthemums should be bought during Qingming Festival to commemorate the deceased:
According to Chinese tradition, chrysanthemums are generally used because chrysanthemums are the flower of sustenance and have the meaning of longing and remembrance. White chrysanthemums are the most suitable, and they can also be paired with some green grass, such as lilies, green leaves, carnations, etc., to make them more beautiful. Yellow chrysanthemums are known as longevity chrysanthemums and are more suitable for visiting patients. Generally, the best number to buy is three, seven, nine, etc.
Food and meat are prohibited:
On the morning of the tomb-sweeping day, eat vegetarian food as much as possible until you arrive at the tomb-sweeping site, and dress neatly and modestly to show courtesy and respect for the ancestors.
You are not allowed to take photos in the cemeteries of ancestors:
In China, ancestor worship is not just about commemorating ancestors, but also obviously means worshiping and praying to the souls of the dead. Special reminder to friends: be careful when taking photos at the ancestor’s cemetery, whether it is a photo of the grave sweeper himself or a photo of the grave sweeper and the cemetery. It is even more taboo to take pictures of other tombs in the camera lens. Otherwise, your fortune is likely to decline and all aspects will be imbalanced. Therefore, when sweeping the graves of relatives, you should concentrate on it and do not look around, especially do not take pictures in the cemetery.
You are not allowed to get married during the Qingming period:
No, the Qingming Festival in March is a month with a strong yin energy. This month is very taboo in China, and the same is true for July. in this way. Marriage is a major event in life, so it is recommended to avoid this month, as unwelcome events may disturb the souls of the dead.
You need to be cautious when celebrating birthdays during the Qingming Festival:
Generally speaking, if young people have birthdays during the Qingming Festival, it is best not to celebrate their birthdays; because the atmosphere and occasion are not very suitable. If you are an elderly person, you don’t need to be too cautious; but it is best not to accept flowers, and you cannot eat the birthday cake on the same day.
It is taboo to visit friends and relatives during the Qingming Festival:
It is best not to visit relatives and friends on the Qingming Festival. It is better to visit the next day! Because the Qingming Festival is a special time for memorial ceremonies, at this time It is unjustifiable or unlucky to visit relatives and friends. Of course, you can also invite friends and family to eat out.
Pay attention to safety:
When burning paper money and placing offerings, pay attention to fire prevention to ensure safety. Try to bring your own items with you and avoid buying items sold by vendors near the sacrificial site. If you have to buy it due to inconvenience, you should prepare small coins in advance, put small gold coins in an easily accessible coat pocket, and put large gold coins on the inside to avoid being stolen by thieves.
Avoid remote places:
Do not go to places that are too remote or inaccessible to offer sacrifices. It is best to make plans according to the routes you often take. Do not stay in remote places for a long time. Keep yourself safe.
Avoid buying shoes before the festival:
Shoes have the same pronunciation as "evil", so you usually don't buy shoes at this time; if you really need to, you should stagger the time to buy shoes. We cannot accept or give shoes to others as gifts.