Tomb-Sweeping Day's grave-sweeping is a concrete manifestation of the Chinese nation's moral quality of being cautious in the end and pursuing the distance and caring for the family. Since ancient times, Tomb-Sweeping Day's grave-sweeping is not only to commemorate his ancestors, but also to commemorate those who have made contributions and done good deeds in history. Tomb-Sweeping Day's offering sacrifices to sweep the tombs of martyrs and revolutionary martyrs' monuments has become a good form of revolutionary traditional education.
Tomb-Sweeping Day, called March Festival in ancient times, is one of the important traditional folk festivals in China. In 2006, it was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage. In 2008, it was officially established as a legal holiday. Tomb-Sweeping Day started in the Zhou Dynasty and has a history of more than 2,500 years.
But during the Qingming period, there are some taboos and taboos to be avoided. Don't ignore the 30 basic principles of tomb sweeping in Qingming:
1, Tomb-Sweeping Day is filial to his ancestors.
Qingming is an activity of offering sacrifices to the dead. Tomb-Sweeping Day is very important. In the eyes of China or China people, ancestor worship is closely related to filial piety. If you don't participate in ancestor worship, you are unfilial and forget your ancestors. Qingming Festival refers to sweeping graves. Many cemeteries in Jiangnan and Jiangnan are on mountains, so they are called Chongshan. In the north, it is commonly known as sweeping graves or going to graves.
2. Is there any ethnic division in sweeping graves in Tomb-Sweeping Day?
Tomb-Sweeping Day's grave-sweeping, known as "respecting time" for ancestors, is the biggest grave-sweeping day in China. Therefore, most Han people and some ethnic minorities in China visit graves in Tomb-Sweeping Day. However, some ethnic groups will hold similar activities on other days.
According to the custom, the order of sweeping is to sweep the grave first, that is, to clean the cemetery. Secondly, sacrifice, this procedure is very important, one is to mourn, and the other is to feel the same way with the ancestors, because the mountain has a spirit without a master, and the ancestors have a master without a spirit. Only by feeling the same way with the ancestors can we better obtain the aura of mountains and rivers. This is feng shui.
When sweeping graves, people come to the cemetery with food, wine, fruit, paper money and other items, offer food to the graves of their loved ones, then burn paper money, cultivate new soil for the graves, repair the graves, fold some fresh green branches and put some paper money on them to show that there are descendants in the graves, and then kowtow. Then sit around and eat and drink; You can also fly kites and even compete with each other for related activities. Women and children will also fold some Yang Liuzhi nearby and put on steamed food with wicker. Others put wicker into reeds and put them on their heads, saying, "If you don't wear willow in Qingming Festival, you will become a yellow dog in the afterlife."
Namely: modify the cemetery-burn incense-eat meat-toast-sacrifice-shoot off …
4. Is it better to sweep the grave at Qingming?
There are two time issues involved here:
First, can Tomb-Sweeping Day sweep the grave on the same day or before and after? The sooner the better?
I think I can stay in Tomb-Sweeping Day, as long as it is convenient for me. Of course, there are some local customs everywhere, and we should respect them. Also, for some customs, there are some differences in time between sweeping graves for relatives who have died within one year and those who have died more than one year. Remind friends to abide by local customs.
Second, is it better to leave as soon as possible on the day of grave sweeping?
Not really. It depends on your own situation. It's best to be at 5-7 o'clock, which is Shi Mao. In the ancient calendar, it was one. Of course, it is generally not so early now, but I remind my friends that it is best to end the Qingming Festival before 3 pm, because at this time, the yang has gradually subsided and the yin has gradually flourished. If people are unlucky, they are easily entangled or harassed by ghosts.
5. Can pregnant women sweep graves in Tomb-Sweeping Day?
Generally speaking, pregnant women should avoid the Qingming Festival, not only that. Strictly speaking, it's best for women not to take part in such activities when they have their period, especially after 3 pm.
I remind my friends that our motherland is vast, and the custom of sweeping graves in the north and south is slightly different. For example, in the south, children usually go to the grave, while in some places in the north, daughters usually don't go to the grave. If they are married daughters, they go to the grave with their husbands.
6. Can Tomb-Sweeping Day worship his ancestors at home?
Tomb-Sweeping Day should have been held in the cemetery in person, but for various reasons, many people can't go back to their hometown to attend the Qingming Festival, so they can also worship their ancestors at home. The method is to put worship food on the balcony or living room at home, face the hometown, light three sticks of incense, bow three times and meditate on related words. Then, burn paper money for sacrifice. Remind friends that this is very important.
7. What flowers should Tomb-Sweeping Day buy to mourn the dead?
It is usually chrysanthemum, because chrysanthemum is regarded as a flower of sustenance in ancient China, which means missing and nostalgia. White chrysanthemum is the most suitable, and it can also be matched with some green grass, such as lily, green leaves and carnations, which will be more beautiful. Huang Juhua is called Longevity Chrysanthemum, which is more suitable for visiting patients.
8. Why does Tomb-Sweeping Day look at his forehead in the morning?
On the morning of sweeping the grave, before washing, look at your forehead in the mirror to see if there are dark circles under your eyes. If there is, it means you are unlucky. You should try to avoid sweeping graves. If you must go, you can wear jade, mahogany and so on. Work it out with you.
9. Do you need to fast before sweeping the grave?
It is best to fast before sweeping the grave: when you start sweeping the grave, it is best not to eat food or vegetarian food, and to dress neatly to show courtesy and respect to your ancestors. I think this one is very important, but some friends may need to be wronged.
10. Why do you need to give incense to the land of mountain gods when sweeping graves?
When sweeping graves, in addition to placing incense sticks, flowers, fruits, paper money, wine and other things that ancestors loved to eat before their death (the number of sacrificial gifts is random), we should also light incense sticks and burn incense to the land of mountain gods in charge of the cemetery, because the land of mountain gods is the patron saint of the cemetery. After that, you kowtow respectfully to your ancestors and offer flowers, then burn cymbals and drink a libation (that is, sprinkle wine on the ground to represent a toast to your ancestors). After the ceremony, you can eat and drink, and then you can go after lighting the incense.
1 1. Why don't you laugh or scold when you sweep the grave?
Because the cemetery is the home of ghosts, so don't cross the graves and offerings, don't make a noise, don't laugh and curse, don't swear, don't run around and touch, and don't urinate anywhere. This is not only disrespectful to ancestors, but also a nuisance to nearby gods. You can't trample on other graves or criticize the design of graves, which will be considered blasphemy. If you encounter a bad atmosphere, you will get into trouble and go home.
12. Why should we be careful when taking photos in the graves of our ancestors?
In China, ancestor worship is not only to commemorate ancestors, but obviously to worship and pray for the dead. I especially remind my friends to be careful when taking pictures in front of ancestors' graves, whether it is the grave sweeper himself or the grave sweeper and cemetery. When taking pictures, it is even more taboo to take other people's graves into the camera. Otherwise, your fortune is likely to decline and be unbalanced in all aspects.
A friend said: "I took a photo in my ancestral grave three years ago because I couldn't understand it." In addition to taking pictures of the grave sweeper himself, I also took photos with the cemetery and took other graves into the lens when taking pictures. "
I suggest that in addition to deleting or destroying these photos, it is best to burn incense at the door. Please go out and get angry.
13. What is the burning burden in Tomb-Sweeping Day?
"Burning baggage" is a form of paying homage to ancestors. The so-called "baggage", also known as "parcel", refers to the postal parcel that Xiao sent from Shi Yang to the underworld. The so-called "wrapping skin" is to paste a big bag with white paper.
There are two forms:
One is Sanskrit transliteration in which a "death curse" is printed on the periphery with a woodcut, and there is a lotus memorial tablet in the middle, on which the names of people who died after receiving money are written, such as "the late boss of Zhang Fujun Afraid of Yunshan", which is both a package and a memorial tablet.
The other is plain foreskin, which does not print any patterns. There is only a blue sign in the middle, which can write the name of the deceased and also serve as the main card.
14, Tomb-Sweeping Day is forbidden to visit relatives and friends?
It is best for Tomb-Sweeping Day to visit relatives and friends not on the same day, but the next day. Because Tomb-Sweeping Day is a special time to pay homage, it is unreasonable or unlucky to visit relatives and friends at this time. Of course, you can also invite friends and relatives out for dinner.
15, choose to get married during the Qingming period, ok?
Similarly, marriage is a major event in life, so it is best to avoid choosing Tomb-Sweeping Day to get married. Of course, there are still many things about the wedding date.
16. Can I travel in Tomb-Sweeping Day?
An important activity in Tomb-Sweeping Day is hiking. It is understandable to feel the beauty of nature when spring is blooming. However, it is particularly important not to sweep more mountains at other people's sacrifices! Don't say anything unlucky, let alone disrespectful to the dead. Be careful in your activities at night. Therefore, we can't say that Tomb-Sweeping Day is sorry for his ancestors when he travels on holiday.
17. Does Tomb-Sweeping Day pay attention to clothes and accessories?
Yes, it is especially forbidden to wear bright red and purple clothes. You should wear plain clothes. In addition, don't wear red ornaments (except the animal year).
18, Tomb-Sweeping Day, do you care about generations?
Of course, attention should be paid to the orderly worship. In order: father, mother, eldest son, eldest daughter, second son, second daughter and so on. After the worship, the sacrifice is blessed by the ancestors, and everyone can eat and take the sacrifice. Finally, remind you to pay attention to fire safety, and you can go after lighting the incense.
19, will Tomb-Sweeping Day worship ceremony let Yin Qi go home?
This problem is difficult to explain simply. Of course, you can wear some Buddha statues, amulets, mahogany and the like. In fact, Dr. Zheng believes that as long as you are kind and respectful to your ancestors and the deceased around you, there should be no problem. After going home from worshipping God, a brazier ceremony can be held when necessary, which can remove the gas field of worshipping when the fortune is low.
20. After the husband dies, can the wife go to the grave?
There is a saying in the street that a wife can't go to the grave three years before her husband dies. This is a matter of custom. I think it's enough to respect local customs. If there is such a local custom, it is best to avoid it, otherwise it will bring a lot of psychological troubles in the future. If there is no local custom, it has nothing to do with this taboo.
2 1, can I accompany my friends to sweep the grave?
For various reasons, many people may encounter the problem of whether to accompany friends to the grave, such as girlfriends accompanying boyfriends to the grave, subordinates accompanying bosses to the grave, and even accompanying customers to the grave in business. Outsiders had better not accompany them to the grave, because their aura is different. If it is really unavoidable, then I suggest you wear a mascot to ward off evil spirits, such as mahogany hand beads, otherwise you will be taboo.
22. Why did Tomb-Sweeping Day dream about his late ancestor before?
Some people dream of their dead relatives or friends before Tomb-Sweeping Day almost every year, and even talk to him in their dreams. In fact, this has clearly told you that it is time to sweep their graves.
A friend said, "My parents have been divorced for many years. I have been living with my mother and seldom see my father. Unexpectedly, three years ago, my father died, and I was very unfilial and couldn't see him for the last time. Since his death, I have dreamed of my father from time to time, dreaming that he told me that he missed me many times, and even dreaming that he rubbed against me naked.
In fact, this is his father's dream, which needs to be treated with caution and cannot be ignored. Do your best and don't be lazy.
23. Why avoid buying shoes during the Qingming period?
Some people just celebrate their birthdays in Tomb-Sweeping Day, so sometimes it is inevitable to buy a pair of shoes during their stay in Tomb-Sweeping Day. Don't you know that shoes are homophonic with evil, so you don't usually buy shoes at this time. If you really need it, stagger the time to buy it. Remind you why shoe stores are not doing well in Tomb-Sweeping Day. If a friend accidentally bought shoes in Tomb-Sweeping Day, how to take them off? Ask these friends to wrap their shoes in red paper, leave them at the door all night, and then burn the red paper early in the morning.
24. Does Tomb-Sweeping Day avoid birthdays?
Some friends happen to be Tomb-Sweeping Day's birthday, reminding you to celebrate your birthday early. If it happens that the old birthday girl is celebrating her birthday in Tomb-Sweeping Day, there will be more taboos. For example, if you don't accept flowers that day, you can't eat birthday cake that day. In my opinion, only in this way can the old birthday girl live a peaceful and auspicious year and live longer.
25. How to determine the specific date of Tomb-Sweeping Day's sacrifice?
The date of sacrifice varies from place to place, and some are in the first ten days of Tomb-Sweeping Day; Some people call it "the first three and the last three"; Some are held in the "Singles Day" around Tomb-Sweeping Day; In some places, grave-sweeping activities last for a month.
26. Does Tomb-Sweeping Day have to clean himself when he comes back from sweeping the grave?
Similar to Tomb-Sweeping Day's previous taboo of buying shoes, Tomb-Sweeping Day must clean your shoes when he comes back from the grave, and at the same time, put his toes inward, and don't forget to wash his clothes and dry them.
27. Why were there fewer recreational activities in Tomb-Sweeping Day that day?
For various reasons, friends who can't go to visit their ancestors and grave in Tomb-Sweeping Day, Tomb-Sweeping Day tried to have less entertainment activities that day, let alone quarrel and say irrelevant words, otherwise he would be afraid of trouble in the future.
28. Why can't you cover your forehead with your hair?
According to the ancients, Tomb-Sweeping Day is also a "Ghost Festival". If you need friends who walk at night during this period, you must remember to bring protective mascots, such as mahogany bracelets. At the same time, don't forget what I have repeatedly said: show your forehead and don't cover it with your hair, because that's where your magic lamp is.
29. Can members of the same family go in batches?
Generally speaking, it is best to go to the grave together, but in modern times, for various reasons, members of the same family may come from all over the world for work reasons, so they can't arrange to go to the grave on the same day, or they can go to the grave in batches.
30. Can the same person go to the graves of two families within one year?
A friend asked, "The same person can't visit two families' graves within one year? For example, sweeping my grandmother's grave and sweeping my husband's father's grave (married) another day, can you? " In fact, this situation often happens, and the answer is yes.