Traditional Sacrifice Methods of Qingming in Various Places 5

There are burning paper money, cutting branches, etc.

The places and ways of sacrificing Chawei during the Qingming Festival are different, and there are some differences between the north and the south.

A place of sacrifice.

Qingming sacrifices can be divided into tomb sacrifices and ancestral hall sacrifices according to the different places of sacrifice. Tomb offerings are the most common. The characteristic of the Qingming sacrifice is the tomb sacrifice.

In the cemetery, the sacrificer is closest to the object of sacrifice, which is easy to cause a feeling of closeness, so that the filial piety and family affection of the living to the deceased can be better expressed and sustenance. The Qingming sacrifice is called tomb sweeping, mainly due to the adoption of tomb sacrifices. Another form is the ancestral hall sacrifice, also known as the temple sacrifice, which is a way for people of a clan to gather in the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors, and to hold a meeting and dinner after the sacrifice, this kind of sacrifice is a way to reunite the people.

There is also a situation where people whose families work in other places cannot rush back to their hometowns to visit their graves, so they pay tribute in the direction of their hometowns on the mountains or on high places.

The manner or item of the sacrifice.

The methods or items of Qingming sacrifice vary from place to place, and the common practice consists of two parts: one is to renovate the tomb, and the other is to hang and burn paper money and offer sacrifices.

When sweeping the grave, the grave is first renovated. The main practice is to remove weeds and cultivate new soil. On the one hand, this behavior can express the filial piety and care of the sacrificer to the deceased, on the other hand, in the belief of the ancients, the tomb of the ancestors has a great relationship with the rise and fall of future generations, so the tomb is a memorial content that cannot be ignored.

The Qing Tongli explains the trimming of the tomb as the origin of the name of "sweeping the tomb": "The year, the cold food and frost festival, worship the sweep, the period of plain clothing to the tomb, with wine and food and the utensils for cutting grass and wood, Zhou Hao seals the tree, and cuts the thorn grass, so it is called tomb sweeping." ”

Qingming Festival is the fifth of the 24 solar terms, but people pay more attention to the tomb sweeping and worshipping ancestors on the Qingming Festival, and the tomb sweeping and ancestor worship during the Qingming Festival is a long-standing custom and culture in our country.

The exquisiteness of the Qingming sacrifice

Qingming Festival is a festival for many people to sweep the tombs and worship their ancestors, but there are many particularities in it. First of all, it is necessary to determine the date of the grave and the participants, do not bring outsiders to the mountain, the people of the family can go, pregnant women and babies less than three months old should not be tired. The second offering should be prepared according to local customs, in an appropriate quantity, not too much or too little.

Then go to worship at the right time, it is best to go down the mountain before dark, do not look back when you leave, and do not call each other by name. When you get home, you should wash your hands and bathe immediately, do not visit other people's homes immediately, and wait for a period of time before going out to avoid bringing bad luck to other homes.

Ancient Qingming customs

There are still many cultural differences between modern times and ancient times, and there was a custom of swinging in Qingming in ancient times, but there is no such custom now. Swing, that is, pulling the leather rope and moving. Its history is very ancient, it was first called Qianqiu, and then in order to avoid taboos, it was changed to a swing.

In ancient times, swings were mostly made of tree branches and ribbons. Later, the spine was gradually developed into a swing with two ropes and pedals. Swinging not only promotes health, but also cultivates bravery, and is still loved by people, especially children.

The festival time can be advanced

Generally speaking, it is possible to go to the grave in advance during the Qingming Festival, and it is not necessary to go on the same day. You can go about a week to two weeks in advance, and in some places, the time to sweep the tomb is selected before the first three days and the last four, which means that the tomb is swept within the range of the first three days and the last four days of the Qingming Festival, and some even pay attention to the first seven and eight after the eight. Do not take photos when you go to the grave to worship your ancestors on the Qingming Festival; Be mindful of how you dress; When sweeping the tomb, it is forbidden to laugh and scold, and foul language; The sacrificial tribute cannot be eaten until the end of the wilderness; Pregnant women should avoid visiting graves.