In those ancient times, filial piety was the most noble virtue in heaven and earth. It is often said that "filial piety comes first", which means that no matter what a person's achievements are, they must first be filial to their parents. If anyone dares to ignore this, not only will the social status be unsustainable, but even the emperor's anger will be difficult to quell. Filial piety has become a virtue that everyone pursues.
Against this backdrop, let's follow a young man named Li Mu, whose story vividly demonstrates the importance of filial piety in ancient times. Li Mu, a young man from a poor but ambitious background, was taught from an early age to respect his elders, especially his parents. His father, Mr. Li, was a well-respected old man who enjoyed a high reputation in the village despite his modest wealth.
With the passage of time, Mr. Li has become old and his health is declining. During this period, Li Mu took care of his father meticulously, and his filial piety was praised by everyone in the village. However, unfortunately, despite Li Mu's careful care, the old man passed away due to illness, which brought great grief to the family.
In ancient times, there were many taboos about funerals, one of which was that if there was a funeral in the family, no festive activities should be held for three years. This is a devastating blow to many families, especially young women, whose marriages have to be postponed. At that time, a woman's age of marriage was highly valued, and not marrying at the age of 18 was considered a late marriage.
Li Mu's family was no exception, his sister was supposed to get married that year, but because of the death of his father, everything had to be postponed. During the mourning, the whole family was immersed in grief, especially Li Mu. He hardly eats or drinks, washes his face with tears every day, and his filial piety deeply touches the people around him.
At his father's funeral, Li Mu was unable to do anything because of his grief and hunger for days. Leaning on a wooden stick, he hobbled along the funeral procession, a scene that was deeply engraved in the hearts of the neighbors.
In this context, Li Mu's story spread throughout the surrounding villages and towns. People were touched by his deep filial piety to his father, and his reputation spread far and wide. In that era of emphasizing filial piety, Li Mu's behavior became a good story, and he not only won respect for himself, but also raised his family's status in society.
In ancient filial piety and funeral customs, we can't help but think about the practical significance of these traditions. Historically, filial piety has been seen as the first of all virtues, and this concept has become deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people and has become the cornerstone of society. However, with the development of the times, people have begun to reflect on some traditional customs, especially those with regard to funeral rites.
In ancient funeral customs, many of the rules were too strict, such as long periods of fasting and mourning, which were originally intended to express grief and respect for the deceased. But in reality, true filial piety should be reflected in the love and respect for the elders during life, not just the expression of grief after death. Death is a natural process, the deceased is no longer alive, and they cannot feel the joys and sorrows of the living.
Therefore, it has gradually been suggested that the form of funeral should be more humane, and the expression of grief should not be allowed to become a double torture of body and mind. Appropriate adjustments, such as allowing moderate eating during mourning, will not only maintain the mourner's physical health, but also allow for a clearer mind to remember and remember the deceased.
Under this kind of thinking, the meaning of the mourning stick, as a traditional symbol, has also changed. Although it was once seen as a tool to open the way and ward off evil spirits, in modern times it is seen more as a symbolic memorial to the deceased. It is not only a respect for the lost life, but also an expression of the living person's understanding of death.
In modern funerals, the mourning stick still retains its symbolic meaning, but the way it is used and the mentality has changed significantly. While bidding farewell to their loved ones, people are also thinking about how to better practice filial piety in their lives and how to give more care and companionship when their relatives are alive. This change reflects the progress of social attitudes and the rationalization of traditional practices.
In the end, when the mourning stick is buried in the soil, it is not only a farewell to the deceased, but also a symbol, implying that the deceased rest in peace and the living continue to move forward. Although the adjustment of this custom is small, it is a deep reflection and precious inheritance of traditional filial piety and funeral customs, and the pursuit of a balance between life and death, mourning and joy, tradition and modernity.
In the rich heritage of our ancestors, especially in the field of funeral customs, we can see that different regions breed diverse customs. For example, in some regions there is a tradition of keeping the body of the deceased for many days, while in others there is a custom of throwing paper money during the funeral process to ward off evil spirits on the way. In some places, the ritual of "7749 days" is followed, believing that it takes seven days for the deceased to realize that he has died, so he pays tribute to him every seven days, and the mourning period does not end until 49 days later.
In addition, some areas prohibit the sticking of Spring Festival couplets and firecrackers at home for three years after the death of a loved one to show mourning. While some customs are prevalent in various places, each place has its own unique customs, and these differences reflect the diversity of local cultures.
In modern society, people's emotional expressions have become more restrained. Unlike ancient people, who showed filial piety due to the influence of education and reputation, modern people are more inclined to maintain emotional independence, believing that true filial piety does not lie in superficial behavior, but in the feelings in the heart and timely companionship. However, due to work and other reasons, many people have to stay away from their hometowns, and there are few opportunities to get together with their families, which makes their parents and elderly people who are far away from their hometowns miss deeply.
In this context, when there is a funeral at home, people's hearts seem to be turbulent, but they are more restrained when expressing this grief. In this era, people pay more attention to practical actions than words, and believe that when conditions allow, it is most important to be filial to their parents through practical actions.
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