Although the laws of nature cannot be violated, the death of an elder in the family is a deep grief for the family. And when we lost them, a posthumous image became our only memory.
However, what should we do with this posthumous image? Where? The customs and habits of different places are different, let us find the answer in this heavy mourning.
In the old days, it was customary to place the portrait of the deceased in a prominent position to remember the deceased loved ones. Some families will even set aside a large space to place their portraits on the desk at the beginning of each year.
On the 1st, 15th or holidays, incense and candles will be lit in front of the statue to remember the warm times of the past.
In particular, those large families will build ancestral halls to worship the ancestors of the past dynasties, and hold collective worship at specific times to comfort the ancestors or pray for blessings. Although there is less superstition in modern society, there are still some families who are in awe of the statues, after all, the theory of ghosts and gods has always existed in the hearts of some people, and they have an attitude of preferring to believe in them rather than believe in them.
Placing a posthumous image at home may frighten some of the faint of heart, so people nowadays don't like to put it in a prominent place. However, how to store and store them varies.
For southerners, family ancestral halls are a common choice. It is not a specific family, but a place shared by people of a surname or village, symbolizing the same origin.
They will choose a specific time to come back together to pay respects to their ancestors, which is a traditional custom. This custom is still preserved in many regions, and it is even regarded as an important festival, and it is held with great pomp and even become a local specialty.
Northerners have a unique way of respecting their ancestors. They usually place their statues in the north of their homes, symbolizing the important position of their ancestors in the family.
In addition, they regularly offer food and drink to express their remembrance and respect for their ancestors. This is a kind of spiritual sustenance, hoping that the deceased will be able to rest in peace after death, and at the same time bless future generations with peace and prosperity.
With the development of society, the way people deal with the remains of their ancestors has also changed. Some people think that placing a statue in their home is abrupt and may cause feelings of sadness, while others believe that it is disrespectful to the ancestors to hide it.
Therefore, more and more rural people choose to build small ancestral halls in the village, and place the ashes and statues of their ancestors here so that their children can worship at any time. This practice not only facilitates worship, but also expresses respect and nostalgia for the ancestors.
Moreover, such communal places of worship also help to strengthen the cohesion and solidarity of the community.
People in the city have different ways, some will set up a monument for the deceased in the cemetery, and sweep the tomb every Qingming to pay respects. But it costs money and can be a burden for the average family.
There are also families who choose to worship the statue at home, which costs relatively little. Others wrap the statue in a red cloth and treasure it in a box to show respect and remembrance for the deceased.
We all understand that the dead are gone, and no amount of pain and nostalgia can change reality. We should look forward and look at life and death with a rational attitude. As modern young people, we have experienced too much human sophistication and parting, and have a deeper understanding of life and death.
Instead of worrying about how to preserve the portraits of the elderly after they die, it is better to give them more joy and warmth before they die. That way, even if they die, there will be no regrets, and we don't have to live with guilt.
We only need to occasionally miss the past and express our nostalgia, and we don't have to do those feudal superstitious things.
Each family has a different way of dealing with the remains of the elderly, whether it is placed at home, collected, or placed in the ancestral hall or cemetery, it is a way to express emotions, and the important thing is not the specific place, but the thoughts in our hearts.
As long as you have this heart, it is enough.