The titles on the tombstones, such as "Why, Xian, Xian, Kao, and Yan", are ancient Chinese tombsCultureIt is used to express the honorific title for the deceased, and each word represents a different meaning. InAncient societies, people are interested inDeathWith a sacred and solemn attitude, it becomes crucial to choose the right title to show respect and respect for the deceased. Let's take a look at the meaning of these terms one by one.
In ancient times, people were interested in ".DeathThere is a certain taboo about this word, considering it ominous, and rarely mentioning it directly. Therefore, in order to express respect and nostalgia for the deceased, as well as to observe etiquette, people often use the word "deceased" instead of "die". For example, inCostume drama, we'll hear a dialogue along the lines of "Your Excellency's moves are like one of my old friends." Here, "deceased" can refer to a friend who has not been seen for many years, or a friend who has passed away. The specific situation depends on the context of the conversation.
The ancients forDeathWith an attitude of awe and solemnity, he is also very careful about addressing the deceased. They believed that the direct use of the word "death" would bring bad luck and bad luck, so they chose the word "therefore" when expressing their respect for the deceased. This title not only reflects people's nostalgia and respect for the deceased, but also highlights the tradition of respecting life and respecting the deadValues。InAncient societiesIn order to avoid breaking taboos, it is common to use "therefore" to refer to the deceased. This method not only respects the identity and status of the deceased, but also shows the lofty evaluation and deep longing for the deceased.
There are some notable differences in the use of "first" and "explicit". First of all, the person who is called "Xian" must meet the following two conditions: first, the deceased must be the highest rank and most noble person in the family, and no elder is still alive; The second is that the deceased must have descendants below the grandchildren. The word "first" refers to a deceased elder, and is usually used in conjunction with "kao" and "妣", such as "先考" and "先妣". Use different titles according to the specific situation, and write "first test" on the tombstone, so that outsiders can understand that the person who erected the monument is the son or daughter of the deceased, indicating the deceasedParentsor at least one of the four people, father-in-law and mother-in-law, is still alive. And if the deceased no longer has any elders left, but there are grandchildren, then the tombstone will write "Xiankao". If the deceased has neither elders nor grandchildren, it can only be called "first test", because the second condition for using "explicit" is not met. These requirements also apply to women, and the meanings of "Xianyu" and "Xianyu" are similar.
In the Chinese traditionCultureMedium,Blood relationshipand family status is very important. Therefore, for the deceased elders, people use the title of "first exam" or "first concubine" to show respect and nostalgia for them. This method of addressing the deceased requires that the deceased have the highest status and no living elders, and that there must be children and grandchildren. By using such a title, people not only pay tribute to their deceased elders, but also reflect respect and value for family traditions. For the deceased who have neither living elders nor children and grandchildren, people use the term "first examination". Although such a title is not as noble as the "obvious" status, it also reflects the respect and nostalgia for the deceased.
"Kao" and "妣" refer to the deceased, respectivelyFatherand mother, an honorific title for the deceased. According to the ancient traditional way of writing,ParentsAfter death, it can no longer be used".Parents"The word to refer to them can no longer be used".Father", "Mother", "Strict Father", "Loving Mother" and other living titles. For the sake of not being rightParentsThe status and identity of the deceased are disrespectful, and people refer to the deceased as "Kao" and "Yan". For example, the "Kao" in the idiom "such as mourning" has such a meaning, describing the causeParentsI was deeply saddened by the death of both.
AntiquityCulture, people are forParentsRespect and respect are incomparably important. ParentsIt is the person who gives us life, the object of our respect and dependence. In order to be calledParentsTo express respect and gratitude, people choose to use the words "test" and "妣". This way of addressing not only represents respect for the deceased, but also reflects the right toParentsThe awe and exaltation of this special identity. In ancient times, it was generally believed that it was right to call the deceased "deceased father" or "deceased mother".ParentsTherefore, the subtle and solemn titles of "Kao" and "妣" are used to express the rightParentsof deep nostalgia and regret.
The word "mourning" we use now is a simplified word, with two dots on the left and one on the right, and in fact, there were two forms of "喪" and "death" in ancient times. It's not a random choice. The two "people" in the word "death" represent the husband and wife, with the left representing the wife and the right representing the husband. If the wife dies, the "person" on her side becomes "mouth", so the word "death" is describedWidowedmeaning. And if both husband and wife die, it is written "喪". You can see from the change in font that this home isWidowedOr the death of both husband and wife. And now", ".Male left, female rightIt was put forward by an official during the Qing Dynasty. According to his proposal, when a man dies, he writes on the left; When a woman dies, it is written on the right. This is because he believed that the left and right direction of writing should be the same as the left and right direction of the reader's reading, and the ancient concept of respecting the left made it common for male characters to write on the left.
On ancient tombstones, we often see the use of the word "mourning" to interpret itWidowedof affection. And in the writing of this character, the "person" on the left represents the wife, and the "person" on the right represents the husband. When one of the parties dies, the word "person" becomes "mouth", which is dedicatedWidowedmeaning. When both husband and wife pass away, the traditional Chinese character "喪" is used. This way of writing allows people to understand what is in the family through the changes in the fontWidowedOr the death of both husband and wife. In modern times,".Male left, female rightIn fact, it was put forward at the initiative of a ** in the Qing Dynasty. He believes that the writing of men on the left when they die and on the right when women die is not only consistent with the reader's reading habits, but also in line with the respect for the leftConventional wisdom。Therefore,".Male left, female rightThe saying has continued to this day and has become people's thoughts on tombstonesWidowedSpecification of the description of the situation.
Tombstones are ancient Chinese tombsCultureSome of the important parts of it, in which the titles "therefore, first, obvious, examined, and concubine" represent different meanings. Through these titles, one can show respect and remembrance for the deceased, but also highlight life and traditionValuesof respect. The choice of title on the tombstone is very deliberate and needs to be decided according to the status of the deceased, the relationship and the circumstances of the descendants. These titles reflect the ancient Chinese's attitude towards family harmonyBlood relationshipThe importance of them is also reflected in the face ofDeathwith solemnity and awe. The title on the tombstone is not only a manifestation of social etiquette, but also an expression of ancient beliefs and philosophical reflections, which is essential for the study of ancient Chinese tombsCulturewithSocial perceptionsIt has important reference value.