"During the Qingming Festival, it rained a lot, and the pedestrians on the road wanted to break their souls. "It's almost the Qingming Festival again, which is currently the largest festival to worship ancestors in my country.
In the southern region, the Qingming Festival is also called tomb sweeping, and the northern region is called "going to the grave", but whether it is in the south or in the northern region, the Qingming Festival is quite important, and many wanderers outside will also rush home to sweep the tomb and worship the ancestors.
In the beginning, Qingming was just a solar term, because during this period, "the air is clear and the scenery is bright, and everything is revealed". However, in the later development, its customs were constantly improved, and many customs of the cold food festival were integrated, so it developed into one of the most important sacrificial festivals in our country.
There is an old saying that "three people are brought to the tomb during the Qingming Festival, and the ancestors are happy to enter the door", which refers to the fact that when worshipping the ancestors during the Qingming Festival, it is best to bring more people, and it is best to bring three of them, so that the ancestors will be happy when they see it, and will bless the descendants more, so that the future generations will prosper. So who are the three of them?
The "three" does not refer to a specific number, but to a family member with a specific symbolic meaning. These members not only represent the continuation and prosperity of the family, but also reflect respect and gratitude for the ancestors.
The first is that when the children and grandchildren of the family start a family, you must remember to bring your new daughter-in-law with you. Because the addition of a new daughter-in-law symbolizes the growth of the family and the injection of new strength.
And to bring the new daughter-in-law to the grave is not only to report the good news to the ancestors, but also to tell the new members of these families to remember their ancestors. By participating in the festival, you can also gain a deeper understanding of the traditions and history of the family, and strengthen your sense of belonging and responsibility to the family.
The second is the new descendants in the family, such as grandchildren, granddaughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. The arrival of these little lives is a symbol of the continuation of the family, indicating that the future generations are prosperous and grateful for the blessing of their ancestors.
They may still be young, but take them to worship their ancestors, and by participating in the sacrifice, these children can also feel the cohesion of the family and the admiration for their ancestors, and cultivate their gratitude and inheritance of filial piety.
The third is that the descendants of the family have made outstanding achievements in their studies or careers, and they should take this honor to worship their ancestors. In China's traditional culture, what our ancestors expect most is that future generations can get ahead and glorify their ancestors. Therefore, if the descendants are promising, such good news should naturally be told to the ancestors when worshipping the ancestors, so that the ancestors will also be happy and happy.
This is not only the best reward for the hard work of the ancestors, but also a way to express gratitude to the ancestors. The appearance of the descendants not only makes the ancestors proud and gratified, but also brings glory and pride to the whole family.
However, in the process of going to the tomb during the Qingming Festival, there are some people who are not suitable to participate. First of all, there is a saying among the people that "people do not go to the grave after 70 years old", which means that the elderly over 70 years old are relatively weak because of their advanced age, and it is not suitable for them to travel long distances and participate in heavy sacrificial activities.
Their safety and well-being is the family's primary concern, so they are often persuaded to stay in the home and have the younger generation perform the sacrifices. Of course, it still depends on the physical state of the individual, and you can still go if conditions permit.
Secondly, pregnant people should not participate in the tomb of Qingming. In traditional cultures, pregnant women are regarded as the priority of the family, because their physical condition is directly related to the future of the family. Therefore, in order to protect the health of pregnant women and fetuses and avoid accidents, they are usually avoided from participating in rituals.
Finally, it is not appropriate for "outsiders" to go to the grave, including sons-in-law. On this special occasion of the Qingming Festival, only family members can participate, so outsiders are usually not invited to participate in the rituals, and even sons-in-law are not suitable to participate. In the past, there was a saying that "son-in-law went to the grave to insult the ancestors".
However, the development of modern society has led to the gradual dilution of some traditional concepts. In some families, "outsiders" such as sons-in-law are also regarded as part of the family and participate in the activities of going to the tomb during the Qingming Festival. This change reflects changes in family concepts and family structures, as well as a reinterpretation and adaptation of family traditions and customs.
To sum up, the tomb on the Qingming Festival is not only a remembrance and respect for the ancestors, but also an important embodiment of family cohesion and traditional cultural inheritance.
On this special day, we should respect traditional customs and bring family members with specific symbolic meanings to participate in the rituals, while also paying attention to the safety of the elderly and the health of pregnant women to avoid unnecessary risks.