How did the Chinese concept of death come about?
How did the Chinese concept of death come about? It seems that this concept is only shared in China, but how did it come about? How did it come about?
First of all, let's talk about the Shang and Zhou periods, the Shang and Zhou dynasties were to worship ghosts and gods, and a large number of oracle bone inscriptions at that time were divination and sacrifice to ghosts and gods, while Western beliefs only believed in gods, they did not believe in ghosts, and thought that everything they did was given by God. With the Zhou Dynasty's clan system in the world deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and then Qin Shi Huang ruled the world, the feudal system was established, and the mausoleum was overhauled, people's concept gradually changed to value feng shui and ask for the blessing of their ancestors.
Of course, this concept is also in line with the Confucian concept of respecting the elderly, so looking at feng shui to choose a cemetery to worship the ancestors has been passed down until before liberation. Now that cremation has eliminated burial, naturally there is no need to look at feng shui to choose a cemetery, but only to sacrifice to the ancestors to express respect for the deceased from the heart. From this, it can be seen that the Chinese have changed from fearing ghosts and gods to asking for the blessing of their ancestors, and then to today's respect and remembrance of the dead, which is the origin of the deceased.
And what are the customs that best reflect the deceased today? Ten miles are not customary, but there is a principle that can be reflected. Marriage and funeral, in my hometown, the bride must go out of her mother's house before the sun comes out, in order to send the ancestors courtesy after the sun comes out. In some areas, you must go to your mother-in-law's house before 10 o'clock in the morning to mourn at noon. There is also the immediate family of filial sons and grandsons, no matter how big the matter, if the old man dies, he must stop all preparations for the funeral for the elderly, and it can also reflect the concept of respecting the old and taking the deceased as the greatest.
Audience friends, do you have any other related customs? Please let me know in the comments.