What are the precautions for Tomb-Sweeping Day to sweep graves?

Dr. Zheng said Feng Shui: 25 questions and answers you need to know about Qingming Festival.

Doctor/Wen

Tomb-Sweeping Day was also called March Festival in ancient times, and Tomb-Sweeping Day was one of the 24 solar terms in the Gregorian calendar from April 4th to 6th. Tomb-Sweeping Day (English name: clever-clean Day Pure Brightness) is one of the important traditional folk festivals in China, and it was listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. In 2008, it was officially established as a legal holiday.

Tomb-Sweeping Day started in the Zhou Dynasty and has a history of more than 2,500 years. Tomb-Sweeping Day is the most important festival to sacrifice ancestors and sweep graves, and it is also an annual festival for China people to pay tribute and thank their ancestors! However, during the Qingming period, there are some taboos and taboos that you should avoid. Now Dr. Zheng will talk about the related issues of Qingming Festival and how to avoid suffocation and block bad luck for asphalt!

1. Why does Qingming Festival say "Qingming Festival to Mountain"

Here, the Qingming Festival refers to the meaning of sweeping the grave. Many cemeteries in the south and south of the Yangtze River are on mountains, so they are called worshipping mountains.

In the north, it is commonly known as sweeping graves or going to graves. It means the same thing, that is, an activity to sacrifice the dead. The poem Qingming written by Du Mu, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, said: "There are many rains during the Qingming period, and pedestrians on the road want to break their souls. Ask local people where to buy wine? The shepherd boy pointed to Xinghua Village. " Write about the special atmosphere in Tomb-Sweeping Day. In China, ancestor worship is associated with filial piety. If you don't participate in ancestor worship, you are unfilial and forget your ancestors.

2. Is there any ethnic division in sweeping graves in Tomb-Sweeping Day?

Tomb-Sweeping Day's grave-sweeping, known as "respecting time" for ancestors, is the biggest grave-sweeping day in China. Therefore, most Han people and some ethnic minorities in China visit graves in Tomb-Sweeping Day. Some ethnic groups will hold similar activities on other days.

3. What is the usual procedure of offering sacrifices to mountains in Tomb-Sweeping Day?

According to the custom, the order of sweeping is to sweep the grave first, that is, to clean the cemetery.

Secondly, sacrifice, this procedure is very important, one is to mourn, and the other is to feel the same way with the ancestors, because the mountain has a spirit without a master, and the ancestors have a master without a spirit. Only by feeling the same way with the ancestors can we better obtain the aura of mountains and rivers. This is feng shui.

When sweeping graves, people come to the cemetery with food, wine, fruit, paper money and other items, offer food to the graves of their loved ones, then burn paper money, cultivate new soil for the graves, repair the graves, fold some fresh green branches and put some paper money on them to show that there are descendants in the graves, and then kowtow. Then sit around and eat and drink; You can also fly kites and even compete with each other for related activities. Women and children will also fold some Yang Liuzhi nearby and put on steamed food with wicker. Others put wicker into reeds and put them on their heads, saying, "If you don't wear willow in Qingming Festival, you will become a yellow dog in the afterlife." Namely: modify the cemetery-burn incense-eat meat-toast-sacrifice-shoot off …

4. Is it better to sacrifice the mountain in Tomb-Sweeping Day as early as possible?

No, according to your own situation, it's better to be at 5-7 o'clock, which is Yin Shi. In the ancient calendar, it was one. Of course, it is generally not so early now, but Dr. Zheng reminded his friends that it is best to end the Qingming Festival before 3 pm, because the yang has gradually subsided and the yin is gradually flourishing. If people are unlucky, they are easily haunted or harassed by ghosts.

5. Can pregnant women in Tomb-Sweeping Day go to worship the mountain?

Generally speaking, pregnant women should avoid the Qingming Festival, not only that. Strictly speaking, it's best for women not to take part in such activities when they have their period, especially after 3 pm.

6. Can Tomb-Sweeping Day worship his ancestors at home?

Tomb-Sweeping Day should have been held in the cemetery in person, but for various reasons, many people can't go back to their hometown to attend the Qingming Festival, so they can also worship their ancestors at home. The method is to put worship food on the balcony or living room at home, face the hometown, light three sticks of incense, bow three times and meditate on related words. Then, burn paper money for sacrifice.

7. What flowers should Tomb-Sweeping Day buy to mourn the dead?

It is usually chrysanthemum, because chrysanthemum is regarded as a flower of sustenance in ancient China, which means missing and nostalgia. White chrysanthemum is the most suitable, and it can also be matched with some green grass, such as lily, green leaves and carnations, which will be more beautiful. Huang Juhua is called Longevity Chrysanthemum, which is more suitable for visiting patients.

8. Why does Tomb-Sweeping Day look at his forehead in the morning?

On the morning of sweeping the grave, before washing, look at your forehead in the mirror to see if there are dark circles under your eyes. If there is, it means you are unlucky. It is recommended to avoid sweeping graves as much as possible. If you must go, you can wear jade with you (ancient jade works better).

9. Do you need to fast before sweeping the grave?

It is best to fast before sweeping the grave: when you start sweeping the grave, it is best not to eat food or vegetarian food, and to dress neatly to show courtesy and respect to your ancestors.

10. Why do you need to give incense to the land of mountain gods when sweeping graves?

When sweeping graves, in addition to placing incense sticks, flowers, fruits, paper money, wine and other things that ancestors loved to eat before their death (the number of sacrificial gifts is random), we should also light incense sticks and burn incense to the land of mountain gods in charge of the cemetery, because the land of mountain gods is the patron saint of the cemetery. After that, you kowtow respectfully to your ancestors and offer flowers, then burn cymbals and drink a libation (that is, sprinkle wine on the ground to represent a toast to your ancestors). After the ceremony, you can eat and drink, and then you can go after lighting the incense.

1 1. Why don't you laugh or scold when you sweep the grave?

Because the cemetery is the home of ghosts, so don't cross the graves and offerings, don't make a noise, don't laugh and curse, don't swear, don't run around and touch, and don't urinate anywhere. This is not only disrespectful to ancestors, but also a nuisance to nearby gods. You can't trample on other graves or criticize the design of graves, which will be considered blasphemy. If you encounter a bad atmosphere, you will get into trouble and go home.

12. Why should we be careful when taking photos in the graves of our ancestors?

In China, ancestor worship is not only to commemorate ancestors, but obviously to worship and pray for the dead. Dr. Zheng specially reminded his friends that no matter the grave sweeper himself, grave sweepers and cemeteries, they should be careful when taking pictures in the graves of their ancestors. When taking pictures, it is even more taboo to take other people's graves into the camera. Otherwise, your fortune is likely to decline and be unbalanced in all aspects.

13. What is the burning burden in Tomb-Sweeping Day?

"Burning baggage" is a form of paying homage to ancestors. The so-called "baggage", also known as "parcel", refers to the postal parcel that Xiao sent from Shi Yang to the underworld. The so-called "wrapping skin" is to paste a big bag with white paper. There are two forms: one is a woodcut version with Sanskrit transliteration of "Death Mantra" printed around it, and a lotus memorial tablet printed in the middle with the name of the deceased who received the money, such as "The late Zhang Fujun was afraid of the boss in Yunshan", which is both a package and a memorial tablet. The other is plain foreskin, which does not print any patterns. Just put a blue sign in the middle and write down the name of the deceased. Also used as a master card.

There are many kinds of money in the luggage:

First burn paper, nine k white paper, and smash four rows of round money, five for each row;

Second, Mingbi, which is copied after foreign currency tickets are available in the world, is written with the words "Paradise Bank", "Ghost Bank" and "Hell Bank", with a pattern of □ capital, mostly with a huge face value, and a Buddhist "death curse" printed on the back;

3. Fake foreign currency, with hard paper as the core and wrapped in silver foil, suppressing the same pattern as the prevailing silver dollar at that time;

Fourth, the "death curse" printed in red on yellow paper is round money, so it is also called "death money";

Five, with gold foil and silver foil stacked ingots, hammers, and some string into a string, with a colored paper ear at the bottom. In the old society, no matter rich or poor, there was a burning burden. On that day, a confession case was set up in the ancestral hall or the main room of the family house, with the luggage in the middle. In front of it, there are offerings such as jiaozi, cakes and fruits, burning incense and holding candles. After the whole family salutes according to their generations, they can be incinerated outside the door. When incinerating, draw a big circle and leave a gap in the direction of the cemetery. Burning three or five pieces of paper outside the circle is called "special delivery."

14, Tomb-Sweeping Day is forbidden to visit relatives and friends?

It is best not to visit relatives and friends in Tomb-Sweeping Day on the same day, but the next day! Because Tomb-Sweeping Day is a special time to pay homage, it is unreasonable or unlucky to visit relatives and friends at this time. Of course, you can also invite friends and relatives out for dinner.

15, choose to get married during the Qingming period, ok?

Similarly, marriage is a major event in life, so it is best to avoid choosing Tomb-Sweeping Day to get married. Of course, there are still many things about the wedding date. Please refer to Dr. Zheng's related articles.

16. Can I travel in Tomb-Sweeping Day?

An important activity in Tomb-Sweeping Day is hiking. It is understandable to feel the beauty of nature when bloom is warm in spring. However, it is particularly important not to sweep more mountains at other people's sacrifices! Don't say anything unlucky, let alone disrespectful to the dead. Be careful in your activities at night. Therefore, we can't say that Tomb-Sweeping Day is sorry for his ancestors when he travels on holiday.

17. Does Tomb-Sweeping Day pay attention to clothes and accessories?

Yes, it is especially forbidden to wear bright red and purple clothes. You should wear plain clothes. In addition, don't wear red ornaments (except the animal year).

18, Tomb-Sweeping Day, do you care about generations?

Of course, attention should be paid to the orderly worship. In order: father, mother, eldest son, eldest daughter, second son, second daughter and so on. After the worship, the sacrifice is blessed by the ancestors, and everyone can eat and take the sacrifice. Finally, of course, pay attention to fire safety and leave after lighting incense.

19, will Tomb-Sweeping Day worship ceremony let Yin Qi go home?

This problem is difficult to explain clearly. You can certainly wear some Buddha statues and amulets. In fact, as long as you are kind-hearted and show respect to your ancestors and the deceased around you, there should be no problem. After going home from worshipping God, a brazier ceremony can be held when necessary, which can remove the gas field of worshipping when the fortune is low.

20. After the husband dies, can the wife go to the grave?

There is a saying in the street that a wife can't go to the grave three years before her husband dies. This is a matter of custom. Dr. Zheng believes that as long as local customs are respected, if there are such customs in the local area, it is best to avoid them, otherwise it will bring a lot of psychological troubles in the future. If there is no local custom, it has nothing to do with this taboo.

2 1, can I accompany my friends to sweep the grave?

For various reasons, many people may encounter the problem of whether to accompany their friends to the grave, such as whether their girlfriends accompany their boyfriends to the grave, whether their subordinates accompany their bosses to the grave, and even whether they accompany their customers to the grave in business. Dr. Zheng thinks it is best for outsiders not to accompany them to the grave because their gas fields are different. If you can't avoid it, you need to wear a mascot to ward off evil spirits, such as mahogany hand beads, otherwise you will be taboo.

22. Why did Tomb-Sweeping Day dream about his late ancestor before?

Some people dream of their dead relatives or friends before Tomb-Sweeping Day almost every year, and even talk to him in their dreams. In fact, this has clearly told you that it is time to sweep their graves.

23. Why didn't Tomb-Sweeping Day buy shoes before?

Some people just celebrate their birthdays in Tomb-Sweeping Day, so sometimes it is inevitable to buy a pair of shoes in Tomb-Sweeping Day. Don't you know that shoes are homophonic with evil, so you don't usually buy shoes at this time. If you really need it, stagger the time to buy it. You just need to pay attention to why the shoe store is not doing well in Tomb-Sweeping Day.

24. Does Tomb-Sweeping Day, the oldest birthday girl, avoid birthdays?

If it happens that the old birthday girl is celebrating her birthday in Tomb-Sweeping Day, there will be more taboos. For example, if you don't accept flowers that day, you can't eat birthday cake that day. It is generally believed that such a birthday girl will live a peaceful and auspicious year and live a long life.

25. How to determine the specific date of Tomb-Sweeping Day's sacrifice?

The date of sacrifice varies from place to place, and some are in the first ten days of Tomb-Sweeping Day; Some people call it "the first three and the last three"; Some are held in the "Singles Day" around Tomb-Sweeping Day; In some places, grave-sweeping activities last for a month.

To sum up, Dr. Zheng's 25 taboos about the Qingming Festival are aimed at making friends have a better life in Tomb-Sweeping Day. Because Tomb-Sweeping Day's ancestor worship and grave sweeping is a concrete manifestation of the Chinese nation's cautious pursuit of the future and filial piety. Since ancient times, Tomb-Sweeping Day's grave-sweeping is not only to commemorate his ancestors, but also to commemorate those who have made contributions and done good deeds in history. Tomb-Sweeping Day's offering sacrifices to sweep the tombs of martyrs and revolutionary martyrs' monuments has become a good form of revolutionary traditional education.

Regarding the precautions for traveling during the Qingming period, Dr. Zheng showed my friends my related blog posts to avoid unnecessary troubles due to mistakes.