Why do you want to sweep the grave on the winter solstice? What is the origin of sweeping graves from winter solstice?

Winter solstice is a very important solar term in China lunar calendar, and the tradition of taking winter solstice as a festival has a long history.

There is a record in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty: "Around the Winter Solstice, gentlemen enjoyed peace, officials refused to listen to political affairs, and chose auspicious days to save trouble." They happily had a "peace" festival, and the folk customs of the Winter Solstice Festival were much richer than the official etiquette. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, heaven, earth, monarch, relatives and teachers were all the objects of congratulations from the winter solstice.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, people had the custom of eating adzuki beans to ward off evil spirits from the winter solstice (Chronicle of Jingchu). In the Tang and Song Dynasties, the solstice in winter was the day of ancestor worship. On this day, the emperor went to the suburbs to hold a ceremony to worship heaven, which has continued to this day. On this day, people will pay homage to their dead elders.

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First of all, you should buy white chrysanthemums to mourn the dead.

In ancient China, chrysanthemum was regarded as a flower of sustenance, which meant missing and homesickness. 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. However, Huang Ju Flower, known as Longevity Chrysanthemum, is more suitable for visiting patients than paying homage to the dead.

Second, you must fast before sweeping the grave.

When you start sweeping graves, you'd better not eat food or just eat vegetarian food. In addition, it also emphasizes dressing neatly to show courtesy and respect for ancestors.

Third, don't take pictures in the graves of your ancestors.

It is best not to take photos in the cemetery, whether it is the grave sweeper himself or the grave sweeper and the cemetery. When taking pictures, it is even more taboo to take other people's graves into the camera.