Ancient school ceremony gestures

Correct clothing and crown

According to the Records of Rites, "The beginning of propriety lies in the correctness of the appearance and body, the uniformity of colors, and the smoothness of speech." Therefore, in ancient times, the first lesson of the opening ceremony was to "correct the clothes and crown".

The ancients believed that: "the first correct clothing, after the clear reason." Let the students pay attention to their appearance neat and tidy, is the first lesson to be taught.

Enrollment, the new students to stand one by one, by the gentleman in turn to help students tidy up their clothes and crowns. Then, "neatly dressed" in line to the front of the school assembly. After standing for a few moments, they could enter the school under the guidance of the teacher.

Paying homage to one's teacher

The people of China honor their teachers and therefore pay homage to them when they enter the school. After entering the school, the ceremony of paying homage to the teacher is held first. Students first bow to the supreme master Confucius, kneeling on the ground, nine kowtow; and then to Mr., three kowtow.

After paying homage to the teacher, the student presents the teacher with six gifts of tuition. The so-called "six gifts" are the six gifts that disciples gave to their masters during the ancient ritual of paying homage to the master: celery, lotus seeds, red beans, red dates, cinnamon balls, and strips of dried, lean meat.

The word "Shu Shu" has been interpreted as ten strips of dried meat. According to the Book of Rites - Shao Yi, "He gave a man a jug of wine, a bundle of tutor, and a dog." Zheng Xuan's note: "Shu Shu is ten briskets of dried meat." Shuyu existed before the Spring and Autumn period, and in the Analects of Confucius, "I have never failed to teach you to do more than tuishu".

Purifying the hands and heart

After paying homage to the master, the student is required to put his hands in a basin of water to purify them. "The washing method is to wash each hand once, and then dry it. The symbolism of washing hands is to purify the hands and the mind, to remove impurities and keep the essence, in the hope of being able to concentrate on future studies without distractions.

Opening of the Brush Ceremony

This is the final program of the opening ceremony of the school year, which includes the opening of wisdom with vermilion sand, the beating of the drum to enlighten the senses, and the opening of the brush by tracing the red color.

"Cinnabar to open wisdom" means that the teacher holds a brush dipped in cinnabar and points a red mole on the student's eyebrow. Because "mole" and "wisdom" resonance, meaning that the child from now on to open wisdom, bright eyes, bright heart, future learning can be a little bit on the way.

"Drumming is wise" comes from the "Records of the Academy": "The entrance drum (qiè), Sun's industry," meaning that the sound of the drum is a warning to students to pay attention to the study of books.

"Tracing the red brush" means that students learn to write the first character of their lives under the guidance of a teacher, which is often a simple brush stroke but carries a profound meaning.

Expanded Information:

Byeing a master, the traditional ritual of worshiping a master is usually done by the two masters of the apprentice. The traditional ritual of worship, usually by the disciple master two people. There are also some by the new disciple and has been initiated disciple, master mother and other people to participate together. The traditional master-disciple relationship is second only to the father-child relationship, that is, the proverb called "my parents who gave birth to me, teach me the master," "such as casting the teacher". In some professions, once a person enters a master's discipline, he or she is under the control of the master, and the parents have no right to intervene and cannot even meet with him or her. Establishment of such a significant relationship, naturally need to be recognized and protected by grand customs and rituals.

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