What are the specialties and taboos when visiting graves during Qingming Festival? What are the specialties and taboos when visiting graves during Qingming Festival?

Introduction: Qingming Festival is one of the most solemn ancestor worship festivals in my country. Many people will visit the tombs of their deceased relatives during this festival. However, there are certain rules and taboos about sweeping tombs and worshiping ancestors during Qingming Festival. So what are the times for visiting graves during Qingming Festival? What are the specialties and taboos? What are the specialties and taboos of visiting graves during the Qingming Festival? Follow me and take a look.

What are the specialties and taboos about visiting graves during the Qingming Festival?

1. Taboos about visiting graves after the Qingming Festival

According to rural custom, the time to visit the graves is from the Spring Equinox to the Qingming Festival. However, it is forbidden to visit the tombs after the Qingming Festival, because after the Qingming Festival, the tombs of ancestors will be closed on the Qingming Festival, and descendants will not be able to use them no matter how many things they give.

2. It is taboo to have branches, leaves and weeds on graves

As a rural saying goes, when new graves are added during the Qingming Festival, there will be paper money floating on the graves, but there will be no clear grass on the graves. During the Qingming Festival, new soil should be added to the ancestral graves, and branches, leaves, and weeds must be removed, especially the graves with branches growing out, otherwise the roots of the trees will entangle the coffins and future generations will suffer from diseases.

3. It is taboo to have rat and ant nests in tombs

According to rural customs, when adding tombs during the Qingming Festival, rat and ant nests must be cleared and filled, and any collapsed areas must be repaired, otherwise they will be endangered. The foundation of the family business for future generations.

4. Taboos for collecting soil from tombs

In rural areas, there are many taboos for collecting soil from tombs during the Qingming Festival. It is taboo to collect soil from the Tai Sui direction. The Tai Sui direction is the direction pointed by the Earthly Branches in the passing years. Do not take soil from it. If the soil is in conflict with each other over time, do not take the soil in front of the tombstone or behind the tomb, or in the northwest, otherwise it will cause disrespect for God and ancestors.

Customs of Qingming Festival

1. Outing

The Chinese nation has had the custom of outing during Qingming Festival since ancient times. In ancient times, outings were called exploring spring, seeking spring, etc. They were spring outings, also called "outing in spring." Generally refers to walking in the countryside in early spring. Outing, a seasonal folk activity, has a long history in our country. Its source is the spring-welcoming custom of ancient farming sacrifices. This spring-welcoming custom of farming sacrifices has a profound impact on later generations. The Qingming Festival has two connotations: solar terms and festivals. The time and meteorological and phenological characteristics of the Qingming Festival provide important conditions for the formation of the Qingming outing custom. During the Qingming Festival, spring returns to the earth, and nature presents a vibrant scene everywhere. It is a great time for outings. People took advantage of it, and after sweeping the tombs, their families, old and young, had fun in the mountains and countryside.

2. Sweeping tombs and worshiping ancestors

Qingming sacrifices vary from place to place before and after Qingming. To worship ancestors during the Qingming Festival, according to custom, people usually set out to sweep tombs on the morning of Qingming Festival. The methods or projects of worshiping the Qing Dynasty vary from place to place. The common practice consists of two parts: one is to renovate the tomb, and the other is to hang paper money and offer sacrifices. When sweeping the tomb, the first thing to do is to decorate the tomb. The main method is to remove weeds, add new soil, and then kowtow to worship. On the one hand, this behavior can express the worshiper's filial piety and care for the ancestors. On the other hand, in the belief of the ancients, the tombs of ancestors have a great relationship with the prosperity and decline of future generations, so tomb construction cannot be ignored. Contents of memorial items. The sacrifices offered are mainly food, and the varieties vary from place to place. They are all delicacies considered by local people and available according to the financial ability of the sacrificers, or special foods that are suitable for the season.

3. Inserting willows

On Qingming Festival, Chinese people have the custom of inserting willows. There are generally three theories about the origin of the custom of planting willows during the Qingming Festival. Some experts believe that the custom of planting willows is to commemorate Shennong, the founder of agriculture who "taught the people how to farm". In some places, people put willow branches under the eaves to predict the weather. There is an old proverb that "willow branches are green when it rains; when willow branches are dry, the sky is sunny." Willows have strong vitality. As the saying goes: "If you plant flowers intentionally, they will not bloom, but if you plant willows unintentionally, they will create shade." Willows will live when they are inserted into the soil. They will live wherever they are inserted. Willows will be inserted every year and they will provide shade everywhere.