What are the things to pay attention to when sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival?

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

Dr. Zheng Weijian/Article

Qingming Festival was also called the March Festival in ancient times, every year in the Gregorian calendar Qingming Festival falls between April 4th and 6th, and is one of the twenty-four solar terms. Tomb Sweeping Day (English name: Tomb-sweeping Day Pure Brightness) is one of my country's important traditional folk festivals. In 2006, it was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. It was officially established as a legal holiday in 2008.

The Qingming Festival began around the Zhou Dynasty and has a history of more than 2,500 years. Qingming Festival is the most important sacrificial festival. It is a day for worshiping ancestors and sweeping tombs. It is an annual festival for Chinese people to express respect and gratitude to their ancestors! However, there are some taboos and taboos that you should avoid during the Qingming Tomb Sweeping Period. Next, Dr. Zheng talks about issues related to worshiping mountains during the Qingming Festival, and helps you avoid evil spirits and ward off bad luck!

1. Why do we say "worship the mountain during the Qingming Festival" during the Qingming Festival?

The Qingming Festival worship here refers to the meaning of sweeping tombs. Many cemeteries in the south of the Yangtze River and the south are on the mountains, so they are called Worship the mountain.

In the north, it is commonly known as tomb-sweeping or tomb-sweeping. The meaning is the same, that is, an activity to honor the deceased. Du Mu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote a poem "Qingming": "It rains heavily during the Qingming Festival, and passersby on the road are dying. May I ask where the restaurant is? The shepherd boy pointed to Xinghua Village in the distance." It describes the special atmosphere of the Qingming Festival. In China, ancestor worship is bound to filial piety. If you do not participate in ancestor worship, you are an unfilial person and a person who has forgotten your ancestors.

2. Are there ethnic differences in tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival?

Tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival is called "respecting the ancestors" and is the biggest day for ancestor worship and tomb-sweeping in our country. Therefore, most of the Han people and some ethnic minorities in my country sweep tombs during the Tomb Sweeping Day. Some ethnic groups also carry out similar activities on other days.

3. What is the usual procedure for worshiping the mountain during the Qingming Festival?

According to custom, the order of sacrifice and sweeping is to first sweep the tomb, that is, clean the cemetery.

The second is sacrifice. This procedure is very important. One is to express grief, and the other is to relate to the ancestors, because the mountains have spirits but no owners, and the ancestors have owners but no spirits. It is necessary to relate to the ancestors. Feeling can better capture the aura of mountains and rivers. This is Feng Shui.

When sweeping the tomb, people bring wine, food, fruits, paper money and other items to the cemetery, offer the food in front of the tomb of their relatives, burn the paper money, put new soil on the tomb, trim the tomb, and break a few new green branches. Insert it on the grave, and press some paper money on it, so that others can see it and know that there are descendants of this grave, and then kowtow and worship. Afterwards, people can sit around and have a meal and drink; they can also fly kites, or even compete with each other and engage in related activities. Women and children also need to fold some willow branches nearby and tie the removed steamed food offerings with wickers. Some people braid willow sticks into a basket shape and wear them on their heads, saying, "If you don't wear willow during Qingming Festival, you will become a yellow dog in the next life." That is: modify the cemetery - burn incense - serve meat - toast - worship - firecrackers to say goodbye...

4. Is it better to worship the mountain as early as possible during Qingming Festival?

No, it is necessary According to your own situation, it is best to do it between 5 and 7 o'clock, which is Yin time. In the ancient calendar, it was one. Of course, it is usually not that early now, but Dr. Zheng reminds friends that it is best to complete the Qingming mountain worship activities before three o'clock in the afternoon, because Yang Qi has gradually faded and Yin Qi has gradually increased. If you are a person with low fortune, it is easy to It will lead to being haunted or harassed by evil spirits.

5. Can pregnant women go to worship mountains during the Qingming Festival?

Generally speaking, pregnant women should avoid the activities of worshiping mountains during the Qingming Festival. Not only that. Strictly speaking, it is best not to participate in such activities when women are on their period, especially not to participate in Qingming mountain worship activities after 3 p.m.

6. Can I worship my ancestors at home during the Qingming Festival?

The Qingming sweeping ceremony should be held in person at the cemetery, but due to various reasons, many people cannot return to their hometowns to participate in the Qingming mountain worship activities. , then you can also worship your ancestors at home. The method is to put food for worship on the balcony or living room at home, facing the hometown, burn three sticks of incense, bow three times, and silently recite relevant words. Then, paper money is burned to offer sacrifices.

7. What flowers are appropriate to buy during the Qingming Festival to commemorate the deceased?

Usually chrysanthemums, because in ancient my country, chrysanthemums were regarded as flowers of sustenance and had the meaning of longing and remembrance. White chrysanthemums are the most suitable, and they can also be paired with some green grass, such as lilies, green leaves, carnations, etc., to make them more beautiful. Yellow chrysanthemums are known as longevity chrysanthemums and are more suitable for visiting patients.

8. Why should you look at your forehead on the morning of Qingming Festival

On the morning of sweeping the tomb, before washing up, look at your forehead in the mirror to see if there is any dark complexion. If there is, it means that your fortune is low, so it is better to avoid tomb sweeping on that day; if you must go, you can wear jade with you (ancient jade has a better effect) to resolve it.

9. Is it necessary to fast before sweeping the tomb?

It is best to fast before sweeping the tomb: When you set out to sweep the tomb, it is best not to eat food or eat vegetarian food, and dress neatly. Show courtesy and respect to the ancestors.

10. Why is it necessary to offer incense to the mountain god’s land when sweeping the tomb?

When sweeping the tomb, in addition to bringing incense, candles, flowers and fruits, paper money, wine and other items as well as the ancestor’s favorite food during his lifetime Things (the amount of sacrificial gifts is optional) are placed outside the tomb, and incense candles must be lit to offer incense to the mountain god who looks after the cemetery, because the mountain god is the patron saint of the cemetery. After that, they respectfully kowtow to the ancestors, offer incense and flowers, then burn the incense sticks and make libations (i.e., sprinkle the wine on the ground, which means toasting to the ancestors). After the ceremony, you can have a meal and drink together, and you can leave after the incense candles are lit.

11. Why should you not laugh or curse when sweeping a grave?

Because the cemetery is the home of evil spirits, you should not step over the grave and the offerings and make loud noises, laugh or curse. Speaking obscenities, running around, and urinating everywhere not only disrespect your ancestors, but also cause nuisance to nearby spirits. You should not trample on other people's tombs or comment on the design of the tomb. It will be regarded as blasphemy. If you encounter a bad aura, you will get into trouble when you go home.

12. Why you should be careful when taking photos at the graves of your ancestors

In China, ancestor worship is not just about commemorating ancestors, but also obviously means worshiping and praying to the souls of the dead. Dr. Zheng especially reminds friends: Be cautious when taking photos at the graves of ancestors, whether it is a photo of the grave sweeper himself or a photo of the grave sweeper and the grave. It is even more taboo to take pictures of other tombs in the camera lens. Otherwise, your fortune is likely to decline and all aspects will be imbalanced.

13. What happens during the Qingming Festival? "Burning the burden"

"Burning the burden" is a form of paying homage to ancestors. The so-called "baggage", also known as "package", refers to the parcel sent by filial piety from the Yang world to the "underworld". The so-called "furoshiki" is a large bag made of white paper. There are two forms: one is to use a woodblock board with the Sanskrit transliteration of the "Rebirth Mantra" printed around it, and a rosette tablet printed in the middle to write the name of the deceased person who received the money, such as: "The late Mr. Zhang's family name" The words "Master Yunshan" are both a postal package and a tablet. The other type is plain furoshiki, which does not have any pattern printed on it. It only has a blue label stuck in the middle and the name of the deceased can be written on it. Also used as main card.

As for the ghost money in the bag, there are many types:

1. Big burning paper, 9K white paper, with four rows of round coins, five coins in each row;

2. Underworld banknotes, which were imitated after foreign currency notes became available in the world. They have the words "Bank of Heaven", "Bank of Hades", "Bank of the Underworld" and other words on them, and have the pattern of the capital city. Most of them are for large amounts of money. , with the Buddhist "Rebirth Mantra" printed on the back;

3. Fake foreign money, with a hard paper core, wrapped with silver foil, and embossed with the same pattern as the silver coins that were popular at that time;

4. The "Rebirth Mantra" printed in red on yellow paper is in the shape of a round coin, so it is also called "Rebirth Money";

5. Ingots and ingots made of gold and silver foil. Some even need to be threaded into strings with colorful paper tassels at the bottom. In the old days, everyone, rich or poor, would burn their baggage. On this day, a confession table is set up in the ancestral hall or the main room of the house, and the bundle is placed in the middle. Dumplings, cakes, fruits and other offerings are placed in front of it, and incense and candles are burned. After the whole family bows respectfully to the elder and the younger, it can be burned outside the door. When incineration, draw a large circle and leave a gap in the direction of the grave. Burning three or five pieces of paper outside the circle is called "sending away evil spirits".

14. Is it taboo to visit friends and relatives during the Qingming Festival?

It is best not to visit relatives and friends on the Qingming Festival. It is better to visit the next day! Because Qingming Festival is a special time for memorials. It is unreasonable or unlucky to visit relatives and friends at this time. Of course, you can also invite friends and family to eat out.

15. Is it okay to get married during the Qingming Festival?

Similar to the above, marriage is a major event in life, so it is best to avoid getting married during the Qingming Festival. Of course, there are many things to pay attention to when choosing a wedding date. Please refer to Dr. Zheng’s related articles.

16. Can I travel during the Qingming Festival?

The important activity of the Qingming Festival is to go outing. It is understandable to feel the beauty of nature when the spring is warm and the flowers are blooming. However, special attention should be paid not to go to other people's mountains where they have more sacrifices! Do not say unlucky words, let alone disrespectful words to the deceased, and be cautious in activities at night. Therefore, traveling during the Qingming Festival cannot be said to be a disservice to our ancestors.

17. Are there any particular requirements for clothing and accessories during Qingming Festival?

Yes, especially red and purple clothes should be avoided and plain-colored clothes should be worn. In addition, do not wear red accessories (except for those born in your zodiac year).

18. Is it important to pay attention to seniority when worshiping during Qingming Festival?

Of course it is necessary to pay attention to the order of worship. The order is: father, mother, eldest son, eldest daughter, second son, second daughter...and so on. After the worship is completed, the sacrifices are blessed by the ancestors, and everyone can eat the sacrifices. Finally, of course, pay attention to fire safety and leave after the incense candles are lit.

19. Will worshiping during Qingming Festival bring the yin energy home

It is difficult to explain this question clearly. Of course, we can wear some Buddha statues and amulets. In fact, as long as you are kind, respect your ancestors, and respect the deceased around you, there should be no problem. After returning home from the worship ceremony, you can perform a brazier ceremony if necessary to remove the aura caused by the worship ceremony and enter the house when your luck is low.

20. Can the wife visit the grave of her husband after his death?

There is a saying: 3 years before the death of the husband, the wife cannot visit the grave.

This is a custom issue. Dr. Zheng believes that as long as you respect the local customs, if there is such a custom in the local area, it is best to avoid it, otherwise it will cause a lot of psychological trouble in the future. If there is no local custom, there is no such taboo.

21. Can I accompany my friends to sweep their graves?

For various reasons, many people may encounter the question of whether to accompany their friends to sweep their graves. For example, should my girlfriend accompany my boyfriend to sweep his grave? Accompany your boss to sweep the grave, or even accompany your client to sweep the grave in the business field. Dr. Zheng believes that it is best not for outsiders to accompany you to visit graves, because each person’s aura is different. If it cannot be avoided, then you need to wear evil-proof mascots, such as peach wood bracelets, etc. Otherwise, it will violate the taboo.

22. Why do people dream about their deceased ancestors before Qingming Festival

Some people always dream about their deceased relatives or friends almost every year before Qingming Festival, even during the Qingming Festival. I even talked to him in my dream. In fact, this clearly tells you that it’s time to visit their graves.

23. Why you should not buy shoes before Qingming Festival

Some people happen to have their birthdays during Qingming Festival, so sometimes it is inevitable to buy a pair of shoes during Qingming Festival. Don’t you know that shoes are the same as evil, so you usually don’t buy shoes at this time? If necessary, buy at a staggered time. You only need to pay attention to why shoe stores do not do well during Qingming Festival and you will understand.

24. Should old people celebrate their birthdays during the Qingming Festival?

If it happens to be the birthday of an old person during the Qingming Festival, there will be even more taboos. For example, don't accept flowers on the day, and you can't eat the birthday cake on the same day. It is believed that in this way the longevity star will live a safe and auspicious year and live longer.

25. How to determine the specific date of Qingming Festival

The customs of different places vary in the date of Qingming Festival. Some are ten days before and ten days after Qingming Festival; some are called "before" "Three after three"; some are held on "odd" days before and after Qingming; in some places, tomb-sweeping activities last for a month.

To sum up, the 25 taboos of worshiping mountains during Qingming mentioned by Dr. Zheng are to allow friends to have a better Qingming Festival. This is because worshiping ancestors and sweeping their tombs during the Qingming Festival is a concrete manifestation of the Chinese nation's moral character of being cautious about the end and pursuing the past, adhering to family ties, and practicing filial piety. Since ancient times, tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival is not only to commemorate one's ancestors, but also to commemorate people who have made contributions to the people and done good deeds in history. Visiting the tombs of martyrs and monuments to revolutionary martyrs during the Qingming Festival has become a good form of education on revolutionary traditions.

As for the relevant precautions for outings during the Qingming period, Dr. Zheng asks friends to read my relevant blog posts to avoid making mistakes and causing unnecessary trouble.