I once read a question from a foreign netizen on the Internet: "Chinese tirelessly worship their ancestors every year, will they really get the protection of their ancestors?" ”
Indeed, compared with foreigners, no ethnic group in the world will be as enthusiastic about ancestor worship as Chinese, except for the Qingming Festival, the Zhongyuan Festival, the Spring Festival, the Winter Clothing Festival, etc., are all traditional festivals that Chinese worship ancestors.
Different from the perception of foreigners, Chinese worship ancestors is not simply to pray for protection, but to express their own thoughts and blood and even the sense of identity of the soul, we miss the deceased in the human world, they have not really passed away.
Death is not the end of life, forgetting is - why Qingming worships ancestors, this is the best answer I have ever heard.
There is a saying in "Dream Quest": "If no one remembers, he will disappear in another world". Yes, as long as they are remembered, they are not really gone, they are alive in our hearts.
Ancestor worship allows us to find the meaning of existence. Life is hurried for decades, small as dust, but when we connect with our predecessors and move forward for the honor and disgrace of the same surname, in the future, we will also have descendants who will embark on this same root, at least this gives us some meaning of existence: the continuation of life.
Clear, faint green smoke, endless thoughts. Remember the clarity, remember not to forget that they have come to this world, for the people they love, they have also struggled and guarded.
Qingming related English vocabulary:
Day of sacrifice Sacrifice Festival
Offer sacrifices to ancestors
Condolences of condolence
hell note/joss paper 纸钱
Burn incense incense
tomb-sweeping tomb sweeping
Tomb sweepers
Kite flying
Spring outing tread
willow branches inserted on each gate 门旁插柳
Mourning ceremony Mourning ceremony