"Don't plant three before the grave, don't leave four before the bed", this sentence sounds a bit mysterious, but it is actually an ancient folk tradition. The meaning of this phrase is not to plant locust trees, poplars, and bamboo near the cemetery, and not to leave sharp objects, mirrors, relics, and lighters at the head of the bed. These seemingly superstitious rules actually have a certain truth, and they come from people's knowledge and experience of nature and life.
First, let's take a look at why locust trees, poplars, and bamboo should not be planted in front of the grave. The main reason for this is that these three trees have a well-developed root system, which can cause damage to graves. The locust tree has a well-developed root system and grows vigorously, which can easily penetrate the graves below the cemetery and cause damage to the grave, while poplars and bamboos also have a rapid root system that expands around and causes damage to the graveyard of the grave. Therefore, in order to avoid the destruction of the cemetery, folk tradition stipulates that locust trees, poplars and bamboos should not be planted in front of the grave.
In traditional Chinese culture, respect and protection of graves are very important. And planting these trees with well-developed root systems will destroy the grave. Therefore, when choosing the vegetation around the cemetery, people will follow this traditional rule and do not plant locust trees, poplars and bamboos to protect the tranquility of the grave.
Secondly, why are there no sharp objects, mirrors, relics, and lighters left at the head of the bed? There is some truth to the reason for this. First of all, sharp objects, such as knives, scissors, etc., are easy to injure people, especially while sleeping, and if you accidentally touch these items, they can cause accidental injuries. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of sleep, folk tradition stipulates that there are no sharp objects left at the head of the bed.
In addition, there is a folk saying that "the mirror is on the bed, and it is difficult for the husband and wife to reconcile", believing that the mirror at the head of the bed will affect the emotional harmony of the husband and wife. Relics refer to the belongings left by the deceased, which can make people feel sad and uneasy when placed at the head of the bed, affecting the quality of sleep. As for the lighter, it is because it is related to fire, and it is easy to cause a fire when placed at the head of the bed, so it should not be placed at the head of the bed.
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there are also stories and legends about these traditional rules. For example, the rule of not planting locust trees, poplar trees, and bamboo trees in front of the grave is said to be because locust trees, poplars, and bamboo are three types of water-loving trees, and if they are planted near the grave, the grave will become damp and not conducive to the rest of the deceased. There are also many different interpretations and legends about the rule of not leaving sharp objects, mirrors, relics, and lighters in front of the bed.
For example, some people believe that there are no sharp objects left at the head of the bed because sharp objects will stimulate people's nerves and affect the quality of sleep; and there is no mirror at the head of the bed because the mirror will reflect the image of the person, if people see their own image in their sleep, it will produce bad psychological hints and affect the quality of sleep; the reason why there are no relics at the head of the bed is because the relics will make people feel sad and uneasy, affecting the quality of sleep; there is no lighter at the head of the bed because the lighter is related to fire, which is easy to cause fire and affect the quality of sleep.
Either way, it shows the rationality and necessity of these traditional rules. Although people may no longer be as superstitious as in the past, respecting and following these traditional rules is not only a kind of respect for traditional culture, but also a guarantee of life safety and happiness. Therefore, we should also respect these traditional rules in our lives, so as to not only respect traditional culture, but also ensure the safety and happiness of our own lives.