"The new grave will not be erected for three years", there are many rumors on the Internet, and there are various sayings and reasons. It can be summarized as follows:
(1) The new grave does not erect a monument for three years, out of respect and awe for the soul of the deceased, so as not to disturb the rest of the deceased.
(2) The new grave will not be erected for three years, which is to give the deceased a quiet environment, and it is a basic requirement to be buried in the ground.
(3) If the new grave does not erect a monument for three years, it is to wait for the cemetery environment to be stable and reach a natural state before erecting a monument.
(4) The reason why the new grave does not erect a monument for three years is because it is necessary to keep filial piety for three years. After the expiration of the period of filial piety, a monument will be erected.
This is a random spread by the people who do good deeds, and there has never been such a provision for regulating etiquette. We will discuss this issue on the basis of the texts of the liturgical texts for your consideration and comment.
1. The etiquette classics "Rites" and "Rites" do not have a monument, that is, the source of etiquette does not regard the monument as a funeral matter, but Sima Guang's "Shuyi" and Zhu Xi's "Family Rites" clearly stipulate that the monument is a funeral matter
Sima Guang of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi of the Southern Song Dynasty, and Confucianism. Based on the political, economic and cultural development at that time, the Confucian etiquette classics were reinterpreted, and new etiquette texts were created based on the "Rites" and "Rites" as models, combined with folk customs, to guide the etiquette activities in practical life.
Sima Guang's "Shuyi", that is, "Sima's Shuyi", in the "funeral chapter" of the burial link of the "inscription" items: "---- in front of the tomb to set up a small stele, can be two or three feet high, the big book said a certain name." ”
Zhu Xi's "Family Rites", that is, "Zhu Zi's Family Rites", in the "Funeral Chapter" of the funeral matters: "The ---- tomb is four feet high, and a small stone tablet is erected in front of it, which is also four feet high, and the height of the foot is allowed. ”
Obviously, according to the etiquette setting of Sima Guang and Zhu Xi, the erection of the monument was implemented when the tomb was made, and it was the burial matter of the funeral.
Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty and recognized Zhu Xi as his family, so in the Ming Dynasty, the rules and regulations on etiquette, such as the "Ming Huidian" and other etiquette regulations, all adopted the "Zhu Zi Family Rites". The Qing Dynasty inherited the Ming Dynasty in terms of etiquette.
Generally speaking, the ceremonial operations that remain in the folk are all inherited from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
2. The monument has two basic functions: one is to praise the table, and the other is to sign. Under the conditions of traditional culture, the erection of monuments and tables is a matter of control for the imperial court and the government. Those who violate the rules and erect monuments are called trespassing, and they will be punished
(1) About the monument
Under the conditions of ancient society, the erection of the monument is a public matter, and the material, shape, specification, and pattern of the monument are all stipulated by the system. For example, the archway, such as the holy monument, such as the mausoleum Shinto, the civil and military generals, stone sheep and stone horses, etc., all belong to the stele system, must be done according to the regulations, can not be messed with.
People with specific identities and specific contributions who have a positive significance for educating the people can only be erected with the approval of the imperial court or government. The erection of the monument is paid by the government, that is, the financial allocation, and there are also those who pay for the monument in the name of the imperial court or the government or a specific group. Therefore, ordinary resident families or specific individuals are not eligible to erect monuments. Erecting a monument without approval is called trespassing, and it is punishable according to the law.
(2) About the signage
Due to the specific material of the stone, it is not damaged over the years, so in practice, it is often used as a specific item to mark, such as a guide tablet, a place name tablet, a boundary tablet, etc. A tombstone is a type of identification monument.
The monument in front of the tomb is to identify who the owner of the tomb is. Since the cemetery belongs to the family property, and the erection of a monument in front of the grave is a family matter and does not involve public influence, it is not considered a violation of etiquette. Generally speaking, the rise of monuments was more prosperous in the Sui and Tang dynasties and the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The ancient tombstones that we can see now are basically made up by descendants in the Ming and Qing dynasties or modern times, and it is rare to see them in the early days. For example, the tombstone of Confucius in Qufu was erected by Kong Yan, the fifty-ninth grandson of Confucius, in the eighth year of Ming orthodoxy (1443). For example, the tombstone of Yue Fei in the West Lake of Hangzhou was erected when the government rebuilt in the 54th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1715). For example, the tombstones of Xianyang Weiqing and Huo Qubing were inscribed by Bi Yuan, the governor of Shaanxi, in the forty-first year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1776). Wait a minute.
Why is this so? Because before the Song and Yuan dynasties, there was no such thing as a monument in front of the grave. That is to say, in ancient mausoleums, there was a stone ritual in front of the tomb, but there was no etiquette requirement for a monument to identify the owner of the tomb. In a word, the erection of a monument is not a funeral matter. In order to commemorate the ancestors and martyrs, the descendants erected a monument to inspire future generations, but there was no burial at that time.
Back to the original topic, it boils down.
Erecting a monument in front of the grave was a funeral requirement after the Song and Yuan dynasties. Sima Guang's "Shuyi" and Zhu Xi's "Family Rites" both explicitly require that a monument be erected when the tomb is buried. Since the "New Culture Movement", we have completely denied traditional culture, especially funeral culture. After the founding of New China, funerals were regarded as feudal superstitions. So the inheritance is broken. Some sour people with ulterior motives seem to understand but don't understand, half-know, and explain the association, exaggerating "the new grave will not be erected for three years", "the monument will not be erected for three generations" and so on. What is not there, do not have to be believed.
It must be clear: there is never a time limit for erecting a monument in front of the grave, you have parents and ancestors in your heart, and you can erect a monument whenever you want. When buried, when the grave is round, when the day is lost, when it is clear. You can choose a day for specific etiquette operations, but there is no need to be so rigid and strict.