The cycle of life is destined to come eventually. When a loved one passes away, what do we leave for future generations? A tombstone, perhaps just a simple stone pillar, carries the remembrance and remembrance of the deceased. However, in ancient times, erecting a tombstone was not a simple matter, there were many exquisiteness and taboos, and even spread the saying that "the tombstone is not erected, and the descendants are scattered". What exactly do these five non-standing refer to? What kind of cultural connotation is behind it? Let's find out.
The new grave has not erected a monument for three years, and it is the first "not to erect". The ancients believed that within three years after the death of the deceased, the soul of the deceased had not yet settled, and the erection of a monument might disturb the soul of the deceased and affect the fortune of future generations. Therefore, people will regularly visit the cemetery to pay respects during these three years, keep in touch with the soul of the deceased, and wait until the soul settles down after three years before the monument can be erected. This custom stems from the ancient belief in feng shui, which believes that the quality of feng shui is closely related to the fate of the family.
The second "not erecting" refers to the fact that some people with special identities do not erect monuments. For example, the great Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum still has no monument, perhaps out of consideration for the protection of the mausoleum, or it may be that the inscription damages its own majesty. Another example is some thinkers and masters, who made it clear that they did not want to erect a monument during their lifetime, believing that ideas and achievements were higher than inscriptions. Nowadays, there are also many celebrities and wealthy people who follow this practice, thinking that the monument is a bit vain, and more important to the inner spiritual inheritance.
The third "non-standing" is a child who dies young. In the eyes of the ancients, the death of children was predestined, and they did not experience life or contribute to their families, so they were not worth remembering. This concept reflects the low productivity and limited medical conditions of ancient society, and also reveals the value that people cherish for the continuation of bloodline. Although medical care has greatly reduced the number of children who have died, for those families who have lost a child, every child is a heart and soul to remember.
The fourth "not standing" is the one who dies unexpectedly. The so-called horizontal death refers to sudden and unexpected death, or death due to disease and disaster. The ancients believed that this kind of death was ominous and would bring disaster to the family, so a monument could not be erected. There are even places where the dead are buried far away, so that their souls are not ominous. This custom reflects the superstitions of the ancients, but it also reflects the preservation of family honor. Nowadays, as long as the deceased is not at fault, they should be reasonably respected.
The last "not to stand" is the one who has no offspring. Ancient society attached great importance to "passing on the family lineage", believing that the childless were the "sinners" of the family, and even relatives would not erect monuments for them. Some people even think that these people don't even have people to worship, so there is no point in erecting a monument. However, the modern belief is that the deceased should be remembered as long as they are of good character, whether they have children or not.
It seems that behind these five "non-standing" are the fear of life and death, the cherishing of bloodline, the maintenance of family honor, and many bad habits and superstitions. We should respect traditional culture, but at the same time, we should also use modern rationality to look at the dross and abandon those outdated stereotypes.
Death has been a sensitive subject since ancient times, but the value of life lies in its transience and transience. Everyone who comes into this world deserves to be respected and commemorated, regardless of their wealth or poverty, or the length of their lives. Perhaps erecting a monument is just a formality, but what matters is how we remember our ancestors with reverence, so that their spirit will live forever in the hearts of future generations.
In contemporary society, we should re-examine the old habits in funeral customs from the perspective of rationality and humanistic care. We must boldly abandon those outdated stereotypes; Those philosophical traditions should be adhered to and given new connotations. In this way, we can make the crystallization of funeral culture, a civilization that has lasted for thousands of years, glow with new vitality in the new era.