Hey guys, today let's talk about one of our traditional Chinese festivals - Zhongyuan Festival, also known as Ghost Festival or Obon. Do you know that this is not only a day of burning paper money and putting sky lanterns, but also an important moment for our ancestors to miss and continue the bloodline.
The mid-year festival worships ancestors, and the emphasis is on "timeliness". Our ancestors said, "It's not too soon, it's not too late, it's just right", and this is not just a casual talk. Why? You think, if it's too early, the sun hasn't warmed the earth, and the souls of the ancestors may still be on the way; If it is too late and the autumn mood is getting stronger, they are afraid that they have already returned to the loess, and it is difficult to perceive the fireworks in the world. Therefore, every year on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the day when the moon is full, we light the incense at home, so that the filial piety and longing are sprinkled like moonlight in every corner.
I remember when I was a child, my grandfather would always prepare early on this day, and he said: "Ancestor worship is like talking to relatives on the phone and letting them know that we are still thinking about them." "I still remember that seriousness vividly. At that time, the family sat together, while wrapping zongzi, while telling the story of the ancestors, the strong family affection and awe, which made people's hearts warm.
The ancients said: "Filial piety comes first." "Worshipping ancestors on the Midyear Festival is the embodiment of this filial piety. We don't want to be vigorous, we just hope that that heart can travel through time and space and reach the hearts of our ancestors. Every piece of burned paper and every bright lamp is a deep remembrance of the deceased loved ones.
On this special day, we might as well put down our mobile phones, turn off the TV, and do it with our families, so that this traditional custom can be rejuvenated in modern life. Let the children understand this deep-rooted culture, and let them understand that no matter how the times change, that respect and love for the ancestors will always be the bond of our Chinese nation.
Finally, don't forget that on the day of the Midyear Festival, it is not only a day of worship for ancestors, but also a day of self-reflection and gratitude. Think about your life in the past year, whether you are worthy of the expectations of your ancestors, and whether you have fulfilled your responsibilities as a child. In this way, our ancestor worship activity is not only a ceremony, but also a spiritual baptism.
As the old saying goes, "Home is the smallest country, and the country is tens of millions." "Let's pay tribute to our ancestors with the most sincere emotions and the most traditional etiquette on the day of the Midyear Festival, and let this culture be passed on from generation to generation.
Forward it out, let more people know this deep affection, let this filial piety continue in every family, and let the light of the Midyear Festival illuminate the heart of every Chinese. Let's work together to inherit this thousand-year-old wisdom with action!