Honoring ancestors has been a crucial custom of the Qingming Festival, which has been passed down for thousands of years in China. Not only does this festival instill gratitude and remembrance in younger generations, but it also strengthens the bond and unity between family members. During the Qingming Festival, tombs get swept, people get together, and it is said that families grow closer. How important is honoring ancestors for current and future generations? What are the reasons for honoring ancestors? What are the precautions and taboos when honoring ancestors and sweeping tombs? Read on to find out the answers and find out the best ways to do good deeds that will benefit your ancestors.
Why Do We Honor Our Ancestors and Sweep Their Tombs?
Qingming Festival is one of the four important traditional festivals in Chinese culture, and it is also an especially important day for Chinese people. Every year during the Qingming Festival, family members gather to honor and remember their ancestors and express gratitude towards them.
Why is it so important to honor ancestors during the Qingming Festival? Grandmaster JinBodhi once said: “This is because the ‘blood connection’ we share with our ancestors cannot be easily erased. During the process of a mother giving birth to a child, there is a visible umbilical cord that connects the mother and the child. When we are born and become independent individuals, there is also an invisible bond that tightly connects us to our ancestors. This is a connection passed down through the bloodline of our ancestors over the ages. The human bloodline is like a tree; if the roots of the tree are healthy and strong, then the crown of the tree can naturally thrive, and the branches and leaves will also be strong and able to withstand harsh weather. Similarly, if our ancestors are peaceful and harmonious, we, as well as the future generations, can also enjoy good health, longevity, and good fortune.”
In addition to remembering our deceased loved ones and ancestors, honoring ancestors also teaches younger generations the importance of gratitude and remembering their roots, enhancing their respect and love for their bloodline. Honoring ancestors can create more warmth in the family and strengthen the bond between family members, allowing for a more satisfactory and peaceful family life.
The Six Taboos of Sweeping Tombs
As this is one of the most important festivals in Chinese culture, many family members return to their hometowns to honor their ancestors and sweep their tombs, marking a day of reunion for the family. However, it is important to pay attention to certain taboos on this day. Knowing these taboos can help you avoid unnecessary trouble and make honoring ancestors and sweeping their tombs more harmonious. The following are the six major taboos for sweeping the tombs and should be remembered in order to ensure a successful and respectful event.
- Dress in a solemn manner and avoid wearing bright-colored or revealing clothing
- Dress in a dignified manner and avoid heavy makeup
- Behave appropriately; loud noise, laughing, and playing are strictly forbidden
- Friends and relatives should arrange to sweep the tomb together, arriving and leaving together
- Do not take anything from the tomb
- Do not urinate or defecate anywhere. Drink water in moderation beforehand to avoid needing a restroom in the countryside
Offerings for the Ancestors: Odd or Even?
The number of offerings for ancestors varies depending on the occasion. Odd numbers are considered yang (positive), while even numbers are considered yin (negative). Therefore, offerings made to the gods and buddhas are usually odd-numbered, while offerings for deceased ancestors are usually even-numbered. For example, when offering sacrifices to ancestors, 2, 4, or 6 buns are placed on a plate; when offering sacrifices to the gods and buddhas, 3, 5, or 7 apples are placed on a plate. Oranges, persimmons, grapefruits, pomelos, and apples are all good choices. Grandmaster JinBodhi further reminds us that it is important to make offerings respectfully with gratitude to avoid offending the deceased.
Accumulating Merits for the Ancestors
Without our ancestors, we would not have been born, and so we share an unbreakable bond with our ancestors; only when they are well, can we be well. If our ancestors are suffering in hell, their living descendants will surely suffer. Therefore, what can we do during the Qingming Festival to express our filial piety and remembrance while also accumulating merits for our deceased loved ones? Here are two methods to consider:
1. Chanting
During the Qingming Festival, we may sincerely chant Buddha’s name and dedicate the merit to our ancestors. Praying with great sincerity for the blessings and protection of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas can eliminate all the sins committed by ourselves and our ancestors in the past. Not only can it allow the deceased to receive Buddha’s illumination to avoid suffering and be reborn in the Pure Land, but it can also bless us and our descendants with illumination and wisdom.
2. Light Offering
Another way to show our filial piety and gratitude apart from sweeping the tomb during the Qingming Festival is offering lights to our ancestors. Offering lights to the Buddhas brings auspicious energy and benefits to us and our ancestors. When our ancestors receive the blessings of the Buddhas and are reborn in the Pure Land, they will bring blessings and protection to their living descendants.
Extra Reading： The Blessings and Help One Can Obtain through Light Offerings
Bless the Deceased and the Living with the Qingming Festival Honoring Ancestors Light
The Qingming Festival is a very auspicious day in the way it is not only one of the 24 solar terms but also a highly valued traditional festival in Chinese culture. Honoring ancestors not only represents the continuity of the bloodline but also symbolizes filial piety. During this auspicious day, offering lights for deceased loved ones not only sends them warmth and illumination but also enables them to gain exceptional merits and blessings; this is the best way to show them respect.
For this, Grandmaster JinBodhi has specially offered the chance to order the “Qingming Festival Honoring Ancestors Light” online at Puticollege.com during the Qingming Festival period. Everyone is welcome to make an offering of auspicious light for their ancestors. With the blessings of the Buddhas, not only will our ancestors be guided by the divine beings to the Pure Land, but their living descendants will also be blessed with peace and prosperity.
In addition, Grandmaster JinBodhi also offers lessons on honoring the ancestors which explore many related topics, such as fascinating stories about genetics and causality. Moreover, from April 3 to April 5, you can also participate in the “Honor Our Ancestors Chanting Class” organized by Grandmaster JinBodhi specifically for the Qingming Festival, which offers us the opportunity to chant to the buddhas for their blessings not only for our ancestors but also for their living descendants, including ourselves. May everyone enjoy good health, longevity, auspiciousness, and happiness!
【Qingming Festival Ancestor Honoring Series】
Honor Our Ancestors – 2023 Qingming Festival Part 1
Honor Our Ancestors – 2023 Qingming Festival Part 2
Honor Our Ancestors – 2023 Qingming Festival Part 3
【Qingming Festival Chanting Series】
Honor Our Ancestors – Chant for our Ancestors 1
