Should we visit graves during the Winter Solstice? The Winter Solstice is about family reunion!

Should we visit graves during the Winter Solstice? The Winter Solstice is about family reunion!
The Winter Solstice is a special day: it is one of the 24 solar terms and also a traditional festival. Should we visit graves during the Winter Solstice? The Winter Solstice is about family reunion! Every day has good and bad, auspicious and inauspicious days. If you want to know more about the auspicious and inauspicious days in November of the lunar calendar 2019, please pay attention to the relevant articles about November of the lunar calendar 2019 compiled by Shuimoxiansheng.com!

The Winter Solstice is about family reunion!

What does the Winter Solstice mean?
——1》Winter Solstice, also known as Winter Festival, Sub-Year Festival, Longest Day Festival, etc., has both natural and humanistic connotations. It is not only an important solar term in the 24 solar terms, but also a traditional festival among the Chinese people.
——2》During the winter solstice, the Big Dipper points to Zi, and the sun's ecliptic longitude reaches 270°. It falls on December 21-23 of the Gregorian calendar every year.
——3》Winter Solstice is one of the eight festivals of the year. In ancient times, people had the custom of worshiping gods and offering sacrifices to their ancestors during the "Eight Festivals".
——4》The Winter Solstice is regarded as a major festival in winter. There is a saying among the people that "the Winter Solstice is as important as the New Year", so the ancients called the Winter Solstice "the sub-year" or "the small year".
The climate and time changes brought by the winter solstice——
《1》The winter solstice indicates that the sun is at its lowest altitude in the northern hemisphere and the daylight is the shortest, but the temperature on the winter solstice is not the lowest.
《2》On the winter solstice, the sun's direct position above the ground reaches its southernmost point of the year. The sun almost directly hits the Tropic of Capricorn (also known as the winter solstice), and the sunlight is most inclined towards the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest daylight in the year in all parts of the Northern Hemisphere, and the further north you go, the shorter the daylight is.
Winter Solstice Festival:
The Winter Solstice is about family reunion. Although it is not a legal holiday, it is still a good idea for people to go home and have dinner with their family. Parents usually attach great importance to holidays and will be very happy if they can go back home during the holidays.
In folk culture, the winter solstice is called "Yasui", and people must pay respects to their parents and elders. The winter solstice is the day to worship heaven and ancestors, and people must pay respects to their parents and elders. The winter solstice gradually became a festival for worshiping ancestors and gods.

Should we visit graves during the winter solstice?

In some coastal areas of southern China, there is a custom of worshipping ancestors and visiting graves during the winter solstice:
Origin of Winter Solstice:

The Winter Solstice was first celebrated in the Zhou Dynasty as a sacrificial activity mainly for praying to gods and ancestors for blessings and to reduce famine and death in the coming year. After years of evolution, it has become the custom of worshiping ancestors and visiting graves.
【Winter Solstice Grave Visiting Areas】:
Up to now, tomb sweeping is mainly popular in Chaoshan. Every year, tomb sweeping is usually done on Qingming Festival and Winter Solstice, which are called "Spring Paper" and "Winter Paper". Generally speaking, the custom of "passing spring paper" should be performed three years after a person's death, and "passing winter paper" can only be performed three years later. But most people prefer to burn "winter paper" because it often rains during the Qingming Festival and the roads are difficult to travel; while the weather is good during the Winter Solstice, making it convenient to go up the mountain for a picnic.
【Etiquette for visiting graves during the winter solstice】——
《1》Don't go to remote places. Because it is a ceremony to worship ancestors, it is inevitable to go to places that few people go to. It is best to walk along the usual routes. Don't go for a walk in remote places. Firstly, it is a safety issue, and secondly, it is easy to attract evil spirits.
《2》 It is better to be sincere when worshiping ancestors and visiting graves. Be respectful to the graves you encounter while walking or standing. Do not touch the tombstones with your feet. It is better to be serious and solemn in such places. Do not touch or occupy other neighbors' tombstones at will.
《3》When facing the graves of our ancestors, we must clean up the weeds, add some loose soil, clear away the debris in front of the grave, and clean the tombstone. The entire cemetery has been given a brand new look, with a fuller appearance. People silently pray in their hearts, hoping that the ancestors in the netherworld will bless the future generations with wealth and prosperity.
《4》The best time to visit the graves is when the Yang energy is stronger. You are not allowed to visit the graves before dawn, just after dawn, in the evening, or when the sun is about to set. Because the immune system is the weakest at this time, it is not good for tomb sweepers. Generally, it is best to visit the tomb between 10 am and 3 pm.
《5》If the person who goes to sweep the tomb is weak, sick, or has a black forehead, it means that his luck is low. It is best not to go. If you must go, it is better to wear jade or jade Buddha or other amulets with you.
《6》 The route for tomb sweeping should be particular: the route to tomb sweeping and the route back should not be repeated, do not go back, and do not look back when leaving after tomb sweeping.
《7》 Cleansing methods after tomb sweeping. Generally, after tomb sweeping, most people feel a little weak and fatigued. It is recommended that you go for a walk in crowded places such as shopping malls before going home to absorb some positive energy, or take a bath in a public bathroom to remove the negative energy from your body. It is best to step over a brazier before entering the house. Make a fire out of yellow straw paper and step over it one by one.
《8》People who are not suitable for tomb sweeping: Pregnant women and women who are menstruating should not go tomb sweeping. Mental patients, patients with serious mental illnesses who have not fully recovered, and children under 7 years old as their yang energy is weak are also advised not to go. Patients with other serious illnesses should not go.
《9》Winter Solstice》The worship of seniority should be based on the order of seniority. The order is: father, mother, eldest son, eldest daughter, second son, second daughter... and so on. After the worship is completed, the offerings are blessed by the ancestors, and everyone can eat the offerings. Finally, of course, attention should be paid to fire safety, and you can leave after the incense and candles are lit.
《10》Why you are not allowed to laugh, yell, or swear when visiting the graves: Because the cemetery is the home of the Yin spirits, you should not step over the graves and offerings, make loud noises, laugh, yell, use foul language, run around, or urinate anywhere. Doing so is not only disrespectful to your ancestors, but also a nuisance to nearby spirits. You are not allowed to trample on other people's graves or comment on the design of the tomb. This will be regarded as blasphemy. If you encounter bad aura, you will be in trouble when you return home.
《11》Why should we be cautious when taking photos at our ancestors’ graves? In China, ancestor worship is not just about commemorating the ancestors, but it also clearly means worshipping and praying to the dead souls. A special reminder to friends: be cautious when taking photos at your ancestors’ graves, whether it is a photo of the tomb-sweepers themselves or a photo of the tomb-sweepers and the graveyard. It is even more taboo to take photos of other graves. Otherwise, your fortune is likely to decline and all aspects will be unbalanced.

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