1. Incense candle: Incense candle is the most important and necessary item for grave sweeping in Tomb-Sweeping Day. We should not only burn incense at the present time of our ancestors, but also give incense to the land of the mountain god who is in charge of the cemetery, and pray that the land of the mountain god will bless the cemetery and the soul of our ancestors.
2. Paper money: Paper money is to be burned to the dead, so that they can spend money in the underworld and must be burned clean.
3. Plain wine: the process of sweeping the grave is equivalent to bringing food to the ancestors for the holidays, so if you want to give the ancestors wine, you must have wine when sweeping the grave.
4. Fruit snacks: fruits are suitable for seasonal fruits everywhere, and there are no special requirements; Dim sum may depend on the specific situation.
5. Meals: It is best to eat what your ancestors liked before their death. Many people will tell their children about their ancestors' deeds while paying homage to them, so that the next generation will not forget their ancestors.
6. Flowers: Chrysanthemum has the meaning of missing and missing. It is generally appropriate to go to the grave on Qingming Festival, especially white chrysanthemums.
7. "Baggage": Baggage, that is, things brought to the deceased by grave sweepers (family members of the deceased), is named after pasting a big bag with white paper, which contains banknotes, gold and silver, as well as "gold ingots", "clothes" and "furniture" made of various papers. Burning "baggage" is an important form of paying homage to the dead. Burning "baggage" means giving these items to ancestors.
The festival of ancestor worship is on the fifteenth day of July in the lunar calendar, so it is called "July and a half" for short. At this time, the midsummer has passed and the autumn cool has just begun. Folk believe that ancestors will return home to visit their children and grandchildren at this time, so they need to worship their ancestors.
On the 15th day of July, we mainly went to the grave to worship our ancestors, and pressed paper in front of the grave to tell our ancestors that the grave had been swept by future generations.
Or make a lamp out of paper and burn it in front of the grave, which means that the deceased has a bright future. If the ancestors have been dead for three years, children should take off their mourning clothes and put on ordinary clothes on this day, commonly known as changing filial piety.
At the time of ancestor worship in July and a half, the ancestral tablets should be invited out one by one, respectfully placed on the dedicated altar, and then incense should be burned in front of each ancestor's tablet three times a day, morning, noon and fainting, until July 30. If there is a portrait of your ancestors, please come out and hang it.
When worshipping, kowtow to each ancestor in the order of seniority and seniority, pray silently, report to the ancestors and ask someone to check their words and deeds this year first, so as to protect the peace and happiness of the whole family. I am safe and happy. When returning, burn paper money and clothes, which is called burning coating, or Buddhist or Taoist ritual crossing.
Mid-Autumn Festival is usually held at noon that day. Every family has prepared rich dishes, wine and rice. In their respective halls, the tables of the Eight Immortals are filled with 24 full-flavored seats, seven pairs of chopsticks, a pot of wine and seven cups. Put a fruit box in the middle. Fruit boxes are generally carved with hexagonal solid wood, and plates are also carved into rectangles with six squares on them, in which mushrooms are placed.
When the banquet is set, the host lights three incense sticks, two red candles, incense sticks, bows down as a ceremony, and invites ancestors to enjoy the sacrificial banquet, hoping to bless the health, peace and prosperity of future generations. And stop to ask for permission before burning gold and silver coins. The banquet can't be withdrawn until the golden paper is burned out.
On the same day, three sacrifices were offered to the gods and buddhas in the hall. The so-called three sacrifices means that one main sacrifice is matched with two kinds of auxiliary sacrifices. The main sacrifice is usually cooked pig's trotters of five catties, and the side sacrifice is usually cooked fish, squid, fish and chicken. For example, there is Guanyin Bodhisattva in the hall. Because Guanyin's mother doesn't eat meat, she often sacrifices it with fresh fruit. Because the gods and buddhas are higher than their ancestors, they can only offer "golden paper", and silver clothes and the like are of low value, which cannot reflect the sincerity of good men and women, so they are not among the offerings.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, in addition to ancestor worship and Buddha worship, the host also pays homage to the gods of Cuo, Foundation, Kitchen, Bed Mother, and even the gods of cowshed, stable, sheepfold and pigsty, five-flavor banquet bowls, all wrapped in silver.
reference data
Mid-Autumn Festival is the top 20 taboos of Ghost Festival. Sohu. Com[ reference time 20 18- 1-24]