The Zhongyuan Festival is called a major ancestor worship festival because it is related to traditional ancestor worship customs. The Zhongyuan Festival is an important festival in Chinese traditional culture, also known as "the 15th day of the seventh lunar month" or "the Ullambana Festival", usually celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. The origin of this festival can be traced back to the ancient worship of ancestral spirits and related seasonal sacrifices. People will offer sacrifices to their ancestors, using new rice and other offerings to express respect and gratitude towards their ancestors.
Seven is the yang number, the heavenly number. After the yang energy in heaven and earth is exhausted, it can be reborn after seven days. This is the way of heaven and earth, the principle of the cycle of yin and yang. However, for a long time, some places in our country have considered July to be a "ghost month", a month of bad luck. This idea may have evolved from the Daoist concept of opening the gate of ghosts during the Zhongyuan Festival.
The Rules and Rituals of Ancestor Worship on the Zhongyuan Festival
Paper Money and Gold and Silver Strips
In the Zhongyuan Festival rituals, paper money is one of the most important offerings. People believe that the deceased still need currency to buy what they need in the netherworld. Therefore, burning paper money and gold and silver strips is a way to provide money to the deceased so that they can live worry-free in the netherworld.
Burning of Food and Items
During the Zhongyuan Festival rituals, people burn some food and items for the deceased to eat. These foods and items include chicken, duck, fish, meat, noodles, fruits, and cigarettes. People believe that after burning these items, they can be delivered to the netherworld through the smoke, allowing the deceased to enjoy them.
Praying for Peace and Blessings for the Deceased
In the Zhongyuan Festival rituals, people not only express their longing and remembrance for their deceased relatives, but also pray for peace and blessings for the deceased in the netherworld. This includes praying for the deceased to live happily in the netherworld, wishing prosperity for their family descendants, and hoping for the safety and health of the family.
Nine generations: referred to as the paternal grandfather. The late paternal grandfather (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Ears Grandson
Eight generations: referred to as the distant ancestor. The late distant ancestor (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Cloud Grandson
Seven generations: referred to as the great ancestor. The late great ancestor (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Nai Grandson
Six generations: referred to as the illustrious ancestor. The late illustrious ancestor (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Brother Grandson
Five generations: referred to as the heavenly ancestor. The late heavenly ancestor (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Come Grandson
Four generations: referred to as the high ancestor. The late high ancestor (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Xuan Grandson
Three generations: referred to as the great-grandfather. The late great-grandfather (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Zeng Grandson
Two generations: referred to as the grandfather. The late ancestor (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Grandson
One generation: referred to as the father. The late respected father (surname) Gong Hui (name) Old Master Bi (surname) Old Lady's True Soul Accepts Use, Filial Son
