The significance of the ancestral hall
The significance of the ancestral hall is that in real life, the ancestral hall is a sacred and inviolable place in the eyes of many people. It is solemn and solemn, and the existence of the ancestral hall is There are also some sayings in Feng Shui, so let’s share with you the meaning of the ancestral hall. The significance of ancestral halls 1
As a cultural relic building, ancestral halls carry a lot of history, humanities, science, art, architecture, folk customs and other information, and are an important part of my country's precious historical cultural relics.
In recent decades, the cultural relic value of ancestral halls has received more concentrated attention. The country and all provinces and cities have listed ancestral halls as cultural relics protection units at all levels, and they have become a rapidly increasing number of cultural relics protection units.
On the walls of many ancestral halls, there are often plaques with contents such as "Family Instructions", "Clan Rules" and "Family Laws", which contain traditional Chinese ethics with "loyalty, trust, filial piety" as the core. .
Some of them, such as "monarch, minister, father and son", "three obediences and four virtues" and other feudal ideas, are feudal dross that we need to criticize, but some contents, such as respecting elders, filial piety to parents, friends with brothers, respecting teachers and teachers, and good neighborliness Ethical norms such as advocating frugality, caring for orphans and widows, abstaining from lewdness, abstaining from luxury, and prohibiting gambling include the traditional virtues formed by the Chinese nation over thousands of years. The basic ethics of "dedication and dedication" can also play a positive role in promoting.
The cultural significance of ancestral halls
Ancestral halls not only maintain the blood relationship between overseas folks and locals, but also allow fellow folks and all future generations to understand the culture and understanding of ancestral halls. An important carrier of local cultural development history.
The ancestral hall can be said to be a folk museum, and it can also be said to be a history of family changes. The traditional Chinese people's feelings for the ancestral hall are simple, honest, irrepressible and inseparable. Undoubtedly, the ancestral hall is the temple of blood worship in the hearts of traditional Chinese people and the place where the soul takes refuge.
It is the bloodline of the clan and is also a symbol of the rise and fall of the clan. A prosperous family enjoys sacrifices at all times and has constant incense; a declining clan has a dilapidated ancestral hall and no incense. It takes blood as the cornerstone, family ties as the bond, and travels through the long tunnel of time and space, allowing future generations to maintain spiritual communication with their ancestors.
In the clan relationship based on blood ties, the ancestral hall is the connecting point for respecting ancestors. Once you understand the ancestral hall, you also understand the true meaning of clan culture.
The cultural value of ancestral halls
Behind every ancestral hall are the emotions of many people from generation to generation. This emotion lasts forever and has evolved into a culture, a broad and profound Chinese national culture.
Family culture is the manifestation of Chinese ancestral culture. When family culture is reduced, it becomes the culture of a small family, and when it is enlarged, it becomes the culture of a nation. The ancestral hall is the fulcrum of family culture. Its functions of respecting ancestors, advocating virtues, educating future generations, and uniting people's hearts are in the same vein as building a harmonious society. Coincidentally. If the family is harmonious, the country will be harmonious; if the clan is prosperous, the country will be prosperous. The ancestral precepts and clan rules in the ancestral hall, which teach people to learn to be good, to be patriotic and to build a family, are the inheritance of the eternal historical and cultural values ??of the motherland and the nation.
The traditional customs and culture of ancestral halls
In the feudal society of ancient China, the concept of family was very deep. Often a village would have one family or several families with the same surname, and many families would be established. Worship your ancestors in your own family temple.
The name "ancestral hall" first appeared in the Han Dynasty. At that time, ancestral halls were built in tombs and were called tomb temples. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi's "Family Rites" established the system of ancestral halls, and from then on, family temples were called ancestral halls. At that time, there were hierarchical restrictions on the construction of ancestral halls, and private citizens were not allowed to build ancestral halls. By the time of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, "many people had established temples with their respective clans." Later, only those whose surnames had been emperors or ennobled could be called "family temples", and the rest were called ancestral halls.
In addition to being used to worship and worship ancestors, ancestral halls also have many uses. The ancestral hall is also the place where the clan leader exercises clan power. Anyone who violates the clan rules will be educated and dealt with here until they are expelled from the ancestral hall, so it can also be said to be the court of feudal morality;
The ancestral hall can also be It serves as a social place for the family; some ancestral halls have schools attached to them, and the children of the clan go to school here.
Because of this, ancestral hall buildings are generally larger and of better quality than private houses. The more powerful and wealthy the family, the more exquisite their ancestral halls are, with tall halls, exquisite carvings, and fine materials. , became a symbol of the family’s glorious ancestors.
Most ancestral halls have a hall name. The hall name is written by a clan member or a calligraphy expert with a foreign surname. It is made into a gold plaque and hung high in the main hall. Next to it are plaques with the origin of the surname, the glory of the clan, and the chastity of women. There are also couplets. If it is granted by the emperor, a "Zhi Tu plaque" can be made. The size and number of plaques in the ancestral hall are the capital of the clan members.
Some ancestral halls have flagpole stones in front of them, indicating that the clan members have achieved meritorious status.
Generally speaking, ancestral halls have one surname and one temple. In the old days, clan rules were very strict. Even women or minor children within the clan, let alone those with foreign surnames, were not allowed to enter without permission, otherwise they would be severely punished.
Looking back at the evolution of history, after liberation, especially during the unprecedented movement in the 1960s, old ancestral temples in rural areas were basically torn down, smashed, or transformed into office spaces. The ancestral rankings, including some of the family trees hidden in them, were burned and destroyed. Many people in later generations do not know what the ancestral hall is and what it is used for.
The specifications of ancestral halls vary. There are three-in-five-bay ancestral halls, with white walls and blue tiles, and flowing eaves and corners. There are also grand ancestral halls with three entrances and multiple bays, covering an area of ??dozens of acres, with hanging plaques and carved sculptures. Limestone drums with dragons, tigers, unicorns and other mascots stand on both sides of the door. Most of the high-standard ancestral hall buildings are wooden structures with exquisite and lifelike wood carvings. The majestic gable wall made of green bricks is hundreds of meters long and nearly 6 meters high. There is no trace of the invasion of the years. Every wall nail is visible. The four characters "Purple Energy Comes from the East" are engraved smoothly on the stone above the side door of the wall. Eye-catching.
The ancients who built the ancestral hall were very aware of fire protection. There were supporting buildings such as ponds on the empty square of the ancestral hall.
Cultural protection of ancestral halls
Although old ancestral halls are "valuable" as cultural relics, if necessary protective measures are not taken, specific opinions or suggestions should be made and a certain amount of protection should be allocated. It is useless to spend money on repairs and just keep the protection work in words without substantive "content".
Nowadays, most of the ancestral halls are in disrepair and show signs of dilapidation. Some towns, streets, and families with surnames have vigorously organized the construction or reconstruction of ancestral halls, which has changed or even destroyed the style and characteristics of the old ancestral halls to a certain extent.
At present, the old ancestral halls distributed in rural areas, some of which were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, should be valued by the local rural culture. They are culturally protected heritages of great historical value.
We call for the reconstruction of the old ancestral hall to focus on protecting its original style. The good things left by the ancestors are indispensable. This is the embodiment of its historical value and the precious legacy left by the ancestors. Heritage, as descendants, must do everything possible to protect it. This is a glorious responsibility given by history. The significance of the ancestral hall 2
The main functions of the ancestral hall
(1) Since the ancestral hall is the place where the ancestors and gods gather and the gods of the ancestors are worshiped, then the worship of ancestors is the main function of the ancestral hall. . During the spring and autumn sacrifices, the whole clan gathers in Tongtang, where the clan leader or eldest son presides over the rituals and sacrifices. When sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival, first go to the ancestral hall to offer sacrifices to the deity, and then go to the cemeteries of each house and family to offer sacrifices.
(2) Another important function of the ancestral hall is to collect and compile genealogy. Genealogy is a special historical record that records the blood relationship, seniority, family rules, family laws and other information and genealogy of the clan through biographies, chronicles, charts and other forms, and is meant to be mastered and followed by the clan members of the same surname.
(3) The function of the ancestral hall to assist students and educate talents. In the ancestral hall. The public land donated by the tribe can help students. It is specially used to provide education aid, scholarships, or open voluntary schools or private schools for the children of the same clan. It is also a great event to glorify the family, honor the ancestors, and enhance the reputation of the entire family.
(4) The ancestral hall is also a classroom where etiquette is taught and taught. Before the sacrificial ceremony begins in the ancestral hall, a dedicated person will "read the music" to the clan members, telling the history of the ancestors' difficult business, regularly read the family laws and regulations, and preach the words of admonitions and quotes from the sages.
(5) The ancestral hall is also a meeting place for discussing clan affairs.
When there are major revolutionary matters in the clan that affect the entire clan, such as electing the clan leader, building a ward, repairing family affairs, purchasing a large area of ??clan property, litigating with neighboring clans, etc., the clan leader will call all adults to hold a meeting in the ancestral hall. discuss.
(6) The ancestral hall is also the court of the family. If we say family laws and regulations are the laws of the family. Then family law is also a supplement to feudal state law. The patriarch is the family judge and can enforce family laws in the ancestral hall. In Ketangli, civil and criminal cases involving violations of family laws or violations of family laws determined by the clan leader will be punished in a public manner.
(7) In addition, whenever there are customary festivals or major festive events within the clan, the ancestral hall is also a place for celebration or entertainment for the whole clan. Larger ancestral halls usually have stage buildings. The good drama is not only sung for the ancestors, but also performed for the men, women, old and young in the clan. The significance of ancestral hall 3
What is the function of ancestral hall
Ancestral hall refers to the place where people worship their ancestors or sages. In addition to the purpose of "revering ancestors and worshiping ancestors", the grandsons of each house will use these spacious ancestral halls for activities when they have to handle weddings, funerals, birthdays, celebrations, etc. In ancient times, the concept of family was quite profound. Often a village had one family or several families with each surname, and they would build their own family temples to worship their ancestors.
The function of the ancestral hall
The ancestral hall is mainly used to worship ancestors. In addition, it serves as a place for weddings, funerals, birthdays, and celebrations for the grandchildren of each house.
Ancestral halls serve many purposes. In addition to the purpose of "revering ancestors and worshiping ancestors", the grandsons of each house will use these spacious ancestral halls for activities when they have to handle weddings, funerals, birthdays, celebrations, etc. In addition, clan relatives sometimes use the ancestral hall as a gathering place to discuss important matters within the clan.
In ancient Chinese Confucian ethics, the concept of family is very profound. Often a village is home to one family or several families with each surname, and many of them build their own family temples to worship their ancestors.
Ancestral halls also often appear in Japan. This kind of family temple is generally called "ancestral hall", which can be divided into ancestral hall, branch hall and family hall. The name "ancestral hall" first appeared in the Han Dynasty. At that time, ancestral halls were built in tombs and were called tomb temples. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi's "Family Rites" established the system of ancestral halls, and from then on, family temples were called ancestral halls.