The significance of ancestral hall culture
The significance of ancestral hall culture. I believe that many villages have ancestral halls. Genealogy is stored in the ancestral halls and the spiritual tablets of ancestors are placed. During festivals, the village People will spontaneously come to worship and remember their ancestors, and at the same time hope that their ancestors can protect future generations. Let's take a look at the significance of ancestral temple culture. The significance of ancestral hall culture 1
1. Ancestral hall culture
As a cultural relic building, ancestral halls carry a lot of history, humanities, science, art, architecture, folk customs and other information. They are precious historical relics in my country. important component in.
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.
2. The cultural significance of ancestral halls
Ancestral halls not only maintain the blood relationship between overseas folks and locals, but also help fellow folks and all future generations understand the ancestral hall culture. , an important carrier for understanding the development history of local culture.
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 it 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.
3. 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.
4. The traditional customs and culture of ancestral halls
In the feudal society of ancient China, the concept of family was very deep, and people with the same surname often lived in a village. A family or several families often build their own temple to worship their ancestors.
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 are for each surname. 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 the ancestral halls vary. There are three-in-five-bay ancestral halls, with white walls and green 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 mascots such as dragons, tigers, and unicorns 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 blue 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.
5. Cultural Protection of Ancestral Halls
Although old ancestral halls are "valuable" as cultural relics, if necessary protective measures are not taken, specific measures will be taken. Opinions or suggestions, allocating a certain amount of conservation funds for repairs, and just leaving the conservation work in words without substantive "content" will not help.
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 legacy left by the ancestors. As a precious heritage, future generations must do everything possible to protect it. This is a glorious responsibility given by history. The significance of ancestral temple culture 2
1. Benefit the country and the people, see the big from the small
As we all know, in our country for more than 2,000 years since the Qin and Han Dynasties, although every two or three hundred years, It has experienced a change of dynasties, but it has always maintained the unity and strength of the country, and the Chinese civilization has not been interrupted. This is unique in the world.
From King Wu of Qin to Han, Emperor Zong of Tang and Song, Genghis Khan, Hongwu and Zhu Di, until the middle of Ming Dynasty, our country has stood on top of the world with its prosperous civilization for several times. According to some data, by the time of Emperor Xiaozong's "Hongzhi Zhongxing" period in the Ming Dynasty, my country's GDP had accounted for 30% of the world's total.
Looking back at history, we deeply feel that this is inseparable from our country’s excellent national traditional culture and great national spirit. Analyzing it from an ideological and cultural perspective, we can also see that ancestral temple culture is involved.
Although the ancestral hall culture is based on the surname and develops people with the same surname into one clan, however, the people all over the world, who seek their roots and pay homage to their ancestors, are all descendants of Yan and Huang. It connects the people at one end. One end extends to nations and countries.
It advocates benevolence, love and harmony, rejects ethnic conflicts and religious disputes, enhances the sense of identity and cohesion of the Chinese nation, and advocates the national spirit of self-reliance and dedication, rich innovation and exploration, overcoming dangers, and rejuvenating together. .
It has become a unique part of the nation’s excellent traditional culture, and has played a positive role in promoting the unity and harmony of our country, the reproduction and prosperity of the nation, and the continuous development of Chinese civilization over thousands of years.
Especially in today’s situation where Western forces are striving for Westernization and ideological and cultural diversity is present, ancestral temple culture has shown that it is a strong force that resolves social conflicts, promotes grassroots stability, resists the intrusions of Westernization, and protects the fine traditions of the nation. strength.
So, don’t look at our small ancestral halls scattered in villages. Their cultural characteristics and functions are so important. They are good things left to us by our ancestors, and they are unique to me in the world. . We should not underestimate it by thinking that it is in charge of “no matter the department”. Only by seeing the big from the small, and from a high point of view, can you understand its significance.
2. Wide participation, down-to-earth, easy to solve practical problems
Currently, various social organizations are competing for development, and new characteristics have emerged. However, You can take a look at which social organization is now as popular in urban and rural areas as ancestral halls, and which social organization has so many grassroots people actively participating!
This fully demonstrates that the construction of ancestral halls can adapt to the requirements of the situation, has the outstanding advantages of being based on the front line of the grassroots, contacting a wide range of people, and being convenient for solving practical problems, and can embody the "soft" strength of social management. .
Nowadays, many people have great opinions about the decline of social morality. Ancestral halls have made great achievements in moral education and creating a good moral environment.
For example, there were land and property disputes in some places, and long-term conflicts between clan members and neighbors were difficult for the judicial department to resolve. The head of the ancestral hall took the initiative to come to the door to promote peace, and the conflict was resolved.
There is also an ancestral hall in Jiaocheng. It was discovered that in a clan family, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were at odds, and the quarrel made the neighbors reluctant to live in peace. The head of the ancestral hall first talked about filial piety to the daughter-in-law, and then to the mother-in-law. The importance of family harmony finally brought the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law back together, affecting a large area. It can be said that virtue education has been deeply penetrated into the masses.
It should also be mentioned in particular that those of us who are enthusiastic about the construction of ancestral halls sincerely support the peaceful reunification of the motherland.
There are ancestral halls for Taiwan compatriots in Jiaocheng District, and they are very active in helping to recognize ancestors and find relatives, and to make efforts to promote peaceful reunification. Another thing that has not received much attention, but is worthy of recognition, is that some local ancestral halls have consciously resisted the infiltration and influence of foreign religious forces through the promotion of respecting and recognizing ancestors.
In recent years, many ancestral halls have helped clan members develop the real economy, and have made certain achievements in introducing talents, funds, and projects, and participating in the construction of their hometowns.
It can be seen that ancestral halls are located among the people, which can be "down to earth", have a strong mass base, and can easily solve problems. Under the new situation, it can build on past achievements and become a force for disseminating excellent Chinese culture and contributing to social and economic development.