Chinese New Year

[deekiller8]

Hello, 

I am researching Chinese New Year. Specifically the day that the ancestors are honored. I was hoping I could get a couple questions answered from natives or experienced Chinese residents. 

 

1. what is done on your particular day:

•What are they, how are they made/followed through(ritual) ? So what exactly is done on the day of the ancestors and what is its process

2.What is its backstory, its legend?

•Is there an ancient root to these practices? Is there some mythic story?

3.What is a real physical, social, or spiritual function that you think it accomplishes?

•What real-life purpose does this accomplish to make life better? Health? Wealth? Strengthening relationships? Solving problems?

 

Thank you.

[skylee]

Which day is it? (For example, the day before the new year day? The 1st day of the new year, etc?)

[liuzhou]

The ancestors are more typically honored at Qing Ming, rather than Spring Festival

[geraldc]

It's traditional to have an argument with your relatives on the 3rd day, as you're not normally all cooped up together for that long.

[Kobo-Daishi]

The ancestors are more typically honored at Qing Ming, rather than Spring Festival

 

 

 

The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of several traditional festivals in China to worship ancestors. Others include the Spring Festival, the Qingming Festival, and the Double Ninth Festival.

 

http://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/hungry-ghost-festival.htm

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingming_Festival

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_money

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_paper

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival

 

I remember my mother lighting joss paper when I was a kid some time around new years. Don't remember when it was exactly. The night before, after or the day itself. Been so long ago.

 

We didn't do some of the things that other Chinese might have done. We never did the smearing the picture of the kitchen god with honey so he'd report back to the Jade Emperor only good things. We didn't even have a picture of the kitchen god.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_God

 

Didn't know the Europeans also believed in a kitchen god.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_god

 

For more on the ghost festival, you might check with Bokane. He did a report on The Ghost Festival in Medieval China by Stephen F. Teiser.

 

Kobo.

[xiuqu yin]

各位，今天过小年！小年快乐！

[ouyangjun]

Fireworks... lots of them.

[GaHanna]

Not so much anymore. I like the fireworks but I understand the reason for their demise from yesteryear.

[aone]

十里不同音，百里不同俗, “春节习俗” cannot be summarized in a few words. 

 

FYR:

http://baike.baidu.com/link?url=zQEbWYcVCTQapJknMdMp5vHXz3r94c7KN5ALURRFQGA6Nc2cCeriHimIT1xU6z_FGhsD4Aw6xsa4kn0iBM1QLa