Why do you kowtow to your elders during the Spring Festival?

Some people think it is feudal dross and should not kowtow; Some people think that this is a good traditional custom and should be inherited. Everyone argued with each other and refused to give in. In order to attract readers and increase the click-through rate, some media deliberately changed the title to "North-South Quarrel". Do you want to kowtow to your elders in the New Year? " It seems that during the Chinese New Year, many people bow down in the north and few in the south.

In fact, this topic is a false proposition, and there is no distinction between North and South. Both the north and the south are begging, but now the media grandstanding is just a routine. But it is an indisputable fact that there are differences about the worship ceremony. We sorted it out, and the reasons for opposing the bow-down ceremony are as follows: first, feudal bad habits are full of servility; Second, insulting personality and inequality; Third, "men have gold under their knees." Now that men and women are equal, men and women should not bow their heads and so on.

Bowing ceremony originated from primitive society. According to the study of bronze inscriptions in Oracle Bone Inscriptions, the word "bow" means that people hold food and pray for the blessing of the gods, and bow down because the ancients first sat on the mat and landed on their knees. Kneeling is sitting, kneeling is straight, and bowing is kowtowing forward (the etiquette of bowing is discussed separately). Bowing ceremony has developed from praying to God, ancestor worship and parents worship to paying homage to feudal emperors and nobles.

Bowing ceremony has been popular until the Revolution of 1911 in the last century. 19 12 On New Year's Day, the Republic of China issued a proclamation to reform old customs and safeguard civil rights, one of which was "abolishing bows". At that time, it was very skillful in the detailed operation of abolishing the bow-down system. Only between officials, officials and the public are not allowed to bow their heads, and private occasions are not allowed to interfere with the public. This is mainly because the bowing ceremony has different meanings.

Bowing to an official is an unequal etiquette. There are indeed those who insult personal dignity, despise human rights and emphasize freedom and equality. Naturally, this feudal dross should definitely be abolished. However, we should also see that the bow-down ceremony is not useless, but it still has its fine historical tradition and moral etiquette needs.

China is a famous country of etiquette. Paying attention to etiquette and filial piety is a fine tradition of the Chinese nation. In filial piety, the most important thing is to ask people to pursue the future cautiously, sacrifice their ancestors, honor their parents and respect their elders, which is probably the meaning of this world's survival. Filial piety requires certain etiquette, among which bowing is the most important etiquette, expressing the most solemn respect and incomparable filial piety.

In the later development process, the government's bow-down ceremony was banned, but the folk bow-down ceremony was very popular, especially on holidays, ancestor worship, god worship, parents' birthdays, weddings and funerals. Bowing rituals have always existed. Elders educate their children and teach them how to respect their ancestors from an early age. I hope they can become useful people when they grow up, honor their ancestors and live up to their parents' efforts. Children often don't understand when they are young, but when they become parents or have children and grandchildren, they know the importance of filial piety. Therefore, this understanding is divided into age groups, and it is difficult to understand until a certain age.

Later, during the Cultural Revolution, many traditions became feudal dross, and there was a fault in cultural inheritance. Coupled with the invasion of western culture after the reform and opening up, many children born after 70 and 80 are not familiar with some etiquette. But in most rural areas and families with strong cultural atmosphere, worship ceremonies still exist.

It is precisely because of the above reasons that many young people do not understand the worship ceremony. For example, the above three reasons, the first reason is that if we bow to government officials, then this is slavery and feudal dross, which has long been abolished; If bowing down to parents is regarded as feudal dross, I don't know what filial piety is in a country that pays attention to filial piety. Some people say that filial piety doesn't need to kowtow, and that's right. It's really good.

However, your parents raised you, put up with hardships for you and brought you up. Is it so hard to kowtow? ! Is kowtowing to parents an insult to personality inequality? Therefore, it is reasonable not to kowtow, but the author believes that there is nothing wrong with families with kowtow traditions.

Regarding the third reason, I find it ridiculous. As the saying goes, "There is gold under a man's knee", which means that a man should have ambition, not be a slave, and be upright. It is not that they are not allowed to bow to their parents, just as the saying goes, "kneel to their parents." This is a matter of course. It would be a great irony if you kowtow to your parents and bring out the truth that "there is gold under a man's knee"!

Of course, some people think that kowtowing to parents-in-law (or parents-in-law) is not appropriate, because it is a daughter-in-law (or son-in-law), so different people have different views. For such a daughter-in-law (son-in-law), we have to ask, do they really love each other? If you really love each other and live with your parents in the future, you should kowtow out of gratitude to your loving parents for giving you such an excellent husband (daughter-in-law). Moreover, there must be a custom of bowing in the other hometown. If you don't bow, you will find yourself uncomfortable. Is it worth it?

What's more, it is popular in the west to kneel on one knee. We often see men kneeling on the ground to express their marriage proposal on TV and movies. I think the lady didn't want to think that "men have gold under their knees", did she? ! If you can kowtow to your daughter-in-law, why can't you kowtow to your parents who raised you? Since the other party can kowtow to their parents, why not kowtow to their parents?

Moreover, those who have the audacity to say not to kowtow to their parents or the other parents may kowtow more often than anyone else when they ask for a visa in the temple. As we all know, Huineng, the sixth ancestor, said, "If you are calm, why bother to keep the precepts? Why do you practice meditation when you are straight? " Kindness is filial piety to adoptive parents, while righteousness is sympathy for each other. "There are two biggest Buddhas at home who don't worship, but go outside to pray for God. What's the use? If there is a God, it will not bless you. Only by honoring your parents and elders will your practice be very complete and you will be blessed by your own God.

Therefore, I think everyone can figure out whether the bowing ceremony is a good social custom or a feudal dross. After all, the bowing ceremony will only appear between the closest relatives. It is naturally difficult for outsiders to talk about it, and there is no need to wear the hat of feudal dross. It's okay if you don't want to bow your head. This is the reason for your own tutoring. It is also the result of family education that others bow down. Everyone has his own conscience and goes his own way.