What do the words "Gu, Xian, Kao, Heir" on the tombstone mean?

The countryside is a very special place, and most of the people living there have relocated. Most of them live in poverty, but they still abide by the rules passed down by their ancestors. Some people call it a custom, while others say it's a fussy thing. But in any case, rural areas are such a special existence.

The countryside is the root of generation after generation. Whether good or bad, the countryside is a fascinating place. Usually during festivals, people would go back to their hometown to worship their ancestors. On the stone tablets, the words "Gu, Xian, Kao, Heir" would be written. So what do these words mean? Many people may not be able to distinguish them very well, and some may cause jokes in the village because they do not understand the meaning of these words. Therefore, the editor specially wrote an article to introduce to everyone what "gu, xian, kao, heir" means. The development of tombstones

To talk about the words on tombstones, we must first talk about the development of tombstones. In the development of history to this day, tombstones did not exist at the beginning. They have probably gone through four stages. In ancient times, it was important to put the body into peace, and the body, hair, and skin of the parents, and the remains of the deceased were more important. But after they buried people at first, they would not leave any marks, and they generally would not return to offer sacrifices. When it comes to saying that they are afraid of death, I personally think that they do not want to face the feeling of missing the deceased. This is the first stage of the development of tombstones, that is, the tomb without tomb stage. Tombstone stage, tomb after tomb

With the development of time and the accumulation of culture, spiritual civilization has been greatly improved. Then it gradually evolved to express grief for the deceased. In order to facilitate the search, stones were used to mark the places at first, and later they developed into wooden monuments. Because wood is not resistant to corrosion, it later began to evolve into stone monuments.

In order to distinguish, it is necessary to carve words on the stone tablets. In order to indicate the identity of the deceased, different names gradually evolved. This is also closely related to the words on the tombstones we are talking about today. In the stage without tombstones, there is no grave without a tomb

With the development of the times, too many cemeteries were occupied, and it became increasingly difficult to find a tomb, and burial at sea became popular again. After cremation, the ashes of the body are scattered into the sea and returned to nature.

However, this stage without tombstones has not yet been fully popularized. At present, it is just a trend. However, according to current people's concepts, the second method is more accepted, especially in the vast rural areas. There are many people of the older generation guarding the place. They have resettled and maintained everything in the village. And their deceased ancestors are also one of the things they miss. "This is our root," the old man said.

Today we will discuss the words "Gu, Xian, Kao, Heir" on the tombstone. Therefore

The meaning of "Gu" is easy to understand, so it means the past. Used here with deceased, it refers to a certain ancestor who has passed away. Generally speaking, as long as it is on tombstones, the word "Gu" is most commonly used. It refers to the tomb of someone who has passed away, regardless of seniority, suitable for both young and old. "Xian"

"Xian" has the same pronunciation as "Xian". "Xian" generally means that the deceased has relatives and there are no prominent people in the descendants. In terms of identity, he is still an ordinary person, and he uses it first. "Xian" means that the deceased person has no relatives, and the descendants of future generations can get along better. In order to show respect for the deceased person, the word "Xian" is often used.

Just like in the past, the death of a person with status is called "die", and the death of an ordinary person is more euphemistically called "go", otherwise it will be more unpleasant. Kao, concubine

The test here is not a test, it is a test. This word kao is usually used together with 妦 to represent parents. Xiankao represents the deceased father, and Xianxi represents the deceased mother. Therefore, in ancient China, there is an idiom "like mourning one's heir", which means that the person is very sad, as if his parents have passed away. The Theory of the Hour Hand

I believe everyone understands the explanations of the words "Gu", "Xian", "Kao" and "妣" in this article. When you go home for the New Year and the holidays, don’t do something that makes people laugh or cry because you don’t understand the meaning.

Furthermore, no matter what the tombstone will become in the future, the longing for the ancestors and if we really enter an era without monuments and graves, will you choose such a method? Everyone is welcome to leave a message for discussion.