Why do the ancestral graves of ordinary families often last only four generations?

As far as I understand, people are emotional animals. Your parents are the ones who give you life. As for your grandparents, they are very close to you every generation. I have almost never seen my great-grandfather and great-grandfather. The generation is almost blank. Besides, people are under so much pressure nowadays, it would be great if their parents and grandparents can take good care of them. We have a saying here, one generation takes care of the other! The Chinese people have experienced too much suffering. It is actually everyone's biggest wish that future generations can live a better life, and few people would even think about hurting their future generations. Think about the graves of each generation, and the tombs will never be cleared. Treating your parents, grandparents and grandparents well is the truest form of filial piety. Being able to guard the graves of four generations is enough!

In the past, when my dad was here, in addition to visiting my grandfather’s grave during Qingming Festival, my dad’s grandparents, old ladies, and ancestors also visited the graves. After my father passed away, I only visited my grandfather's grave.

It’s not that I’m unfilial, it’s that I don’t know where the graves of my father’s grandparents and old ladies are.

Because most people can only meet the generation of their great-grandfather and have lived with them and have feelings for them, so visiting the grave to pay homage often only ends at the great-grandfather’s place.

There are many reasons, mainly the following reasons:

1: Four generations ago, it was a period of great turmoil in Chinese history, with warlords fighting, the Anti-Japanese War, and the Kuomintang Civil War. , the war against banditry. Because of the war, the people were displaced, displaced and precarious. In order to avoid disaster, they fled everywhere, some fled across provinces, or participated in the revolution and died unexpectedly, were killed by the enemy, or left their hometowns and died unexpectedly. After their death, their bones were buried anywhere. For future generations, where they were buried is unknown. How to worship? So now, many people’s ancestral home is often from other provinces, the time and space span is too large, and they have no genealogy, so they have forgotten where they came from.

2: After China implemented strict family planning, only one child is allowed in cities and two in rural areas. Many families do not have a male child. This is the main reason. In a family with only daughters, after a girl gets married and a few years after her parents pass away, the daughter may often come to visit the tombs and worship, but the generation after the daughter, that is, the grandchildren, are unlikely to come to worship, and the incense will be cut off. .

Three: The reform of China’s funeral system and the people’s awareness of openness are getting stronger and stronger. In the past, people were buried in the ground, and it was a tradition to lay them to rest. After mandatory cremation, the price of cemeteries has become higher and higher, and many people cannot afford it. Many people do not have fixed graves after their death. Secondly, there are endless water burials, tree burials, and sea burials. These do not have fixed tombs, let alone worship.

Every place has its own customs and customs, and as far as we are concerned, they will be preserved from generation to generation. I have been busy sweeping tombs and worshiping ancestors these days. Let me introduce our situation. Our family has been inherited for fifteen generations. The first generation ancestor came from Zhangpu, Fujian. Since my grandfather was still young when he moved to Lufeng, Guangdong, he has not been there since. The above family history cannot be verified.

The first grave sweeping was for the whole family, about 1,600 people, divided into two big houses, with about 800 people on both sides. Every year, about 200 family members are organized to represent the family. , sweep the tombs of our ancestors and pay homage to them. The whole family charges a fee for the tomb-sweeping activities, and some people donate money and materials for the tomb-sweeping activities.

The second time was a tomb-sweeping activity in a separate house. The ancestors of ***, with a total number of about 800 people, also sent about 100 representatives. They also charged ancestor worship fees or had donations. The surplus from materials and expenses is retained as a fund.

The third time is to sweep the grave of the head of the tribe. This is a relatively close family member. For example, my family is all relatives within five generations. Our family has less than a hundred people. This number may be almost Anyone who is available will attend. Fees are also shared.

In addition to the above-mentioned ancestors of the Grand Duke and the Little Duke, it is finally the turn of his own parents. Every year, there is an unwavering tomb-sweeping and ancestor worship activity, which has been passed down from generation to generation to this day.

After living together, you will have feelings. Your parents or grandparents, and your great-grandparents can hardly be seen anymore. If you have any relationship, you can only go to the grave to pay homage to your great-grandfather. I don’t even recognize them anymore. Also, over the years, the rural land has been transferred several times, and some graves can no longer be found.

I don’t know where the ancestral graves are.

Many people may wonder, how come some people don’t know where their ancestral graves are?

No need to be surprised.

Many young people now go to other places to work, not to mention Qingming Festival. They may not be able to go home during the Chinese New Year, and some have not been home for several years. Nowadays, it is the older generation who go to visit the tombs of their ancestors. A hundred years from now, the location of their ancestors’ tombs will no longer be found.

Let’s talk about my family. In the past few years, I will ask to go back during the Qingming Festival. Family members say that when you are busy, you “can’t forget your roots.” Now I can still take you to visit the grave, so you can identify the place. I have an impression and remember the approximate location. From now on, you can take your sons with you and pass it on from generation to generation, remembering as many as you can. Let your ancestors bless you to be successful in everything you do, make a fortune, and send yin money back to yang money.

Don’t talk about old ideas, I think this is inheritance. "Falling leaves return to their roots" will happen to all of us one day. Although it is said that "you don't know what happens after you die," we living people must fulfill our responsibilities.

You know how to say thank you when someone helps you, let alone the person who gave us life!

Be grateful and go home often