Kowtow: What you kneel down is respect, and what you knock down is gratitude.

? There are many customs and manners in Chinese New Year, and kowtowing is one of them. Speaking of kowtowing, my thoughts returned to my childhood memories. In my opinion, kowtowing is one of the things that must be done in the New Year. Grandparents used to be a big family in the town, and they had a lot of manners, and kowtowing was even more essential. Every year, on the eve of New Year's Eve, my father takes my brother and me to kowtow to my grandparents to say goodbye. On the first day of the New Year, my father also takes us to kowtow to my grandparents to welcome the New Year. At that time, I was less than three years old, and my memory was vague. I completely forgot my grandfather's voice and appearance, but my awe of my grandparents still fills my heart.

? The second is to kowtow to grandma. My grandfather died when my mother was eight. It was my grandmother who brought up my mother and her brothers and sisters. Because my parents have been busy doing business, my brother and I grew up with my grandmother when we were young. My eyes are always wet when I mention grandma. Grandma seldom talks every day, but no matter what happens, she will look at me with loving eyes and protect me tightly with her thin body, so that I am no longer afraid. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, what I yearn for most is to go back to my grandmother's house. Early the next morning, my brother and I went to my grandmother's and uncle's house to pay a New Year call with gifts that my parents had already prepared. Every time I kowtow to my grandmother, she always says, stop kowtowing, the floor is dirty, and don't dirty new clothes. I don't know why, the more she said that, the louder I knocked, and the more I lay on the ground and didn't want to get up. Grandma would quickly pull my brother and me up and quietly put 2 yuan lucky money into my brother's hand or the pocket of new clothes (at that time, my grandchildren and nephews added up to more than 20, and grandma always gave us the most lucky money). My brother and I are as sweet as honey, not to mention happiness.

? Then kowtow to your parents. Every New Year's Eve, as soon as the reunion dinner is finished, my parents will look at us with a smile. I know it's time to give lucky money. So I quickly kowtowed to my parents to pay New Year's greetings, and my father would give my brother and me a wrapped red envelope, telling us to study hard in the new year. After kowtowing and handing out red envelopes, the family sat around the TV to watch the Spring Festival Gala. Later, I grew up slowly. I don't know when I stopped kowtowing to my parents during the Spring Festival. I just said Happy New Year to my parents. Parents don't care, just give us red envelopes. Every year, I always feel that something is missing and I can't say it.

? Over time, I feel that I have become a good wife and mother, and the ceremony of kowtowing in the New Year is getting farther and farther away from me. Grandparents have long since passed away, and their parents are far away from home. Every spring festival, they just call to say hello, and even dare not say a few words, for fear that their parents will be worried because of the flood of thoughts. Every Spring Festival is spent with my in-laws, who are simple and unpretentious. We have lived together for 13 years, and I have never kowtowed to my parents. First, I am not used to it, and second, I feel embarrassed. Therefore, the Spring Festival every year is spent in a few greetings.

? During my two years at home full-time, I was lucky enough to study Chinese medicine, and was influenced and baptized by classics. Zhu Dexiao comes first. Inspired by Teacher Jia Yuan's bowing down to my parents, I always wanted to find an opportunity to bow down to my parents' in-laws to show my gratitude, but I never had the courage to face it. One day before the Spring Festival, I quietly told my husband and son this idea. I didn't expect them to agree with me, which strengthened my confidence and waited for the arrival of New Year's Eve.

? On New Year's Eve, as in previous years, my father-in-law, my husband and my son are in charge of ancestor worship. During the Spring Festival, my mother-in-law and I are at home preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. The difference is that I am a little more careful this year, that is, how to bow to my in-laws. Will it be awkward at the scene? What if they don't let me knock? What should I say? Will children laugh at me? ..... I imagined n possibilities in my mind. It's finally time to kowtow. First, my father-in-law led her husband and son to bow down to the land god and the god of wealth respectively. Then the husband and son kowtowed to their in-laws and said good years. It's almost my turn, and I suddenly feel a little overwhelmed. At the critical moment, my son quietly gave me an encouraging look, so I sat my in-laws down and said I would kowtow to them. I can see that my in-laws are still a little surprised. When I bow down to my in-laws, my mood is complicated and all kinds of tastes suddenly come to my mind. Think of the excitement and surprise when I first called my parents-in-law in the autumn of 2002. Thought of 13 years of in-laws selfless dedication to our small family and no regrets: breakfast on time every morning, hot meals every night no matter how late; Warm reminder when the weather changes suddenly, warm ginger soup when it is cold; Care and care for my son in every possible way, treat me as my daughter's love and affection ... I have also thought about many times that I have made the old man angry because of my ignorance and arrogance. I'm really sorry, my in-laws. I really wronged you. I had prepared a lot to say, but because of excitement and nervousness, I simply said a few words. My in-laws quickly let me get up and give us red envelopes. In this way, my first kowtow to my in-laws ended. There was no unexpected shock, but it also made my heart restless for a long time.

? Kowtow means "kowtow" in classical Chinese and "kowtow" in vernacular Chinese. As a traditional etiquette in China, it is an indispensable lesson in China's 5,000-year-old civilized etiquette. Seemingly simple, in fact, simple kowtow contains rich meanings. You should kneel before kowtowing, and then touch your head on the ground. This is the most primitive form of a person in his mother's womb, and it is also the most authentic human nature. It is a year to reproduce the original heart! However, too many modern urbanites around me, like me, lack the washing of this lesson, and some even think that kowtowing in New Year's greetings is feudal superstition and moral kidnapping. In this regard, I want to say that we don't understand the meaning of "year". 2008 is really an amazing traditional culture in China, which has nothing to do with people's wealth, wealth and scarcity. At the moment of kowtowing to the elders, at the moment of bowing down, all arrogance is gone, which comes from inner awe, piety, gratitude and blessing ... kowtowing is a complete release of body and mind. Kowtowing, kneeling is respect, knocking is gratitude.

? Since then, I have had an expectation and respect for the New Year.