What is the cultural significance of the ancestral temple?

Ancestral temple is a symbol of family or clan power and economy and culture. Ancestral hall culture is a profound traditional knowledge system, which has been greatly developed during thousands of years of feudal rule in China. Ancestral genealogy culture, China chronicle national history and local chronicles constitute the three major mainstream cultures of China traditional culture. During thousands of years of feudal rule in China, clan regional groups and family blood organizations played an important role in assisting and supplementing the feudal legal system and maintaining the stability of feudal rule, and were important auxiliary means for rulers of past dynasties to govern and safeguard the country.

After the Tang and Song Dynasties, these families and clan organizations became more and more strict, which restricted and standardized the thoughts and behaviors of ethnic groups, families and individuals to a certain extent and played a role in stabilizing society to a certain extent. The foundation of this superstructure is of course the traditional culture itself.

"Historical Records" said: "Heaven and earth are the foundation of life; Ancestors are the foundation of class; Jun and Shi are also the foundation of governance. " "Therefore, the ceremony is to go to heaven, go down to the tunnel, and respect the ancestors as teachers, which is the third ceremony." And "the gift of reporting books is the most important." Sacrifice is a national event of the ancients and is listed as the first of the five ancient rites. It is also an important part of ancestral temple culture, with various etiquette programs. As a result, rich and colorful traditional cultures such as etiquette and sacrifice appeared in national history, local chronicles and genealogy. In addition, Zhao Zhong Temple carries forward the patriotic spirit of "respecting virtue and loyalty", commemorating the loyal ministers who have served the country, Sages and Zhongcheng Temple carry forward the spirit of serving the country and the people, as well as loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness, which are all included in this unique cultural category. China was a hierarchical society in ancient times, and the best embodiment of this hierarchical gap was the sacrifice to ancestors. The ancestral temple is the blood of the clan and a symbol of its rise and fall. Therefore, emperors and generals of past dynasties regarded ancestral halls as symbols of state rights and pillars of ruling the people. Therefore, it is the privilege of the royal family to build ancestral temples.

Originally published on Genealogy. com: