Ancestor worship custom (Xiasha ancestor worship)

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: ancestor worship custom (Xiasha ancestor worship)

Applicant: Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province

Item No.: 997

Project No.: Ⅹ - 90

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Guangdong Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province

Protection unit: Shenzhen Shatou Xiasha Industrial Co., Ltd

A brief introduction to the custom of ancestor worship (Xiasha ancestor worship)

Applicant: Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province

Xiasha ancestor worship is a traditional ritual activity of Huang family in Xiasha village, Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province. Xiasha village is across the river from Hong Kong. The villagers all have the surname of Huang. There are about 3000 descendants of Huang from Xiasha living abroad. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Huang Mo Tang, the first ancestor of the Huang family in Xiasha, a Hakka, ran over kaijili village. His tomb was built in 1248, the eighth year of Chunyou in Southern Song Dynasty. Huangsigongshi ancestral hall, the ninth ancestor of the present generation, was built in the Ming Dynasty. Huang's genealogy contains family precepts. The third one is "heavy sacrifice", which says: "water comes from the source, wood has its roots, and people have their heart. They should set up ancestral halls and set up sacrificial products. In spring and autumn, our people should gather in ancestral halls and hold ceremonies to carry forward the virtue of benevolence and filial piety and eliminate the idea of stupidity."

Xiasha ancestor worship is divided into spring and Autumn Festival, spring festival only worship ancestral temple, autumn festival worship ancestral temple and ancestral tomb. The tomb of Xiasha ancestor was built in Chunyou period of Southern Song Dynasty, and the ancestral temple was built in Ming Dynasty. When worshiping the ancestral hall, the old people over 60 wear long clothes to kneel down and knock nine times in the middle hall. Then the eldest son, clan leader and clan leader of Changfang come to the main hall in turn to make the first, second and third sacrifices, read out the sacrifice, and then the descendants come to worship in groups. Overseas Xiasha residents also send their representatives back to participate in ancestor worship activities every year. During the period of ancestor worship, people held dragon dance, lion dance, Cantonese opera performances, and big pot vegetable banquet at the same time.

The project is of great significance for inheriting the fine traditions of the Chinese nation, enhancing the cohesion of the community, and strengthening the close ties with overseas Chinese and compatriots from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. At the same time, it also has the value of folklore research.