A church in China’s northern Shanxi Province held an online interview on "Christians and Tomb Sweeping Festival" between three pastors in the form of a tea party.
Rev. Huang Hailin of Yaodu District Church in Linfen City on March 31 introduced the custom of "Tianshe" (sacrifice to the God of the land) in his hometown in China’s northwestern Qinghai Province during the Qingming Festival which falls on April 5 this year. Later, Pastor Wang Shuai talked about the tradition of ancestor worship in Shanxi based on his own life experiences, pointing out the differences between the southern and northern areas of the province.
Afterward, Pastor Guo Lingquan shared the history of the Qingming Festival (or Tomb Sweeping Day) and the origin of the Cold Food Festival, citing the allusions of Jin nobleman Jie Zitui and Duke Wen of Jin.
Then these three pastors discussed ancestor worship and filial piety in the Bible. By discussing the three topics of "fear of ghosts", "pray for the shelter of ancestors" and "the inheritance of Confucian filial piety culture", Rev. Huang explained the history of ancestor veneration in China, as well as the interpretation of the spirit in the Bible and the teaching of Jesus and apostles on honoring our parents.
Two of these pastors said the Bible mentions many times that people sacrificed offerings to God and that the object of sacrificial worship is God. However, tomb sweeping in China is only to express respect and yearning for the deceased ancestors through offering sacrifices and sweeping. They stated it was due to cultural differences, not referring to religious properties in an objective sense.
Then, focusing on the theme of "cultural diversity", looking back on the introduction of Christianity into China, they shared the Chinese Rites Controversy between missionaries and the domestic ruling class during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, encouraging contemporary Christians to explore a path of harmony and communion in the integration of religion and culture.
At the same time, these pastors also offered some practical suggestions, such as presenting flowers and bowing and revising genealogy to inspire younger generations by their ancestors’ deeds. They said these things were what Christians could do and what they were encouraged to do.
In the end, two pastors hoped that while remembering their ancestors, Christians could be grateful for the resurrection of Jesus with prayers for their spiritual revival, as Easter comes 12 days after Tomb Sweeping Day.
Tomb Sweeping Day originated from the Cold Food Festival (or Smoke-Banning Day) which falls on April 3-5 this year. The Cold Food Festival developed from the commemoration of the death of Jie Zitui who was loyal to the Duke Wen of Jin(born Chong’er) in the 7th century BC. During Chong’er’s 19 years of exile, Jie followed the prince, even cutting off the flesh from his thigh to make soup for Chong’er.
After the Duke of Jin was reinstated as King, he remembered that he promised a great reward to Jie who had retired to Mount Mian with his mother. Without finding him in the forests, the duke let someone set a forest fire to force them out after listening to his advisors, leaving the two people to burn to death inside the mountain.
In order to commemorate Jie, Duke Wen of Jin ordered a period of the prohibition against fire even when people cook food around the Qingming Solar term. But ancestral veneration overshadowed the stories of JieZhitui, so most people only observe Qingming Festival now, according to Wikipedia.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
清明节来临之际，3月31日晚，山西临汾尧都区基督教会举行了“基督徒与清明节”主题线上访谈活动。以茶话会形式进行了交流分享。
黄海林牧师介绍起了家乡青海在清明节期间的“田社”风俗(田社:古代奉祀田神的处所)。随后，王帅传道也围绕自己的生活见闻介绍了山西当地的祭祖风俗，并指出了晋南与晋北地区方式的差异。
随后，郭灵泉传道以晋国时期忠臣介子推与晋文公的典故为引，向大家讲述了清明节的历史渊源与寒食习俗的由来。
在第三部分中，三位牧者同工共同围绕“圣经中的祭祖与孝道”展开了探讨，黄牧师首先从“对死去灵魂的惧怕”“祈求先祖荫庇”以及“儒家孝文化的传承”三方面，向大家阐述了中国人祭祖习俗的原因，并由此引申出了圣经对于灵魂的解释以及主耶稣和使徒们对于孝道的教导。
期间，两位传道也进行了补充，同时向大家表明：尽管圣经中也多次提到“祭祀”，但其对象均为上帝，而圣经也讲到，“祭”的核心是敬拜与侍奉主。而中国的上坟祭扫风俗，只是希望通过祭扫方式，表达对逝去先人的缅怀与思念，其从客观意义上讲并不包含宗教性质，属于文化层面的差异。
接着，围绕“文化差异”这一主题，三位同工共同回望了基督宗教传入中国历史，向观众梳理了明清时期传教士与国内统治阶层的“中西礼仪之争”的来龙去脉，并鼓励当代基督徒应当在信仰与文化的交融中探索出一条和谐共融的道路。
与此同时，三位同工还从具体行动层面向大家提出了几点建议，如可以献花鞠躬，也可以倡导修订家谱，整理先人遗留，传给后辈，追述祖先事迹，激励后辈等。这些事情基督徒可以做，也是鼓励做的。
最后，两位传道也补充道，由于清明节与复活节时间相近，也希望诸位基督徒能够在缅怀先祖的同时，感恩记念耶稣基督为我们死而复活，并对复活的盼望献上默想祷告。
清明节来历：介子推对他的主君重耳十分忠心。当重耳因王位受到威胁而在外流亡之时，他割肉奉君以缓解重耳的饥饿。
晋文公向介子推允诺重赏，可当他在十九年之后重登王位之时，却忘记自己的承诺。而当他终于记起时，介子推已经与母亲一起归隐山林。晋文公的手下奉命搜寻介子推可却一无所获；在大臣的建议下，晋文公下令放火烧山以逼出介子推。不幸的是，晋文公再没能找到介子推，因为他与母亲一起被烧死在了山中。
为了纪念他的忠诚，晋文公下令三日不得生火；在此期间，只能吃冷食，寒食节也就由此得名。
寒食节是如何变成清明节的起源呢？
一年后，晋文公重返山林，发现火烧之后的柳树死而复活。
于是，他下令将寒食节的后一天作为清明节，用以纪念逝者。之后两个节日慢慢变成一体，而在今天中国人通常只庆祝清明节
http://www.fuyinshibao.cn/article/index/id/61817
山西临汾尧都区基督教会举行“基督徒与清明节”主题线上访谈活动
A church in China’s northern Shanxi Province held an online interview on "Christians and Tomb Sweeping Festival" between three pastors in the form of a tea party.
Rev. Huang Hailin of Yaodu District Church in Linfen City on March 31 introduced the custom of "Tianshe" (sacrifice to the God of the land) in his hometown in China’s northwestern Qinghai Province during the Qingming Festival which falls on April 5 this year. Later, Pastor Wang Shuai talked about the tradition of ancestor worship in Shanxi based on his own life experiences, pointing out the differences between the southern and northern areas of the province.
Afterward, Pastor Guo Lingquan shared the history of the Qingming Festival (or Tomb Sweeping Day) and the origin of the Cold Food Festival, citing the allusions of Jin nobleman Jie Zitui and Duke Wen of Jin.
Then these three pastors discussed ancestor worship and filial piety in the Bible. By discussing the three topics of "fear of ghosts", "pray for the shelter of ancestors" and "the inheritance of Confucian filial piety culture", Rev. Huang explained the history of ancestor veneration in China, as well as the interpretation of the spirit in the Bible and the teaching of Jesus and apostles on honoring our parents.
Two of these pastors said the Bible mentions many times that people sacrificed offerings to God and that the object of sacrificial worship is God. However, tomb sweeping in China is only to express respect and yearning for the deceased ancestors through offering sacrifices and sweeping. They stated it was due to cultural differences, not referring to religious properties in an objective sense.
Then, focusing on the theme of "cultural diversity", looking back on the introduction of Christianity into China, they shared the Chinese Rites Controversy between missionaries and the domestic ruling class during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, encouraging contemporary Christians to explore a path of harmony and communion in the integration of religion and culture.
At the same time, these pastors also offered some practical suggestions, such as presenting flowers and bowing and revising genealogy to inspire younger generations by their ancestors’ deeds. They said these things were what Christians could do and what they were encouraged to do.
In the end, two pastors hoped that while remembering their ancestors, Christians could be grateful for the resurrection of Jesus with prayers for their spiritual revival, as Easter comes 12 days after Tomb Sweeping Day.
Tomb Sweeping Day originated from the Cold Food Festival (or Smoke-Banning Day) which falls on April 3-5 this year. The Cold Food Festival developed from the commemoration of the death of Jie Zitui who was loyal to the Duke Wen of Jin(born Chong’er) in the 7th century BC. During Chong’er’s 19 years of exile, Jie followed the prince, even cutting off the flesh from his thigh to make soup for Chong’er.
After the Duke of Jin was reinstated as King, he remembered that he promised a great reward to Jie who had retired to Mount Mian with his mother. Without finding him in the forests, the duke let someone set a forest fire to force them out after listening to his advisors, leaving the two people to burn to death inside the mountain.
In order to commemorate Jie, Duke Wen of Jin ordered a period of the prohibition against fire even when people cook food around the Qingming Solar term. But ancestral veneration overshadowed the stories of JieZhitui, so most people only observe Qingming Festival now, according to Wikipedia.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Virtual Interview on ‘Christians and Tomb Sweeping Festival’ Hosted in Shanxi Church
