How to kowtow and burn incense to pay respect to the deceased? What flowers are suitable for worship?

Every place has different ways of worshipping the deceased. The most common ones are kowtow and burning incense. So how do we kowtow and burn incense when worshipping the deceased? What kind of flowers are suitable for worship? Let’s take a look together.

How to kowtow and burn incense when worshipping the deceased

1. First of all, under normal circumstances, you should hold the incense with your left hand and the candle with your right hand. Of course, if you are left-handed, it is the other way around, because the right hand is the hand that is used most in life. We use our right hand to kill all living things and livestock. Therefore, it is not appropriate to hold incense with your right hand. You should hold it with your left hand.
2. After lighting the incense, you cannot stick it directly into the ground. You need to offer sacrifices and kowtow before you can stick it in front of the grave.
3. There are also many requirements when worshiping and kowtowing. Generally speaking, the correct order is to burn incense, worship, and kowtow. When worshiping ancestors, you need to hold the incense sticks at the bottom with your lower right hand, hold the right hand with your left hand at the top, hold the incense sticks high (higher than your head), bend over to worship, and insert the incense sticks into the ashes. After completing this set of actions, you need to kneel down and kowtow to complete the ceremony.

What flowers are suitable for worship?

1. Chrysanthemum <br/>The most commonly used flowers for worship are chrysanthemums, yellow chrysanthemums and white chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums symbolize remembrance, yearning, and longing, and can be used to express grief for the deceased. The flowering period of chrysanthemums is mostly concentrated in autumn, and the Ghost Festival is also in autumn. If you want to commemorate your deceased relatives and friends, you can use chrysanthemums.
2. White Roses <br/>Roses are used to express love. White roses can also be used in worship and given to deceased relatives to convey inner love and longing.
3. Lily <br/>Most people choose chrysanthemums when offering sacrifices, but some people also choose lilies. White lilies are usually chosen. They represent the hope that the deceased can be happy after rebirth, and can also express respect for the deceased.