What are the rules and rituals for visiting new graves?

In many rural areas, the traditional burial custom is still preserved. People visit the graves of their deceased relatives during festivals. There are many rules and regulations for visiting graves, and there are certain time requirements. So what are the requirements for visiting a new grave?

What are the rules for visiting new graves?

The time to visit a new grave must be before the "Spring Festival". There is a saying among the people that a new grave should not be visited before the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival refers to the Spring Festival.

According to folk customs, tomb sweeping for new graves that are less than three years old should be done before the Spring Festival. Visiting the graves of people who have passed away less than three years ago is generally not called tomb sweeping, but called hanging society.
People in southern Sichuan have the custom of visiting new graves. The so-called new grave refers to the first three years after a deceased family member passes away. Relatives, friends, and neighbors must go to the new grave to burn paper money and set off firecrackers. There are rules for visiting new graves. The first year is the first day of the first lunar month, the second year is the second day of the first lunar month, and the third year is the third day of the first lunar month.

In addition, the auspicious day for visiting a new grave can also be chosen on a certain day 10 days before the Qingming Festival.

The rules and rituals of visiting a new grave

1. "Tomb sweeping" and inserting soul-calling banners <br/>According to custom, the first thing to do before the tomb sweeping ceremony begins is to clean the cemetery. It includes "cutting down trees and trimming weeds around the tomb"; repairing the soil of the tomb, writing new inscriptions on the tombstone, etc.
Put the soul-calling banner on the grave.
2. Burn incense and light candles . There are three pillars in front of the tomb, arranged horizontally.
3. Offerings <br/>Place various offerings in order.
4. Toasting <br/>Whether to adopt this step depends on the situation. After the toast, the wine is poured on the tomb passage, which is called "pouring wine".
5. Worship <br/>is carried out in order of seniority.
Offer one or three sticks of incense; light the incense; place it in front of your chest; raise it above your head; insert it into the incense burner. If there are three incense sticks, the first one is usually inserted in the center, the second one is inserted on the right, and the third one is inserted on the left.
Three kowtows or bows;
During the ceremony, one prays silently, either to comfort the ancestors or to ask for protection.
When the ceremony is over, step back 1-3 steps, then turn around and exit the procedure.
6. Set off firecrackers and burn paper money <br/>Burn paper money before worshipping the altar.
Some of the paper money can be burned at nearby graves, or placed on the grave with stones to show greetings to the ancestors and neighbors.
When the incense and candles are about to run out, firecrackers are set off at the tomb passage or nearby to show farewell and remind the ancestors to collect the paper money.
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