OBS Chapter 19 Qingming Festival
Chapter 19 Qingming Festival
Time flies by in the blink of an eye.
Two days have passed since Xiao Siyue went to the river to eat melons. It was later learned that Ma Lanhua and Liu Damei both caught colds after falling into the water. The two families were unwilling to let the matter rest, so the village chief had to step in to resolve it.
This was just a minor incident for Xiao Siyue, and it didn't really concern her.
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Tomorrow is Qingming Festival.
Qingming Festival is a very important day. In Xiaojia Village, people not only sweep tombs but also pay respects to their ancestors. Therefore, the Xiao family members are busy preparing for tomorrow's needs.
Early in the morning, Grandpa Xiao instructed Xiao Qili to go to town to buy incense, candles, and white paper, as well as some colored paper. He planned to make paper money, gold ingots, and other paper decorations.
They also bought meat, pastries, and other food items to use when visiting the graves.
In the evening, the Xiao family sat together by the dim candlelight to cut paper money and make gold ingots. Because there were many people in the family, they finished in no time.
On Qingming Festival, before dawn, everyone in the Xiao family was already up. The entire Xiao family was home today, the school was closed for the day, and the Xiao family's grandchildren were also at home.
"Mom, you're up so early!" Xiao Siyue heard the pattering sounds outside and was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open.
"Yue'er, if you're sleepy, go back to sleep. It's still early, we'll go later." Lin Qin saw that her daughter was still asleep and couldn't bear to wake her. They got up so early because they needed to prepare food first.
"No, Mother, I'm getting up too. I can't sleep anymore." Although Xiao Siyue was sleepy, she was already awake and didn't plan to go back to sleep.
After washing up, she went to the kitchen and ate the breakfast her grandmother had specially made for her. Then she took a small stool and sat at the kitchen doorway, watching the women in the family busy at work.
After cooking the meat she bought, Zhao Yindi also made some noodles, and she was busy for an hour.
Grandpa Xiao first led the Xiao family to the village ancestral hall to worship their ancestors.
When we arrived at the ancestral hall, we found that there were already many people waiting there.
The Xiao family's ancestral worship ceremony was arranged by the clan head. Before long, an elderly man in his seventies, with a weathered face and a full head of white hair, but tall and dignified, walked towards the ancestral hall with a cane, followed by the village head's family.
The old man's name is Xiao Yunzhong. He is the current patriarch of the Xiao family and is eighty years old this year. However, he is in good spirits and walks with a steady gait, showing no signs of old age. Xiao Yunzhong is the oldest elder in Xiao Family Village. According to the family hierarchy, he is of the same generation as Xiao Siyue's great-grandfather.
This clan chief is also the village chief's father. If nothing unexpected happens, the next clan chief will be the current village chief after he retires.
As he entered the ancestral hall, everyone bowed to him, expressing their respect. He smiled and nodded in response, then went inside to preside over the ancestral worship ceremony.
He first lit incense, then respectfully bowed to the ancestral tablets, before turning around to face the crowd outside the ancestral hall.
"The ancestral worship ceremony begins!" the clan chief commanded in a loud voice, and a large group of Xiao family members knelt down in front of the ancestral hall.
The Xiao family's ancestral worship ceremony is conducted according to seniority. Those kneeling at the front are all from the clan head's generation. Their expressions are solemn and dignified, representing the elders and authority of the family.
Next, people of Grandpa Xiao's generation knelt in the second row, also filled with reverence.
After all the clansmen knelt in neat rows, the clan chief proclaimed, "Ancestors above, the descendants of the Xiao clan have come today to worship, praying for the prosperity of our family and the peace and health of our descendants!"
After the clan chief finished speaking, everyone performed the three-kowtow ceremony to express their respect for their ancestors.
Then we offer incense to the ancestral tablets.
Only the first two rows of people are allowed to offer incense; the rest are exempt. However, Xiao Qinian is an exception. This is a special privilege reserved for scholars. He is the only scholar in the Xiao family of this generation and is the pride of the family, so naturally he is required to offer incense to the ancestors.
Xiao Qinian rose and entered the ancestral hall. Looking at the ancestral tablets of the Xiao family, a sense of awe welled up in his heart. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and slowly walked to the offering table, lighting three incense sticks. Then he devoutly bowed three times, placed the incense sticks inside, and silently prayed that his ancestors would bless him so that he could pass the imperial examination and become a scholar.
Although Xiao Siyue had been in this world for five years, this was her first time participating in the ancestral worship ceremony. She had missed it before because she was too young and sometimes she was sick. This time, she was shocked. Was this what a family was? In her previous life, she was an orphan with no family. Suddenly, it seemed as if a force was guiding her, making her feel close and warm.
Looking at the solemn and sacred scene before her, Xiao Siyue felt a strong sense of belonging welling up inside her. She realized that she was no longer a lonely individual, but had a family and relatives.
After the ancestral worship ceremony, the Xiao family went home to get the prepared paper money and food, and then went with their grandfather to the Xiao family ancestral graves. The Xiao family ancestral graves are located on the hill behind Xiaojia Village, covering a large area, where several generations of the Xiao family have been buried.
Grandpa Xiao led the younger generation of the Xiao family to their family's tombstone, placed the incense, candles, and snacks they had brought next to the tombstone, and then inserted the cut paper into the grave. The paper is meant to indicate that the grave has descendants, so it is an essential part of the Qingming Festival tomb sweeping.
After Grandpa Xiao led the three Xiao brothers to clear the weeds from the grave, everyone knelt down in front of the grave and burned the paper money they had brought for their ancestors.
As he burned paper money, Old Master Xiao murmured, "Father, your son has come to see you. Please live well over there. This is your son's filial offering to you. If you ever run out of money in the future, you must appear in my dreams."
On their way back after the tomb sweeping, the Xiao family ran into the village chief.
"Dayong, it's time to go back." The village chief greeted Grandpa Xiao.
"Yes, the village chief is going back too." After exchanging a few pleasantries, the village chief looked directly at Xiao Qinian.
"Is Qi Ren planning to participate in this year's autumn imperial examination?"
“Yes, village chief.” Xiao Qinian still respected the village chief.
"Good, good," the village chief said twice. For the past few years, the village chief had almost thought that Xiao Qinian had no intention of continuing to take the imperial examinations, and he had always felt very regretful. After all, Xiao Qinian was the most promising and talented young man in their Xiao family. If he could become an official in the future, it would be an honor for the Xiao family.
"If you need anything, just come to me. I'll help you if I can," the village chief said, patting Xiao Qinian on the shoulder with a look of satisfaction.
"Yes, village chief, thank you, I will," Xiao Qinian said gratefully to the village chief.
He always knew the expectations of the Xiao family, so he would work hard to not disappoint them and to ensure he had no regrets.