ceremony

Tiara 2022-03-24 09:02:01

I don't know when it started, people became obsessed with Kongming lanterns again. On those sunny or cloudy nights, these ancient lamps made of tissue paper fly with mysterious mottos in the clear or chaotic sky. The Chinese are a nation with a strong sense of ritual. The ancestors who are nostalgic for the night sky are keenly aware that these constellations that people can see no matter where they are, have a certain magic power that connects time and space, and invented astronomy to reveal the four seasons and life. relationship, study the weather, be kind to nature, and be convinced that respect and humility are not only a form, but the most profound force in this world. When autumn water arrives, hundreds of rivers fill the river. The great river civilization has nurtured people's collectivism spirit based on the land and benevolent. It's not that we haven't dreamed of the ocean, but we are often fascinated by those things that we can't control, so we can only create ghosts and ghosts that don't exist to fill the sea and show their magical powers. Rivers give people their initial imagination. On the rocks, in the riverbed, between the two banks, there are shadows of rituals everywhere, like the dead. The river that never returns is our understanding of time, an understanding that transcends all nations. Rituals and rituals are the foundation of the Han nation, and even the foundation of people's existence today. Haven't you ever been staring at the erratic Kongming lanterns in the night sky and felt the bright vision of the lanterns? Haven't you tossed and turned chasing the moonlight on the sleepless night of the full moon? People burn paper money to ashes, thinking that it will reach a blissful world with the help of the wind. Kanyu pays attention to ritual, sense of form, and reputation, and classifies others as "things outside the body". This way of thinking is unique. It is difficult to live without these imaginations. From this point of view, the Chinese are full of religion, and they have all the potential to surrender to their beliefs: sincerity and fear, group consciousness, and natural heart.

But do we have our own religion? When answering this question, can you be as full of heartfelt pride as Europeans and Jews?

No, we don't. Is it simply because the motherland is vast in territory, complex in cultural forms, and has a long political history? Cao Cao took advantage of Zhang Lu's metaphysical power to expand his regime, and Qiu Chuji traveled thousands of miles to persuade Genghis Khan to quit killing. But the more fundamental religion of the Chinese is the word "li" that lingers in the night sky. I can really appreciate the piety and awe in the heart of the emperor who stood on the vast land and bowed to the sky. There is nothing more mysterious than this, apocalypse, prophecy and induction, please tell me the name of the dynasty, please speak for my blessings and misfortunes, and take away my humbleness and fear as a human being. The solemnity of heaven and earth has created people's awareness of their own insignificance. Even though they have been mixed in various forms such as strong aggression or slow penetration by Western thought trends, they have not denied the incomparably humble self who lives outside the vast clouds and mists. Moreover, the instinct for humility and comity will never be rejected. Rituals are romantic, and we just can't resist romance. We love birds, and believe that birds are divine revelation and eyes that roam the human world. We never take it lightly when the vegetation is withered and prosperous, and the green grass is a beautiful wait for love and a good harvest. Accepting the coming of the season is a ritual. Accepting birth and death is a ritual. On the New Year's Day of the old lunar calendar, the emperor of the dynasty kept a vigil for his country. The religion of the Chinese nation does not have a clear and credible image. It is neither a combination of Confucianism, Taoism, nor Buddhism, nor a synthesis of all folk customs. It is a ritual, and it is the sky that the first Chinese looked up to when they were born. From the emperor down to the common people, he surrenders to creation and destiny without exception. Why does the tracker sing, and why does the lotus-picking woman sing? The eternal Luoshen gives us the river-like vitality, way of thinking and tenacity of the heart. The best kindness is like water. Our ancestors have provided us with a way of living, that is, loving and caring for life with compassionate and clear eyes, paying attention to blood and family, and taking care of the whole. The overall situation, cherish the famous festival. Therefore, people use clans and tribes as units, and divide grades by clan and status. It is completely different from the West, where citizens are used as units, and grades are divided by duels and elections. We are moving towards a society supported by morality, while the West is moving towards a society constrained by the legal system. In this way, the Chinese still have the potential to establish a certain religion more than Westerners. It is strange that Christianity, which is good at judging the situation, keeps changing itself and becomes a universal value in Western society. Foreigners come to China and discover China one after another. People lack the aspect of faith and see that they pray to ghosts and gods just to avoid disasters. I I finally want to give up the argument that "the Chinese are religious", but why, the trajectories of those constellations often affect my behavior, and their eternal brilliance often makes me imagine destiny? No newspaper has ever told people that the scientific expedition team will fire guns like the emperors of the Qing Dynasty before excavating the tomb, but in the Western movie "The English Patient", we can see the fear of the archaeologist for the soul. What we believe is about life and death and sex, which have always been taboos in China, but I am sure that Chinese people understand these taboos better than any other nation, and even want to realize them. Through traditional Chinese medicine and inner alchemy, the Chinese have made an unprecedented and brave exploration of taboos, and Westerners have to marvel at our understanding and control of the body, which we never talk about. Therefore, it is very secretive on the issue of belief.

I cannot attest to the religiousness of the Chinese, even though it is clear that it exists and has always existed. In my opinion, the most important thing now is to let every Chinese rediscover their inner piety. Urban residents no longer shoot guns, and young people are even more ignorant of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and folk customs, and they are enthusiastically devoted to the material distribution of society. I remember the day when we were young pioneers in the first grade of elementary school, we walked to the playground for unknown reasons and lined up, and the athlete's march sounded. Like other children, I wanted to snicker because of excitement. The teacher repeatedly told me not to speak, and the national anthem was played. We still don’t understand anything, but the ceremony is solemn. At that time, these children must have been full of Chinese instincts, ritual instincts. I don’t know why they are sacred, but they are solemn and pure, which makes me feel bad. I don't know if today's children will shed unprovoked tears when they wear red scarves. Their tears may be more important than their future wealth and status, and maybe the future of this nation.

View more about The Rite reviews

Extended Reading

The Rite quotes

  • Angeline: So you're having a final fling with atheism?

    Michael Kovak: Well, I guess it's more like an ex-girlfriend who keeps coming around.

  • Father Xavier: Tell me, Michael, do you believe in sin?

    Michael Kovak: Yeah, I just don't necessarily believe the devil makes us do it.

    Father Xavier: He that committeth sin is of the devil.

    Michael Kovak: Then that'd be all of us, wouldn't it? And if we're all of the devil, how do we fight him?

Related Articles