Happy Chinese new year to all those who are celebrating. I hope you are having fun and to those who detests this festive season, don’t worry. Just try to endure it and it will be over…eventually.
There are alot of things the typical Chinese observe during the eve of Chinese new year apart from the compulsory reunion dinner.
Among them is praying to the long dead ancestors and the recetly deceased.You are supposed to burn incense and many other praying items made from paper. You are also supposed to bring some food and wine as an offering to the dead during the praying session. I suppose like Ching Ming, this tradition is designed so that the dead is not forgotten during the supposedly happiest and most auspicious time of the year.
I was not aware of this tradition until this year where my husband brought me to the temple and insist that I pray to his ancestor, in which I declined to do as it is against what I believe in.
Now, I have nothing against paying respect to your loved ones who are already dead or recenly deseased, but I do not appreciate being asked to do something against my will or against what I believe in. I do not make a practice of compromising my beliefs and my religion.
To me, your belief, your God, your religion, your practice is yours and mine is mine. Nobody should be made to do something that is against their belief, and everyone should practice that to ensure continuos respect towards each other and maintain harmonious relationship with each other. I never forced anyone to do what I do, and they should also do the same for me in return.
So…in the end I stood aside, bow one time and wait til my husband finish his praying ritual. Did I do the right thing? I don’t know, but I know I did something that doesn’t make me feel guilty or unhappy.
Cleffairy: So, if you’re asked or forced to do something that is against your beliefs, what do you do? Do you explain why you refuse or do you simply go along with it?
ps: Special thanks to my brother in law for being understanding and telling my husband to just pray on my behalf and my son’s behalf at the temple earlier. I’m not sure if I could get out of it if not because of him cuz my husband usually take offense if I don’t do what he asked of me. Thank you. I owe you, bro.:D
We don;t do this… Christians/Catholics do it on All Souls’ Day.
I kno… we observe it on my son’s bday…same day wif Holloween wan. But ours is diferent… no colok to burn.
My Christian cousin would bow to the tablet instead of holding joss-sticks to show respect.
Thk God my husband’s side of family has no such tradition. Or they dare not to ask me to do it? They know I will not tolerate what is against my belief.
Hi Czan. Are you Smallkucing’s friend? Welcome to my blog. š First time here, isn’t it? Apparently a lot of people think that I am a pushover… can ask me to do anything they want without considering my beliefs and my feelings. Fortunately for me, my father in law and my elder brother in law are usually understanding of my reluctance, and respect what i stood for. But then again, they are not always around to help me, so most of the time, I have to fight for what I want. Or silently grumble here. :(It is a sad thing that my husband is rather persuasive on the issue, and more often than not, take offence and thinks I do not respect him and his beliefs whenever I refuse to do as told. š I suppose it’s the ‘give face’ thing. š
Neway, what are you doing up at odd hours? Can’t sleep? LOL!