https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-143-One-Height-Hides-Five-Ugliness/12849258/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-145-Paying-Respects-to-a-Deceased-Wife/12849260/
Chapter 144: Different Customs
Chapter 144: Different Customs
After the home visit, the groom’s family typically consults a geomancer to choose an auspicious date. This date is then sent to the bride’s family by a matchmaker. This process usually takes no more than three days.
On the third day after Ou Guohua's home visit, Deng Shirong brought the date chosen by the geomancer from the Deng Changyuan family to Poxin Village.
Upon arriving in Poxin Village, Deng Shirong, as usual, first visited his in-laws' home. Since he had brought a whole pig’s hind leg just a few days ago, he didn’t bring any meat this time. Instead, he brought three packages of sweets and pastries: one for his in-laws, one for Ou Guohua’s family, and one for Ou Guofang’s family.
After sitting for a few minutes at his in-laws' home, Deng Shirong headed over to Ou Guohua’s place.
After exchanging pleasantries and waiting for Ou’s mother to receive the date, Deng Shirong turned to Ou Guohua, who was listening in, and said, "Ahua, take me to your sister Fang’s place. I’ve found a suitable match for her, and I want to see if her parents are satisfied."
Ou Guohua’s eyes lit up with joy. She quickly asked, "Uncle Jiushu, is the match you found for Sister Fang also from Naye Village?"
Deng Shirong smiled and replied, "Not from Naye Village, but from the neighboring village, Yangdishapo. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from our home."
Ou Guohua was excited. "That’s great! Uncle Jiushu, follow me. Sister Fang’s house isn’t far from ours."
Ou Guohua’s parents were also pleased. Since their daughter had already decided to marry into Naye Village, it would be a good thing to have another relative there.
"Relatives, I’ll go ahead."
"Sure, Uncle Jiushu, go ahead and take care of it!"
After the pleasantries, Deng Shirong, led by Ou Guohua, made his way to Ou Guofang’s home.
"Fang, Uncle Jiushu is here!"
Ou Guofang was sitting by the door, mending a piece of clothing. Hearing her cousin’s call, she looked up.
Seeing Deng Shirong, she immediately put down her work and stood up, her face beaming with surprise. "Uncle Jiushu!"
Deng Shirong smiled and nodded. "Ahfang, you’re mending clothes?"
"Yes, my brother’s shirt has a hole, so I’m fixing it for him."
Ou Guofang then picked up the water pipe and offered it to him. "Uncle Jiushu, have a smoke."
In modern times, the first thing you do when a guest arrives is to boil water and make tea. But in this era, offering a water pipe is the best way to show hospitality.
Deng Shirong took the water pipe. "I just had a few pipes at Ahua’s place."
As they talked, Ou Guofang’s parents heard the commotion and came out.
After the introductions and pleasantries, Deng Shirong got to the main point. "Relatives, I’m here today to introduce a match for your daughter Ahfang."
Even though Ou Guofang had been mentally prepared, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of excitement. She had been waiting for this news for a long time. Watching her best friends get engaged and have home visits, she had been growing increasingly anxious.
Her desire to get married was growing stronger every day.
Now, it was finally her turn, and the matchmaker was Uncle Jiushu. The match he found for her was likely from the same village, which made her very hopeful.
Ou Guofang’s parents knew of Deng Shirong as a matchmaker. After all, he was already well-known in Poxin Village, and they had heard many stories about him from their daughter. So, when Deng Shirong said he was there to introduce a match for their daughter, they were not at all surprised.
Mr. Guo Fang asked, "Uncle Jiu, is the groom from your village?"
"He's from the village next to mine, just a few minutes' walk from my house," Uncle Jiu replied.
Then, Deng Shirong gave a brief introduction of Deng Changdong and his family, concluding, "This young man has a gentle and amiable personality, with a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility. He's a man you can trust for a lifetime.
Though his family's current situation isn't the best, with their current development, I believe it will improve soon.
If Ah Fang marries him, she should be able to live a good life."
Mr. and Mrs. Guo Fang nodded in agreement, not doubting a word Deng Shirong said. After all, their daughter and Deng Shirong's daughter-in-law had grown up together as close friends. They knew they could trust him.
Mr. Guo Fang and Mrs. Guo Fang exchanged a glance and said, "Uncle Jiu, we trust your judgment."
"Since you have no objections, shall I arrange for them to meet?"
"That's fine, we have no objections."
After getting the approval from Mr. and Mrs. Guo Fang, Deng Shirong set the time and place for the meeting. He then smoked a few pipes before taking his leave.
...
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, is one of the most significant ancestral worship festivals in Chinese culture.
Given China's long history and vast territory, customs vary widely from region to region.
In Bobai County, tomb sweeping is often referred to as "shoveling the mountain" or "hanging paper."
The term "shoveling the mountain" comes from the fact that most graves in Bobai County are situated on hills. Each year, when people visit the graves, they bring tools to clear the weeds and grass. Since this task takes the longest time during the worship, the act of tomb sweeping is called "shoveling the mountain."
Because the graves are on hills, they are also known as "grave hills" or simply "hills," making "shoveling the mountain" a natural and vivid way to describe the activity. This term is both descriptive and easy to understand, reflecting the local culture.
The term "hanging paper" refers to a Bobai Hakka custom where a small straw hat is placed on top of the grave and a piece of yellow paper is pressed down on it.
The placement of the yellow paper is also significant. If the grave belongs to a man, the paper is placed vertically. If it belongs to a woman, the paper is placed horizontally.
Additionally, around the grave, strips of yellow paper, about 30 centimeters long and 8 centimeters wide, are placed at intervals of 60 to 80 centimeters, with six strips on each side.
Therefore, in Bobai County, tomb sweeping is also known as "hanging paper."
There is also the term "paying respects to the mountain," which is another vivid and descriptive name for the activity.
Tomb sweeping generally takes place within the 15 days from the Spring Equinox to the Qingming Festival. However, for new graves, the ritual is performed before the Spring Equinox.
Grave hills are also categorized into family graves and public graves.
Family graves refer to those within the immediate family, typically within the fifth generation.
Public graves are for ancestors beyond the fifth generation.
In regions with strong clan ties, the rituals for ancestor worship are more elaborate. Bobai County, with its strong clan culture, sees many people return home for the Qingming Festival, no matter where they are.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
