The millennium tradition of ancestor worship is now being celebrated again

October 08, 2024

Lin Ling of Putian in the Tang Dynasty, grandson of Lord Tao and nephew of Jiu Mu, was famous for his filial piety. Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty granted him the construction of double pavilions to honor his family. Lin Ling became a model of "filial piety at home" for the Chinese Lin family. He was the first celebrity in Putian to be written into the Twenty-Four Histories and was respected by officials and relatives of the Lin family in all dynasties.

The 2024 World Quexia Lin Clan Ancestor Worship Ceremony was held grandly at the "Tang Ganlu Lin" Xiaoyi Square in the Fenghuang Mountain Scenic Area of Putian on the morning of October 6, 2024. Lin Zechun, Chairman of the Fujian Lin Clan Committee, attended and served as the main priest. With flower baskets, Lin Xiaozi main flag, Xiaoxing Kaixian sail flag, Tang suit etiquette... In front of the tomb of Lin Gongzhong, the Ministry of Revenue of Tang, the Quexia Lin clan members reverently paid homage, worshipped and burned incense . Xiaoyi Square was filled with a strong atmosphere of "grateful to ancestors and promoting filial piety", presenting the auspicious sign of "Ganlu descended three times and white crows gathered again".

On the evening of October 5, the banquet hall of Putian Oriental International Hotel was packed with family reunions. Lin Jinting, Vice President and Secretary General of Putian Lin's Committee and Chairman of Quexia Council, and former Deputy Mayor of Putian Municipal People's Government and Honorary Chairman of Putian Lin's Committee delivered speeches.

Lin Zechun, former deputy director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Fujian Province, spoke on behalf of the Lin Committee of the Fujian Surname Origin Research Association. He first expressed warm congratulations on the successful holding of the ancestral worship ceremony and summit forum. He said that the Lin family in Quexia is like a towering tree, with its roots deeply rooted in the thick soil of history. Loyalty and filial piety are the foundation, self-cultivation and moral integrity are the foundation, the family has stepped out of the broad road in the wilderness of history, and established a towering monument of the family's noble character on the stage of society. Ancestor worship is a dialogue with the souls of ancestors and a journey of gratitude across time and space. Every year and every sacrifice is a tracing of the roots of the family, a reinforcement of the family's cohesion, and a heritage of the family's values. The World Lin Family Origin Culture Summit Forum is like a bridge, connecting the past and the present, and communicating with the branches of the family in various places. Explore the origins of the Lin family, share the family's stories, exchange the family's culture, collide with sparks of wisdom in the forum, and jointly draw a new chapter in the development of Lin's culture. He hopes that in today's globalized world, the Lin family is like a giant ship sailing on the waves of the times. It should use the spirit of its ancestors as a sail to move forward firmly in the wind and rain; use the unity of the family as an oar to work together in the waves; and use the inherited culture as a rudder to find the right direction in the process of moving forward. No matter where in the world, the Lin clan members should strengthen unity, cooperate with each other, promote the continuous development of the family, add infinite glory to the family, and pass on the family's fine qualities.