《清明》
──清明前後，點瓜種豆
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春季，為四季之首，最適合規劃耕種與春遊，人們對於春季特別重視，亦是節日最多的時節。在春光明媚的三四月裡，華人社會最重視的春季節俗就屬「清明節」掃墓祭祖了，今年的清明時間是在西曆4月4日，太陽到達黃經15°時。
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清明既是節日也是節氣。作為節氣，《歲時百問》有此說法：「萬物生長此時，皆清潔而明淨。故謂之清明。」清明與農業生產有著密不可分的關係，所以也有「清明前後，點瓜種豆」的農諺出現。
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點瓜種豆的農諺出現反映了農業社會對農事的重視，清明在春分後十五日，這時是氣溫開始升高的季節，雨量也開始豐沛了起來，正是春耕種植的大好時節。清風至、春雨增、萬物齊發，最適合農作物生長，農人會搶在此時播種移苗、點瓜種豆，到處都能見到春耕繁忙的景象。
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在文化上，清明節同時也匯入了中國人慎終追遠的文化底蘊，掃墓祭祖的節俗裡有著血緣的傳承與孝道的精神。在這一天若能誠心念佛將功德迴向給先人，並為祖先至親在佛前點一盞吉祥光明的燈，祈請佛菩薩以光明為先人照亮前路，就是對祖先最好的回報與供養，歡迎大家在這一天來禪堂供燈念佛，借助佛光的加持，使先人得到神佛接引，同時庇佑供燈人得到平安吉祥。
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“Ching Ming”
─ Ching Ming, a time to grow melons and plant beans
Spring, being the first of the four seasons, is deemed to be the most important by many people. It is also the season with the largest number of festivals. For these reasons, early spring is the best time to be making plans of what to cultivate in the fields, and also which places to visit during the festivals. To the Chinese community, the most important spring festival that falls in the beautiful months of March and April is the Ching Ming (also commonly known as “Qing Ming”) festival. This is the festival during which the Chinese pay their respects to their ancestors. This year’s Qing Ming festival – which occurs when the sun reaches 15 degrees of the celestial longitude – falls on the 4th day of the 4th month in the Gregorian calendar.
Other than being a festival, Ching Ming is also one of the twenty-four solar terms. There is this saying regarding Ching Ming: “All things that grow during this time are both bright and clean. This is why this day is called Ching Ming – Ching (“Qing”) represents cleanliness and Ming represents radiance.” From this we can see the close link between Ching Ming and agricultural cultivation. In the agricultural world, the farmers have another saying: “Ching Ming is the best time to grow your melons and plant your seeds”.
In the fifteen days after the Spring Equinox, temperatures will start to rise and rain will fall in abundance. This is the best time to work on your crop cultivations. As the breeze blows and the rain falls, shoots will thrive. The sight of farmers busy sowing their seeds and transplanting their seedlings will be prevalent everywhere during this period of time, signaling the start of spring cultivation.
Ching Ming Festival is also about the Chinese tradition of expressing our respects to the ancestors via formal rituals. The tomb sweeping tradition inculcates the spirit of filial piety and emphasizes the importance of familial relations. The best that we can do for our ancestors during this time is to transfer to them the positive karmic merits from chanting sincerely, light offering and praying to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas to light up their paths. I welcome all of you to visit the Bodhi Meditation Centers on this day to chant and to make light offerings. Not only will our ancestors receive the blessings and guidance from the Buddha, we will also be blessed with safety and good fortune.
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#SolarTerm #ChingMing #TombSweeping #LampOffering #GrowingMelonsPlantingBeans
#節氣、#清明、#掃墓祭祖、#供燈、#種瓜點豆rnrn《清明》
──清明前後，點瓜種豆
.
.
春季，為四季之首，最適合規劃耕種與春遊，人們對於春季特別重視，亦是節日最多的時節。在春光明媚的三四月裡，華人社會最重視的春季節俗就屬「清明節」掃墓祭祖了，今年的清明時間是在西曆4月4日，太陽到達黃經15°時。
.
清明既是節日也是節氣。作為節氣，《歲時百問》有此說法：「萬物生長此時，皆清潔而明淨。故謂之清明。」清明與農業生產有著密不可分的關係，所以也有「清明前後，點瓜種豆」的農諺出現。
.
點瓜種豆的農諺出現反映了農業社會對農事的重視，清明在春分後十五日，這時是氣溫開始升高的季節，雨量也開始豐沛了起來，正是春耕種植的大好時節。清風至、春雨增、萬物齊發，最適合農作物生長，農人會搶在此時播種移苗、點瓜種豆，到處都能見到春耕繁忙的景象。
.
在文化上，清明節同時也匯入了中國人慎終追遠的文化底蘊，掃墓祭祖的節俗裡有著血緣的傳承與孝道的精神。在這一天若能誠心念佛將功德迴向給先人，並為祖先至親在佛前點一盞吉祥光明的燈，祈請佛菩薩以光明為先人照亮前路，就是對祖先最好的回報與供養，歡迎大家在這一天來禪堂供燈念佛，借助佛光的加持，使先人得到神佛接引，同時庇佑供燈人得到平安吉祥。
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.
#節氣、#清明、#掃墓祭祖、#供燈、#種瓜點豆
