Wupeng boat. Upper and lower body

Author: Zhou Zuoren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Zhou Zuoren's prose style is calm, gentle, and elegant. This book includes many of his prose pieces, making it an excellent read for understanding Zhou Zuoren's writing style. Zhou Zuoren's prose often depicts the customs and folk culture of his hometown, Zhejiang. In his still-life descriptions, he incorporates rustic charm and folk traditions, placing his prose within a broader cultural context, which is quite fascinating.
Excerpt:
Ancestor Worship
Ancestor worship is a custom found in many countries in the Far East. Most barbaric tribes today practice it, and it was also present in ancient Europe. In modern China, this barbaric practice from the clan era is still preserved, which is truly strange. In my opinion, this custom is not only illogical but also harmful in practice, and it should be abolished.
The original reason for ancestor worship, of course, stems from the belief in spirits. Primitive humans believed that everything in the world had a spirit, and the body was merely a temporary dwelling. Therefore, after death, the soul remained in the world, living and eating just as before. These needs had to be met by the descendants, or else the ancestors would be angered, leading to disasters. This is the origin of ancestor worship.
Now that science has advanced, we know that there are no ghosts in the world. These deceptive sacrifices and rituals can naturally be abandoned.