The Significance of the Spring and Autumn Ancestral Worship of Clans

After several hundred years, Spring and Autumn Ancestral Worship in Hong Kong has become one of the traditional customs preserved by local clans and is of high historical value. This tradition embodies descendants’ filial piety for their ancestors and their good wishes for fine weather and bountiful harvests. This is the Confucian spirit of taking good care of one’s parents on the deathbed and keeping on revering them when they are long gone. Through participation in such ancestral worship activities every year, clansmen can re-affirm their identity as members of the clan, and the younger generation can take the opportunity to mingle with the elders and other clansmen, and learn about their history of lineage. The activities embody the significant cultural context of the tradition.