Social Media Ideas for Chinese Rituals

From Obon to Zhongyuan: The Ancient Story Behind Asia’s Tradition of Honoring the Dead

Across Asia, festivals honoring ancestors take on different forms, but many share an enduring emphasis on filial devotion, remembrance, and maintaining ties between generations

A Dynasty Owed Its Success to the Emperor’s Reverence and Sacrificial Offerings to Heaven

In ancient China, sacrificial rites were not simply ceremonies. They rested on a principle the Zhou dynasty drew from the fall of two dynasties before it: the Mandate of Heaven was...

Sacred splashes: ancient Chinese ritual of ‘elephant washing’ for good fortune

In ancient China, royal families washed elephants to pray for good fortune – until one elephant went rogue and brought the tradition to an end. Elephants had been spotted and docum...

Flowers, roast pork and paper ingots: families keep Chung Yeung traditions alive

Hong Kong families paid tribute to their ancestors on the final day of the Chung Yeung Festival break, expressing their respects through everything from elaborate traditional ritua...

The Yi Salute – How China’s Ritual Bow Teaches Respect and Harmony

When two people meet for the first time, a single simple gesture can carry more power than a thousand words. In traditional Chinese culture there is a way of greeting that is simpl...

China study suggests animal sacrifice may have been part of ancient Sanxingdui rituals

Animal sacrifice has played a major role in human history, from mythological stories about Odysseus to modern rituals such as Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival. The tradition also dates ba...

Confucian commemoration

Ghost offerings

Why stealing pumpkins for newlyweds is a blessing in ancient Chinese tradition

In ancient China, welcoming autumn could involve stealing pumpkins, sitting on giant hanging scales and eating extra meat – rituals reflecting how people connected seasonal change...

Takaichi makes ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine

The prime minister is expected to skip a visit to the Shinto shrine during the three-day festival, which runs through Monday.

China slams Japan’s Takaichi over Yasukuni ritual offering, warns of ‘remilitarisation’

China has condemned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for sending a ritual offering to Tokyo’s war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, a move that threatens to further strain ties between...

The Way of Tea

An Urasenke tea master provides an introduction to the history and practice of Japanese tea ceremony. The post The Way of Tea appeared first on Tricycle: The Buddhist Review.

Pindapitryajna: The Sacred Vedic Ritual of Honoring Ancestors

Pindapitryajna: Ancient Fire Sacrifice for Ancestral Reverence in Hindu Tradition The practice of honoring departed ancestors through ritual offerings forms a cornerstone of Hindu...

Tokyo shrine honors precious dolls, in photos

Priests are helping families say a final farewell to beloved dolls. It's a ritual that honors the long-cherished toys and helps owners let go.

The Amusing Origins of Mantou – A Substitute for Human Sacrifice

A girl sits at her kitchen table in northern China, waiting, and watching the bamboo steamer. When her mother lifts the lid, hot vapors rise into the air, carrying the warm, comfor...

Some climb for faith, others for the views. This Chinese sacred mountain draws them all

China’s Wudang Mountains have long been considered sacred in Taoism, with temples and palaces reflecting centuries of religious and imperial history

How to do a Yam Seng Wedding Toast

Everything you need to know about this fun Cantonese ritual

Why is Japan so Clean and Orderly? This Aspect of Japanese Culture Can Be Traced Back to TЕЌshЕЌdai-ji, and a Chinese Mo...

Japan’s traditional lifestyle reflects an enduring connection with the Divine. 

How Kyoto Preserved Echoes of China’s Tang-Era Civilization

From its street grid and temple architecture to calligraphy, Buddhism, and traditional arts, Kyoto still bears the imprint of cultural traditions transmitted from China more than a...

Samhain Rituals for Solitary Practitioners and Covens

From protective rites and divination to leaving food out for the dead, here are modern and traditional rituals for Samhain. The post Samhain Rituals for Solitary Practitioners and...

Japanese Shinto ceremonial sand-digging in London celebrates start of British Library expansion

Swapping out scissors and ribbons for sand and farm tools. Japanese property developer Mitsui Fudosan recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its historic £1.1 billion (approxi...

What to Wear to a Chinese Wedding: Elegant Attire Guidelines for Guests

Attending a Chinese wedding offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich tapestry of customs ... Read more

Trad. Chinese Coffin Maker in Malaysia Preserves Fading Family Craft

AP News It's been 52 years since Goh Khuay Par carved his first Mei Hua coffin. The traditional Chinese design takes its name from the plum blossom, or "mei hua" in Mandarin, and...

WATCH: Catholic clergy participate in First Nations ritual in Ottawa cathedral

A purification ritual involving smoke, sacred plants, an indigenous hymn, and prayers to the four directions preceded a Mass at Ottawa’s Notre-Dame Basilica.