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longer given the prestigious position it enjoyed in genealogies and spirit tablets. This change is much like what the later genealogist wanted to see and may have been initiated by men of the same mind about two centuries before him. It is interesting to note that the rite of Fengchao, previously considered part of the ordination which confers so much honor, is now performed mainly for fear of deformity in children of a bridegroom.
It is for future research to determine if imperial degrees have become a more important factor among the Hakka since the 17th Century, and how the occurrence of ordination names in a family is related to social status in the wider Chinese society. It is interesting that the examples Luo cited in his book to support his claim of the Hakka being "farmer-scholars" were in one case, purchase of imperial degree in the later Qing, and the other rather vague evidence of examination degrees. Actually, there are better examples such as the Yaos, who, according to their genealogy, did produce quite a few examination degree holders during the Ming and the early Qing. The family had ordination names up to perhaps early Ming times. But if the Hakka ancestors of the past, some claiming to be imperial degree holders and officials, did not reject ordinations by the sorcerers, the direct cause of decline of such ordination may be something else. I suspect the disappearance of ordination represented a change in the form of ancestral worship.
The Hakka rituals of Fengchao and Anlong, as mentioned above, include rites specifically dedicated to ancestors. In addition, the ZHJLS describes a ritual called Zhuanhuo, the same term used for moving into a new house, in which incense ashes were moved from the domestic unit to the incense burner of the ancestral hall in order that the incoming ancestors to the ancestral hall would share the worship by their descendants. The ritual is performed by the sung ritual specialist who conducts the rite of Anlong on the same occasion. Equally surprising is that the Hakka ritual expert named all his ordained ancestors in his singing at the Fengchao rite I witnessed in the New Territories.
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There is less information on Hakka ancestral halls rituals conducted by lay descendants. Faure refers to the teachings of the Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi and Ming regulations which distinguish
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longer given the prestigious position it enjoyed in genealogies and spirit tablets. This change is much like what the later genealogist wanted to see and may have been initiated by men of the same mind about two centuries before him It is interesting to note that the rite of Fengchao, previously considered part of the ordination which confers so much honor, is now performed mainly for fear of deformity in children of a bridegroom.
It is for future research to determine if imperial degrees have become a more important factor among the Hakka since the 17th Century, and how the occurrence of ordination names in a family is related to social status in the wider Chinese society It is interesting that the examples Luo cited in his book to support his claim of the Hakka being "farmer-scholars" were in one case, purchase of imperial degree in the later Qing, and the other rather vague evidence of examination degrees. Actually there are better examples such as the Yaos, who, according to then genealogy," did produce quite a few examination degree holders during the Ming and the early Qing. The family had ordination names up to perhaps early Ming times. But if the Hakka ancestors of the past, some claiming to be unperial degree holders and officials, did not reject ordinations by the sorcerors, the direct cause of decline of such ordination may be something else. I suspect the disappearance of ordination represented a change in the form of ancestral worship.
The Hakka rituals of Fengchao and Anlong, as mentioned above, include rites specifically dedicated to ancestors. In addition, the ZHJLS describes a ritual called Zhuanhuo, the same term used for move into a new house, in which incense ashes were moved from the domestic unit to the incense burner of the ancestral hall in order that the incoming ancestors to the ancestral hall would share the worship by their descendants. The ritual is performed by the sung ritual specialist who conducts the rite of Anlong on the same occasion. Equally surprising is that the Hakka ritual expert named all his ordained ancestors in his singing at the Fengchao rite I witnessed in the New Territories
90
There is less information on Hakka ancestral halls rituals conducted by lay descendants. Faure refers to the teachings of the Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi and Ming regulations which distinguishes
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