Chinese Ancestral Figure (detail)

It was Confucius who first characterized ancestor worship as a cohesive concept around 2,500 years ago. He called it “filial piety.” It became manifest as ancestral veneration, the idea that the living must respect and remain loyal to the deceased while providing them with happiness and well-being in the afterlife. Ultimately, ancestor worship spread to most corners of the world, but nowhere did it become more deeply rooted than in China, Confucius’ home.

Painted Hardwood Ancestral Figure, China

Ancestor worship doesn’t require anything other than the intent of the living. However, if you’re going to venerate your ancestors it helps to have a focal point such as a painting, photograph, or personal item of the deceased. In old China, it was believed ancestral spirits occupied portraits, tablets and statues. Featured is one of two monumental ancestral statues. Scientific testing reveals them to be around 250 years old.

Even now, they have a courtly appearance. Look closely at their robes and you’ll see remnants of original color along with gilded dragons. Back then, the dragon was believed to radiate power, bestow greatness, and insure success. One does not need to be a descendant of these figures to feel their presence or be inspired by them. They are beacons lighting the way to a future filled with greatness, the real payback of ancestor worship from the time of Confucius all the way to today.

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