Going home for the New Year during the winter break, I encountered a cool school girl on the high-sp

Chen Chen nodded slightly after hearing his father's words, his gaze drifting thoughtfully to the receding scenery outside the window.

At this moment, sunlight filters through the dappled leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow inside the car.

"Do you know?" the father suddenly said, his eyes revealing memories of the past.

“In the past, we didn’t have such convenient vehicles when we went to pay respects to our ancestors. We had to walk there step by step.”

The mountain path was rugged and difficult to traverse, but no one complained of being tired. They carried the offerings and persevered.

As Chen Chen imagined his ancestors walking through the mountains to pay homage to their ancestors, a sense of reverence welled up in his heart.

He said, "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely pass on this tradition well in the future."

Father Chen Jianwen nodded in satisfaction:

"That's good. Actually, every time I worship my ancestors, seeing so many younger generations together makes me feel at ease."

This is not only a way of remembering our ancestors, but also a manifestation of family cohesion. Our family's prosperity is due to this tradition.

As we spoke, the car turned onto a winding road, with lush trees on both sides. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, creating dappled patterns of light and shadow.

Once you go further in, vehicles can no longer enter.

The only option is to get off the vehicle and walk.

We hold a memorial service every year.

But every year when I come here, it's overgrown with weeds.

Previously, the road was easier to walk on because people needed to go up the mountain to cut grass.

Nowadays, high technology is used to cook rice.

No more going through the hassle of starting a fire; a variety of convenient electrical appliances make cooking a breeze.

However, while technology brings convenience, it also brings some other changes.

The mountain paths, lacking frequent footsteps and maintenance, are mostly overgrown with weeds.

Walking on this road now, almost every step requires clearing away the overgrown weeds, as if you are struggling to open up a completely new path.

Looking at the scene before him, Chen Chen felt a mix of emotions.

He recalled the lively scenes of going up the mountain to cut grass with his elders when he was a child, and the laughter from that time seemed to still echo in his ears.

Nowadays, it seems that everyone is "bound" by technology, and has lost the "original" sense of participation in traditional rituals.

He picked up a sickle that was lying idle nearby and swung it forcefully, trying to cut a path through the ground.

The sharp sickle cut into the weeds with a "shh" sound, and sweat quickly soaked his back.

Seeing this, other young people also put down their electronic devices and joined the team clearing the way.

The older generation witnessed this scene, their eyes filled with satisfaction.

One of the elders smiled, his wrinkles radiating joy, and said softly:
"Xiao Chen, you'd better work even harder this year."

Another elder quickly chimed in, nodding repeatedly:

"That's right, that's right. Thank God, Xiao Chen has brought home such a beautiful girlfriend this year. Our Chen family has another happy event."

The third elder also beamed, revealing a set of slightly crooked teeth, and said cheerfully:
"This girl seems well-educated and sensible. Xiao Chen has good taste! Perhaps, before long, our Chen family will have a new addition to the family, and things will get lively!"

Upon hearing this, the elders nearby burst into hearty laughter.

Laughter echoed through the mountains, startling the birds on the branches.

An elder with completely white hair but a vigorous spirit stroked his beard and sighed: "Back when we were young, when we worshipped our ancestors, we just prayed for good weather and a peaceful family."

Now, seeing these younger generations becoming more and more successful, I'm truly happy from the bottom of my heart.

“Yes, yes,” a slightly plump elder chimed in, “Times are changing, but we must not forget the rules and traditions of our Chen family.”

The purpose of ancestor worship is to let the younger generation know where they come from and where their roots lie.

At this moment, Chen Chen, who was "clearing the land," heard the elders' conversation, looked up, his face beaming with a smile, and loudly responded:

"Don't worry, uncles and elders, I will definitely do everything I'm supposed to do!"

The elders nodded in agreement.

One of the elders joked:

"Xiao Chen, words alone aren't enough; you have to take action. Don't be lazy during the ancestral worship ceremony today. Kneel and kowtow to the ancestors a few more times later, so they can bless you and your girlfriend with a sweet and loving relationship and a quick marriage!"

Chen Chen smiled and replied, "Definitely!" With that, he swung his tools even more vigorously, clearing away the weeds around him.

Everyone burst into laughter again.

In this atmosphere filled with laughter and joy, the young people worked even harder to clear the weeds, while the older generation continued to arrange the offerings in an orderly manner.

As they arranged the offerings, they told the young people stories of ancestor worship in the past, stories about family traditions and the struggles of their ancestors.

Amidst the clash between sickles and weeds, the story's voice drifts gently into everyone's ears.

After much effort, a passage was finally cleared from the mountain road.

The group slowly made their way up the path, a path filled with sweat and memories.

Upon arriving at the sacrificial site, everyone had a clear division of labor, arranging offerings and lighting incense and candles, and everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

In this process, the young people no longer felt that ancestor worship was just a formality. They experienced the hardships of their ancestors during the difficult process of clearing the road.

By listening to the stories told by my elders, I came to understand the significance of family tradition.

While technology has brought convenience, they have discovered that the power of tradition remains strong, like an invisible bond that tightly connects generations.

As the smoke from the incense rose and the crowd knelt in devout prayer, time seemed to stand still.

In this mountain forest, tradition and modernity, past and present, have achieved a wonderful fusion.

No matter how times change, the family emotions and culture embodied in ancestor worship will never be forgotten.

Technology can also be a new force in inheriting traditions, allowing this heritage to continue in new forms in the future.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd called out, "Uncle Wen, come quick! Is this a five-finger peach?"

Upon hearing the shout, Chen Jianwen immediately put down the offerings he was arranging and turned to walk in the direction from which the sound came.

He walked with a steady gait, his face showing a degree of focus.

Having spent most of his childhood in the mountains, he was naturally familiar with all kinds of plants, and he became interested upon hearing this.

Upon approaching, Chen Jianwen bent down and carefully examined the plant.

He stretched out his rough, large hand, gently pushed aside the surrounding weeds, carefully grasped the stem of the plant, and gently stroked the leaves to feel their texture and grain.

He squinted slightly, comparing the characteristics of the five-finger peach with those in his memory.

After a moment, Chen Jianwen slowly straightened up, a reassuring smile on his face, and said:
"That's right, this is Five-Finger Peach. It used to be common in these mountains, but it's become much rarer in recent years. I never expected to find it again today." (End of Chapter)