Why did Cixi put a luminous pearl in her mouth when she died?

People always have their own purposes, so what is the purpose of Cixi? Or is there something behind this? This is actually related to the funeral culture in China since ancient times.

The priceless pearl in Cixi's mouth has the following views on its "use" in the market.

1, which plays a "role" in indicating identity. China has the custom of burial since ancient times. The superior the family, the more funerary objects there are.

The ancients believed that the soul never dies after death, and one of the functions of funerary objects in graves is to use them after death. The nobler a person is, the harder it is to be buried naturally.

The pearl in Cixi's mouth is not something that ordinary people can have, so some people think it is used to show aristocratic status.

At this time, some friends may ask, the night pearl can be buried anywhere in the grave, why should it be put in your mouth? This will talk about a custom of "tongue-pressing" in tomb culture.

2. Funeral Ceremony It is worth mentioning that the funeral culture in China has a history of thousands of years. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, the "rites" advocated by Confucius were based on the "five rites" of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

These "Five Rites" are the sacrificial ceremony called Ji Li, the wedding ceremony called Li Jia, the guest ceremony called Li Bin, the military etiquette called military ceremony and the funeral ceremony called fierce ceremony.

Among these five rites, the ancients paid special attention to the rituals of sacrifice and funeral.

It is worth noting that in Confucianism, the function of funeral ceremony is more to comfort the living, the solemnity and formality of funeral ceremony, and the expensive funerary objects. This actually reflects the respect and status of the living to the deceased to a certain extent.

Putting things in your mouth, the so-called "tongue-pressing", is actually a small custom in the funeral ceremony that evolved from later generations.

There are several theories about why you put something in your mouth.

One is to say that this is done to let people know that "less talk and more action". After all, there are many mistakes. According to records, during the Wu Zetian period, death row inmates were stuffed with wooden blocks, which probably meant "talk less and do more".

There is also a saying that the "tongue-pressing" in this statement is generally jade, such as jade cicada, which means rebirth, or precious pearls like Cixi.

As for the reality, is that right? Of course not. Modern science and technology have proved that the night pearl is named after its luminous at night, and its appearance is the result of complex geological changes and the accumulation of luminous substances in minerals.

One more thing, in ancient China, the tongue depressor was not the patent of the rich. The poor people would put something in their mouths after their loved ones died, which was also a kind of psychological comfort, such as putting a handful of rice.

To sum up, we know that the priceless pearl in Cixi's mouth is probably related to the ancient custom of "suppressing the tongue". On the one hand, it shows her noble status. On the other hand, it may also be related to the ancients' belief that jade and night pearl have purification and anti-corrosion effects.

This article is the original and exclusive release of Yan Xiaoer's philosophical essays. If there are any infringements such as handling and plagiarism, once found, the responsibility will be investigated.