礻 Petitioning the Ancestors

These are the characters in this series. To see them put together in a story, click on the image above to access the pdf. Then review and quiz yourself at the bottom.

zhù

wish well
礻 + 兄
Eastern altar + teenager

Dear Ancestors, I am just a teenager, so please wish me well on my exams.

huò

misfortune
礻 + 呙guō
Eastern altar + esophagus

Dear Ancestors, an esophagus misfortune has come upon this family. Please bless the surgery goes well.

shén

gods
礻 + 申shēn
Eastern altar + beet

Dear Ancestors, we offer these beets for you to help us in petitioning the gods of the harvest.

shè

society
礻shì + 土
Eastern altar + soil

Dear Ancestors, the soil you worked is still supporting a prosperous society. Thank you.

happiness
礻 + 畐fú
Eastern altar + rich man

Dear Ancestors, I would like the full-belly and full-wallet kind of happiness this year.

dǎo

pray
礻 + 寿
Eastern altar + longevity

Dear Ancestors, more than anything, it is the longevity of our mother for which we pray.

supplicate
礻 + 斤
Eastern altar + catty

Dear Ancestors, here is a 斤 jīn of fruit to sweeten our supplication to you for blessings.

xiáng

propitious
礻 + 羊yáng
Eastern altar + sheep

Dear Ancestors, I have brought my lucky sheep to you to favorably incline you to bless my flock with a propitious yield.

chán

meditation
礻 + 单dān
Eastern altar + list

Dear Ancestors, here is the list of mantras that I have been using in meditation. Can you bless them?

ancestor
礻 + 且
Eastern altar + shelves

Dear Ancestors, on these shelves we have placed pictures of you, our ancestors. May you watch over us.

shì

*Eastern altar
altar modified

the strokes could represent a picture/statue on a shelf, a sash, an incense stick, a piece of fruit

as a component: “示字旁”

shì

vision
礻shì + 见
Eastern altar + see

"Dear Ancestors, can you see the television? We don’t know if you still have vision as spirits, but we want to share this modern wonder with you." (Petitioning the Ancestors)

ceremony
礻 + 乚
Eastern altar + dental hook

"Dear Ancestors, this dental hook is being offered on the altar in an appeasement ceremony to you, our dentist ancestor, who hasn’t been able to rest in peace. Please accept it and leave us alone." (Petitioning the Ancestors)

乚 looks like an "L" for lǐ

礻 Petitioning the Ancestors

Quiz

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