祖宗 (zǔ zong): 先祖

Every Qingming Festival, the whole family returns to their hometown to pay respects to their ancestors and thank them for the blessings they left to their descendants.

This ancestral hall was built in the Ming Dynasty and houses the family’s ancestral tablets; every Spring Festival people come to offer incense.

The elders often say that one must not forget the rules left by our ancestors: be honest, hardworking, and respectful to elders.

He has lived abroad for many years but has always kept his Chinese surname, because it was passed down from his ancestors.