朔望燒香祭祖禮儀在我國傳統社會普遍存在,其歷史可追溯到南北朝時期,其形成與先秦以來的禮儀傳統及道教、佛教有密切關系。一方面,先秦時期就已出現的"燒香"祭祀禮儀隨著漢代以來香料的傳入發生演變,后被道教所吸收。至南北朝時期,道教將燒香儀式運用于每月朔望為亡故先人祈愿等活動,使得朔望燒香祭祖禮儀得以形成。另一方面,自佛教傳入后,燒香禮儀在我國獲得推廣和實踐。南北朝時期,佛教燒香與先秦以來的朔望祭祀傳統相結合,亦推動了朔望燒香祭祖禮儀的形成。

The ritual of worshiping ancestors by burning incense on Synodic day was prevalent in traditional society in China.Its history can be traced back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties,and it is closely related to the ritual tradition in pre-Qin period as well as Taoism and Buddhism.On the one hand,the incense burning ritual,which had appeared in the pre-Qin period evolved with the introduction of spices since the Han Dynasty,and was absorbed by Taoism.By the Southern and Northern Dynasties,Taoism used incense burning ritual in activities of worshiping the ancestor on Synodic day,which led to the ritual of incense burning for ancestor worship on Synodic day.On the other hand,since Buddhism was introduced into China,the incense burning ritual was promoted and practiced.During the Northern and Southern Dynasties,the combination of incense burning tradition in Buddhism and the worshiping tradition on Synodic day also promoted the formation of the ancestor worshiping ritual by burning incense on Synodic day.