Why is there a saying in ancient times that "living in a wild grave at night is better than an ancient temple"?

China's traditional customs are rich and colorful with a long history. Modern people have abandoned many customs and simplified them for convenience. However, these customs have not been forgotten, and some of them still remind people in the form of proverbs and aphorisms.

The ancient household registration system was not perfect. Due to poor public security, there were often some nameless and unclaimed bodies. After these bodies are unclaimed, they may be thrown into the wilderness by villagers. After a long time, weeds will grow around the body, so it is also called a barren grave. There is a folk saying in China about barren graves: "It is better to stay in barren graves than to spend the night in ancient temples", which translates as: I would rather sleep in the wild of barren graves than spend the night in temples. I don't think anyone can understand. Does this tell us that spending the night in a temple is more terrible than sleeping next to a barren grave?

Throughout the ages, temples have always been the carrier of people's wishes, but some temples have been interrupted by war. After a long time, lack of management and cleaning, poisonous insects are densely covered. No one will go there again. They have become dilapidated temples. Dust-covered temples, broken Buddha statues, devastated scenes, and rags hanging on beams in the wind all make people sweat behind their backs, not to mention in the dead of night.

In ancient times, students who went to Beijing to take exams had to spend the night in abandoned temples because the inns were full. However, scholars are often frightened by the terrible sight of broken temples, and their fear of Buddha statues in temples has seriously affected their performance in imperial examinations.

As we all know, temples are places to worship gods, and the site selection of temple construction is very particular. Generally, temples will be built in remote places to ensure that the gods will not be disturbed by the secular, so temples are generally inaccessible, but robbers often patronize them. Stay alone in the ruined temple, there is no sound around, and the atmosphere is suffocating. If a few robbers with fierce faces jump out at this time, it is estimated that few people can resist this pressure.

Although the first impression of abandoned graves is frightening, the view around abandoned graves is generally wide and the surrounding situation can be seen at a glance. Compared with the strong psychological pressure brought by the broken temple, camping in the wild is magnanimous.

With such a contrast, it is not difficult to find that "it is better to stay in an ancient temple at night than a wild grave." This proverb has survived to this day.

Traditional culture has stood the test of time, and the wisdom of the ancients also has a lot to learn from, so knowing more about history will also have a lot of enlightenment for our study and growth.