续香火

续香火

Literally means:

one's family incense burning

Actually means:

keep one's genealogical line continue

香火 incense and lamp fire ignited during the sacrificial offering towards gods, Buddha's or one's ancestors, here refers to one's descendants.

This phrase particularly refers to giving birth to a boy, so that one's genealogical line can be continued from one generation to another. In ancient China, it was believed that daughters after getting married would become members of their inlaws' family, and only after their own son got married and had a boy could family tree be kept growing.

香火，祭拜神佛或祖先时点燃的香和灯火，借指子孙后代。

续香火，指生男孩，以使子孙一代接一代地延续下去。古人认为女儿出嫁以后便是别家的人，只有儿子娶妻生子才能保证子孙的延续。