In traditional China there was a strong emphasis on the here and now, and among the upper classes ancestor worship tended to be functional rather than religious in nature. The same naturally held true among the lower classes, where for ordinary people with little familiarity with classical writings ancestor worship was seen in terms of personal gain.
傳統中國向來重視現世生活，上層社會的祖先崇拜既強於功能性而淡於宗教性，下層社會當然也受主流影響，更加以其受經典薰陶較少，祭拜神主在一般民間常帶些功利色彩。