Customs related to the Spring Festival

The New Year is the condensation of Chinese culture. The New Year is an indelible knot in the hearts of the Chinese people. Chinese New Year customs have endless stories and endless customs. For every Chinese, the Spring Festival is definitely the most solemn and lively traditional festival of the year. So what are the customs related to the Spring Festival?

The twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month: Worshiping the Kitchen God in the Small Year

In different regions of the country, the dates of the "small year" are different: the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month is the "small year" in northern my country "The 24th day of the twelfth lunar month is the "Little New Year" in southern my country.

There are also different sayings: In ancient times, there was a tradition of "officials, three people, four boats and five" to celebrate the off year. The off year for official families was on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and for common people was on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. For people on the water, it is the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month.

No matter what day the "Little New Year" falls, people who have worked hard for almost a whole year will start to prepare New Year's goods and plan to have a comfortable New Year. Xiaonian is the beginning of the New Year.

On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month: Dust the dust and sweep the house

The folk proverb says, "On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, dust the dust and sweep the house." After the stove sacrifice was held, preparations for the New Year began formally. Sweeping dust is the year-end cleaning. It is called "house sweeping" in the north and "dust dusting" in the south. Sweeping dust before the Spring Festival is a traditional habit of the Chinese people. Every Spring Festival comes, every household has to clean the environment, wash all kinds of utensils, remove and wash bedding and curtains, sweep the Liulv courtyard, dust away dirt and cobwebs, and dredge open ditches and ditches. From north to south, everywhere is filled with the atmosphere of joyful hygiene and cleanliness to welcome the New Year.

On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month: grinding mills to make tofu

Folk proverb says, "On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, grinding mills to make tofu", so there is a custom of grinding tofu on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month. Interestingly, some places still have the custom of eating tofu dregs before New Year’s Eve. Speaking of which, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, the word "fu" in tofu is homophonic with the word "fu" in happiness, so tofu represents praying for blessings. In addition, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, there are also people who paste windows, pick up the Jade Emperor, rush into chaos, and shine silkworms in the field. Customs. Some ethnic minorities also designate today as the "Thousand Lanterns Festival" to express their yearning and vision for a better life.

The 26th day of the twelfth lunar month: killing pigs and cutting new year's meat.

As the saying goes, "On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, kill the pig and cut off the New Year's meat" or "On the twenty-sixth day, cut off the head of the knife", which means that this day is mainly used to prepare meat for the New Year. The social economy is underdeveloped, so people can only eat meat during the New Year festival, so it is called "New Year Meat".

The twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month: Chicken slaughter and big market

In China. In traditional Spring Festival customs, people will slaughter their own poultry on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month. Because people believe that roosters are majestic and majestic, and have a festive atmosphere, roosters are usually slaughtered on this day. Appearing at the New Year's Eve feast, the whole chicken is placed on a plate in the middle of the table and cannot be dismantled. It is named "Good Luck", which means good luck. The 27th day of the twelfth lunar month may also be the best time before the Spring Festival. It’s a busy day, because on this day you have to go to the market to buy all the New Year’s goods and prepare the New Year’s dishes, so there is a folk proverb that “goes to the market on the twenty-seventh day”

The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month: hit the market. Applique flowers for cakes and steamed buns

The New Year's ballad goes: "On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, make cakes and steamed buns with decal flowers" or "On the twenty-eighth day, make the noodles." The so-called decals are to put up New Year pictures, Spring Festival couplets, Window grilles and various gods.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month: Go to the graves to make offerings to your ancestors

The New Year's ballad says: "On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, you go to the graves to make offerings to your ancestors." Worship has a long history in China. Treating death as life is not only an important symbol of filial piety, but also the virtue of respecting the elderly. The Spring Festival is a major festival, and the ceremony of visiting ancestors' graves is particularly solemn in most areas. On the morning of the 29th, we invite our ancestors. According to the "Four People's Monthly Orders" written by Cui Shi of the Han Dynasty: "The first day of the first lunar month is the first day of the lunar month. I will lead my wife and children to worship your ancestors." On the day of the sacrifice, after drinking wine to seduce the gods, the family members are ranked in order before their ancestors, no matter how big or small. The children, wives, and great-grandchildren each serve pepper wine to their parents, and they drink wine to celebrate their longevity. They are very happy. "This shows that as early as the Han Dynasty, ancestor worship activities in China have been a very important activity in the Spring Festival.

New Year's Eve: Staying up on New Year's Eve

?New Year's Eve Dinner

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New Year’s Eve dinner, also known as New Year’s Eve dinner, reunion dinner, etc., refers specifically to the family dinner at the end of the year. The reunion dinner is the highlight of the year. It is not only colorful, but also very special. Generally, there are chickens (meaning good luck), fish (meaning there will be plenty every year), etc. for good luck.

The Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is a family reunion dinner. It is the most sumptuous and important dinner at the end of the year.

?Shou Sui

Shou Sui is also called staying up late, lighting up the fire, staying up late, staying up late, etc. The folk custom of staying up late on New Year's Eve is mainly manifested in keeping the lights on all night long on New Year's Eve. Staying up late is called "burning lanterns to illuminate the New Year", that is, lighting candles all over the New Year's Eve. It is said that after such lighting, the family's wealth will be enriched in the coming year. Staying up late also refers to family reunions on New Year's Eve and staying up late to welcome the arrival of the Lunar New Year.

?Set off firecrackers

Set off firecrackers is one of the traditional customs. It is said that firecrackers originated from firecrackers. This custom has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. Nowadays, whether it is a New Year or a festival, a wedding, a promotion in school, etc., as long as it is a celebration, people are used to setting off firecrackers to celebrate.

?New Year's money

After the New Year's Eve dinner, the elders should distribute the New Year's money prepared in advance to the younger ones. The New Year's money means "New Year's blessings", which expresses the elders' best wishes for the growth of the children. .

?Making dumplings

Dumplings are eaten on many traditional festivals in our country. Making dumplings on New Year’s Eve has a different meaning than usual. Whoever eats a dumpling with coins in it indicates good luck and good luck in the new year.

New Year's Day: New Year's greetings

Clean the house before New Year's Eve. Do not use brooms or take out the trash on New Year's Day. Prepare a large bucket of waste water and do not splash it on that day. You are not allowed to break furniture during the New Year. If you break it, you must quickly say "(break) a safe and sound year" or "Flower and bloom, wealth and prosperity". On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people have to pay New Year greetings to their elders or neighbors, and generally do not go far away to pay New Year greetings. After staying up late on New Year's Eve, people open their doors on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year and wish each other "Happy New Year! Peace and prosperity." The younger generation pays New Year greetings to the elders, and the elders give lucky money to suppress evil spirits.

The second day of the Lunar New Year: Return to her parents’ home

On this day, the daughter who gets married must take her son-in-law to her parents’ home together, and the gifts she brings should be in pairs. The mother's family cannot accept all of it, and will have to take some of it back with her when she returns to her husband's family. The daughter who returns to her natal family must bring some gifts and red envelopes to distribute to the children of her natal family.

The third day of the Lunar New Year: Sleep well and get up late

In traditional customs, the third day of the Lunar New Year is considered to be the day when rats marry their daughters, so you should go to bed early at night and not disturb the rats. Marry your daughter. The rat has a strong sense of "whoever doesn't let me live a good day, I will make the person miserable for a whole year." If the rat is disturbed to marry his daughter, the rat will cause harm to the family.

The fourth day of the Lunar New Year: Welcome the Stove Prince

According to folklore, the Stove Prince wants to check the household registration on the fourth day of the first lunar month, so every household must stay at home, prepare abundant fruits and burn incense. Light candles and set off firecrackers as a welcome gesture. Chen Jing said that although many folk opinions are unfounded, they themselves carry people's good wishes to pray for blessings and avoid disasters, which is why they can be passed down. I also have to put together a hodgepodge of leftover meals from several days and clean up the New Year’s goods. The dust was dusted indoors, the floor was swept, and the garbage was piled in the courtyard to be "thrown away to the poor."

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year: Welcome the God of Wealth

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is commonly known as Po Wu, and it is necessary to "catch the five poor", including "poor in intelligence, poor in learning, poor in literature, poor in life, poor in communication" poverty". People get up at dawn, set off firecrackers and clean the house. The firecrackers were set off from the inside out, and they were set off while walking out the door. It is said that all unlucky things will be blasted away. On this day, the popular food custom among the people is to eat dumplings, which is commonly known as "pinch the little man's mouth".

The sixth day of the Lunar New Year: Sending the poor

The God of Wealth has just been welcomed into the door on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and the God of Poverty will be sent away on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. On this day to send the God of Poverty away, a general cleaning should be carried out at home, and all garbage, useless rags, etc. must be thrown away. In addition, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, there are customs of covering windows, meeting the Jade Emperor, celebrating the new year, and shining silkworms in the fields. Some ethnic minorities also designate today as the "Thousand Lanterns Festival" to express their yearning and vision for a better life.

The seventh day of the Lunar New Year: "Human Birthday"

It is also known as "Human Victory Festival", "Human Seventh Day", etc. Legend has it that when Nuwa first created the world, she created humans on the seventh day after creating animals such as chickens, dogs, pigs, cows, and horses, so this day is the birthday of humans. Parents cannot teach their children on this day.

The eighth day of the Lunar New Year: Release lives and pray for blessings

The eighth day of the Lunar New Year is the day when the stars descend to the realm. Small lamps are made and burned to worship them, which is called Shunxing, also known as "Star Sacrifice" ”, “Catch the Star”. It is also said that the eighth day of the lunar month is Guzi’s birthday. If the weather is sunny on this day, it means a good harvest of rice. If it is cloudy, it means there will be a good harvest.

The ninth day of the Lunar New Year: Sacrifice to Heaven

The ninth day of the Lunar New Year is the day of heaven, commonly known as "Tiangongsheng". Legend has it that this day is the birthday of the Jade Emperor. The main customs include worshiping the Jade Emperor and fasting to the sky in Taoist temples. In some places, women prepare fragrant flowers, candles and fasting bowls and place them in the open air at the entrance of the courtyard and lane to worship the sky and seek blessings from God.

On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year: Stone sacrifices

On this day, stone tools such as grinding and milling are not allowed to be moved, and even stones are sacrificed, which may damage the crops. Also known as "the stone is immovable" and "the ten immovables". In most parts of China, everything on the 14th day is for the Lantern Festival the next day. On this day, the lantern festival is officially open for citizens to purchase lanterns. For the Lantern Festival, performances like dragon and lion dances begin to be performed on the streets. Some people also write lantern riddles and guess lantern riddles to add to the festive atmosphere. In China, lantern riddles are a very traditional word puzzle game.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month: Lantern Festival

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Yuanxiao is eaten. "Yuanxiao" has been a food in China for a long time. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food eaten during the Lantern Festival became popular among the people. This kind of food was first called "Fu Yuanzi" and later "Yuanxiao". Businessmen also euphemistically called it "Yuanbao". Yuanxiao is "tangyuan", which is filled with sugar, rose, sesame, bean paste, cinnamon, walnut kernels, nuts, jujube paste, etc., and is wrapped into a round shape with glutinous rice flour. It can be meat or vegetarian and has different flavors. It can be cooked in soup, fried or steamed, and has the meaning of happy reunion.

The Spring Festival is an ancient festival in China and the most important festival throughout the year. How to celebrate this festival has formed some relatively fixed customs and habits over thousands of years of historical development. There are many It is still passed down to this day. New Year customs and cultures vary from north to south, but one thing is basically the same, that is, family reunions, visits to relatives and friends, visits to elders, etc. I hope our children can keep these customs full of deep family affection and good wishes in their hearts. Passed down from generation to generation.