What are the customs of Shaanxi Spring Festival?

1. Selling New Year's goods

Every year in the twelfth lunar month, the rural trade market is unprecedentedly active, and there is an endless stream of people selling New Year's goods. During this period, the rural trade centers undoubtedly served the New Year. The whole market presents a festive scene of prosperity. In the market, there are exchanges of agricultural and sideline products; displays of groceries from Beijing and Guangzhou; supply of holiday gifts, etc.

2. Sacrifice to the gods

Every Spring Festival (New Year), people have to offer sacrifices to the gods. This is a custom that has been formed for thousands of years. Almost every village or village has a Tutu Temple, a Laoye (Guandi) Temple, a City God Temple, etc., guarding one area. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, that is, after 12 o'clock on New Year's Eve, every village and community must burn incense in these temples and offer sacrifices to the gods.

3. Staying up late on New Year's Eve

The night of the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month is the last hour of the year. "One night lasts two years, and the fifth watch divides two years." It is the alternation of the old and the new year. , people attach great importance to New Year's Eve, so there is the custom of "staying up on New Year's Eve". Staying up late means keeping time and not letting this year go by in vain.

4. Wandering Gods

During the New Year or other festive festivals, or on the Christmas day of the gods, people go to the temple to invite the walking statues of the gods into the palanquin. , and then carried it out of the temple to travel around, accepting incense and worship from the people, which means that the gods descended from the people, inspected the countryside, and protected the peace of the country. The main purpose is to reward gods, eliminate disasters, pray for blessings, etc.

5. Sitting on New Year's Eve

Before dinner on New Year's Eve, every household must clean the house, courtyard, front and back of the house, tidy up, and put up red couplets (with red couplets) People in mourning clothes will post yellow or green couplets), door gods, window grilles, etc. Corresponding couplets should be posted on the main door, main room, bedroom, kitchen, livestock pen, etc. When everything was ready, they began to light candles, burn incense, set off firecrackers, and worship ancestors.

Afterwards, the whole family gathers at the same table to have a "reunion dinner", which is commonly known as "reunion dinner". At night, every house is brightly lit and the fire is roaring. Young and old stay up all night and "stay up" around the fire, which is commonly known as "sitting on the New Year's Eve".