Customs and customs of Cihua Town

It is said that many years ago, there was a poor scholar in Cihua, Yuanzhou. He was studying abroad and returned home to celebrate the New Year. On the way, he was caught by wind and snow due to wind and cold. When he got home, his old mother asked him: "What do you want to eat?" He said: "Nothing. Appetite." After hearing this, the old mother thought for a while and cooked the chicken that had been killed during the New Year with pickled peppers, garlic, and ginger. When the chicken was cooked, it gave off an appetizing aroma. The poor scholar asked the old mother: "Mom, what dish are you cooking? It smells so good!" The old mother quickly served a bowl of sour pepper chicken soup, and the scholar finished it. When his appetite increased, he said: "One more bowl"! After finishing two bowls of chicken soup, the poor scholar was sweating profusely. The next day, the scholar's cold improved, and he remembered that the sour pepper chicken soup he drank yesterday could also cure the cold. Three years later, the poor scholar became an official and returned to his hometown, but his mother had passed away. When he recalled the hot and sour chicken that his mother cooked, he burst into tears. In order to commemorate my mother and my hometown, I named this hot and sour chicken "Cihua Chicken".

Cihua Chicken has a long history and its original flavor has been passed down to this day. During the autumn harvest season, local farmers wash the autumn peppers, dry them, mix them with salt, put them into porcelain jars, fill them tightly, seal the jar mouth tightly with straw, and then put them upside down in a vessel filled with water. The water acts as a seal, so you need to add water frequently because it will evaporate. Otherwise, the peppers in the jar will go rancid. It will take about one month to make the pickled peppers (called "pu peppers" in Cihua dialect because they are made upside down. Also known as sour chili); some chop the dried autumn chili peppers mixed with salt, mix them with homemade old rice vinegar, can them and seal them to make vinegar chili peppers. Then, use homemade pickled chili peppers or vinegar chili peppers to cook them with local chickens to create a sour, fresh, and unique farm-style dish specially used to entertain distinguished guests at home. Nowadays, it is widely cooked and prepared in hotels and restaurants of all sizes in Yichun. It is a rare traditional dish and is deeply loved by the majority of diners.

Ingredients: old hens or chickens (castrated roosters)

Ingredients: camellia oil (or edible blended oil), edible salt, garlic segments, ginger slices, pickled peppers Chili pepper (or vinegar chili pepper)

Preparation method: Boil the chicken until cooked, then cool and chop into pieces for later use. Heat the pot and pour in an appropriate amount of camellia oil (or edible blended oil). When the oil boils and smokes a little (edible blended oil is 90% warm), add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for one minute, then soak the chili peppers ( or vinegar and pepper), a little salt and sauté for one minute. Pour in the original chicken broth or boiling water and cover the pot to cook. Add ginger slices and garlic segments and stir-fry evenly before serving. Remove from the pot.

Dishes’ characteristics: bright red color, salty, sour and spicy taste, endless aftertaste, it is a typical side dish. (Reprinted by: Jiangxi TV City Channel, Yichun Tourism and Government Affairs Network)

The wedding etiquette of the Chinese Han people all uses the word "hi" to express auspiciousness. However, in the area around Cihua Temple, the custom of welcoming the bride with the character "Su" has been passed down from history, that is, affixing the character "Su" on the sedan chair and other wedding mascots. The formation of this custom came from the founder of Pu'an of Cihua Zen Temple.

In folklore, Pu'an Zen Master Yinsu was a saint who was both Taoist and divine. Most of his stories about exorcising demons and saving women, especially the story of saving brides, are widely circulated. It is said that a family in Wenjia City, Liuyang, Hunan Province got married and brought back an empty sedan. Yinsu was invited to come, and Yinsu drew talismans, recited incantations, struck a big camphor tree with lightning, and rescued the bride who was abducted by the goblin from the tree.

The word "Su" to welcome the bride originated from the legend of "Yin Su and the sedan chair". According to legend, once upon a time, a beautiful girl from Cihua was married to Motang. She passed by Cihua Temple while playing music and beating. When Pu'an Zen Master Yinsu opened his eyes, he saw two brides in the sedan chair and knew that a demon was causing trouble. So she followed the sedan quietly to Motang. When the sedan arrived at the groom's house, she opened the sedan curtain and saw two identical brides. She was at a loss. Everyone found that Zen Master Pu'an was also coming with the sedan and asked for help. Pu'an said: "Take the bride on the left to worship." Then he held the Buddhist broom in his hand and recited the incantation: "The sky and the earth are as big as the vertical one, the sun and the moon are long, the south snake turns to the north dipper, the ghost king is destroyed on the right, Pu'an comes Now, all the evil will be hidden." The fake bride rolled on the spot, howling strangely, and revealed her true form as a nine-tailed fox. Later, when people were welcoming their brides, in order to protect the sedan chair and suppress demons, they put the name of Zen Master Yinsu on the sedan chair. Just in case something unexpected happens. This is the origin of the word "Su" to welcome the bride.

It is an old custom in the Cihua area of ??Yuanzhou that when a man welcomes a bride, he only writes half of the word "su" on the sedan door to prevent the goblin from seeing through it. When the sedan arrives at the bride's side, the bride gets on the sedan, closes the sedan door, and then the bride's family asks a Taoist priest to fill in half of the character "su" so that the fairies will not dare to enter the sedan to harm the bride.

In the past, the custom of welcoming brides with the word "Su" was not only popular in the Cihua area of ??Yuanzhou, but also in the Tongmu area of ??Pingxiang in the west, and in the Wanzai and Shanggao areas in the east. Later, this custom gradually faded away in Yuanzhou, Pingxiang, and Wanzai areas. Instead, it has been passed down in Shanggao area to this day, forming a folk culture with Shanggao local characteristics.

The general rule of using the word "su" to welcome the bride is: before the groom leaves the wedding sedan, he asks the local "gentleman" to write a big word "su" on the big red paper. While writing, I recited a mantra while writing. The mantra is: "The mountains and rivers are moving with one hand, the sun and the moon are bright with one hand, the stars are seen with the left hand, the ghosts and gods are frightened with the right hand, and when Pu'an comes here, all evil spirits will be eliminated." The mantra says. After reading, the words are also finished. But the middle part of the word "su" should not come out, leaving it to the woman to fill in. After the word "su" is written, it is hung on the top of the sedan, and then the sedan can set off. When the sedan arrives at the bride's side, the bride asks the local "gentleman" to add the prefix "su" before sending the bride into the sedan. Its rules and regulations are only slightly different from the old customs in Yuanzhou.

Nowadays, fewer people sit in sedan chairs when getting married, but the folk custom of welcoming brides with the word "Su" in Shanggao has not changed. If you are on a county street or a country road in Shanggao and see an upright word "Su" on the front of a car, it must be a team welcoming the bride. (Reprinted by: Yichun Media Network) Legend has it that the 19th day of the ninth lunar month is the birthday of Empress Guanyin. Every year, for nearly half a month before and after this day, a grand gathering, the Cihua Temple Fair, is held in Cihua Town, Yuanzhou District, Yichun City. This is to commemorate this great merciful Bodhisattva who saved suffering and saved all sentient beings.

According to research, the Cihua Temple Fair has a history of 826 years. In the old days, pilgrims from all over the world gathered in Cihua Temple to worship God, kneel in front of several Bodhisattvas with yellow mud pouring straw ropes, make wishes, pray, Pray for peace.

Today's Cihua Temple Fair is crowded with tourists and goods from Hunan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other provinces and surrounding areas. Not only are pilgrims coming here to burn incense and worship Buddha, but there are also tourists and material transactions for worshiping Buddha and sightseeing. There is an endless stream of businessmen and customers, and the flow of people ranges from tens of thousands to tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands a day. Various stalls line the streets and alleys, with a dazzling array of products. The sounds of hawking, shouting, singing and dancing are endless, one after another, making it very lively. Men, women, old and young were in high spirits and high spirits as if they were celebrating a festival. The joy of harvest could be heard from their hearty laughter, and the affluence of life could be seen from the bags they carried on their shoulders.

In Cihua Temple and Guanyin Pavilion, smoke is lingering, bells are ringing, and people are crowded. Pu'an Bodhisattva and Guanyin Empress are looking down at the colorful crowd with their hands together, showing relief and envy. look. At this moment, people worshiping the Buddha lose their superstitious sustenance and become more pious and reverent. They are no longer simply wishing for peace and wishing for more children and more blessings. To a certain extent, they want to enjoy the influence of Zen culture and wish for a better and happy future.

The Cihua Temple Fair is a modern version of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" that is festive, peaceful and peaceful.