Local customs

Clothing

Traditional clothing customs in Nanping City. In the early days of the Republic of China, the general public wore short casual clothes with large lapels, while the gentry and scholars mostly wore long robes, and wore long robes and horse hangings as formal attire. Women wear large lace knee-length coats and trousers. After the 1920s, men in intellectual circles mostly wore Mao suits, women mostly wore cheongsams, male students wore three-pocket school uniforms, and girls wore blue or white tops and black skirts. In the 1930s, junior high school students wore yellow Boy Scout uniforms. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, men mostly wore gray or blue Mao suits, and women wore Lenin suits. During the "Cultural Revolution", many male and female students and cadres wore grass-green military uniforms. In the 1980s, clothing was diversified. Suits, jackets, and jeans were popular for men, and dresses of various styles were popular for women. Students wear uniforms.

Shoes and Hats

It is a traditional custom in Nanping City to wear shoes and hats. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, men mostly wore cloth shoes and hats with double noses. On rainy days, they wore cloth clogs, melon skin hats or gauze hats. Gentlemen and intellectuals mostly wore top hats. In the 1940s, clogs were gradually replaced by rubber rain boots and various rubber-soled sports shoes, and leather shoes became popular among intellectuals. In the 1950s, students and cadres mostly wore gray or grass green hats and liberation shoes. In the 1980s, caps and travel shoes were popular for men, and various types of high heels were popular for women. In the 1990s, shoes and hats incorporated the essence of Europe and America, and came in thousands of styles.

Hairstyle

Traditional hair style in Nanping City. In the Qing Dynasty, men shaved their heads and had long braids on the back of their heads; girls had short braids and women wore buns. During the Republic of China, the government ordered braids to be cut, men had their hair cut flat or parted, and women had their hair cut short to the shoulders. In the 1940s, a few fashionable women had their hair permed. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, few people had their hair permed in the 1950s and 1970s. In the 1980s, it was fashionable for some young men to have long hair and small buns, and for women to wear Hong Kong-style hair styles.

Jewelry

Traditional customs of Nanping City. During the Republic of China, it was popular for women to wear earrings, rings, hairpins, and bracelets. From the 1950s to the 1970s, few people wore it. Since the 1980s, wearing earrings, rings, and necklaces has become increasingly popular, and urban brides and grooms must wear rings.

Food

Nanping City’s traditional food customs. Eat 3 meals a day, the staple food is rice, supplemented by sweet potatoes in the old days and now pasta. Add a snack in the busy morning and afternoon. Every household has the habit of pickling vegetables. Usually 3 dishes and 1 soup. The fruits include mochi, rice fruit, pearl fruit, yellow alkali cake, ginkgo, rice cake, thousand-layer cake, ququ fruit and so on. In the 1950s, bread and dumplings were introduced from the north. Use each season to nourish your body. It is also customary to adjust Chinese herbal medicine to eat pig brains for headaches, pig feet for weak legs, pig hearts for heart disease, pig lungs for lung diseases, stomach discomfort and pregnant women to eat pig belly. After the 1980s, the fitness eating method of "eat well in the morning, full at lunch, and small in the evening" has been emphasized.

Building houses

The traditional custom of building houses in Nanping City. In the old days, a Feng Shui master was asked to choose a good location, paying special attention to the "upper beam". The "beam" is made on the mountain on an auspicious day, the two ends of the beam are wrapped with red paper, the middle of the beam is covered with a red carpet, and a cannon is fired to carry it back, which is called "Yingliang". Before mounting the beam, the "Seven Treasures" such as hemp, beans, wheat, and coins should be hung in small red cloth bags on the beam. A "Bagua Diagram" should be pasted in the center, and rice dumplings, red wine, millet, and silver coins should be hung on both ends. When the beam is raised, Mr. Yin Yang or "Huo Luban" plays the gong and emcees the ceremony, reciting the words "It is auspicious to raise the beam, wealth and wealth will be prosperous, and wealth will be achieved", and then throw away the rice dumplings, steamed buns, popcorn flowers, peanuts and candies. The crowds of onlookers are grabbing food, and the scene is extremely lively, which means "a new house is blooming" and "good luck and prosperity". That night, pigs and sheep are slaughtered, and a banquet is held to entertain carpenters, masons, relatives and friends, which is called "eating and drinking."

Bedroom

Traditional residential customs in Nanping City. In the old days, it was generally a single-story civil structure with tiled roofs, one hall and several rooms, symmetrical from left to right, with floating eaves, and wooden and stone benches erected under the eaves for outdoor resting. Choose to sit north and face south to avoid the wind and face the sun. For example, if the door faces a main thoroughfare, a "Taishan Stone Gandang" sign should be erected on the roof to avoid wind damage. The residences of wealthy people have brick and wood structures with earthen walls, with gables capped on both sides, brick carvings on the facades, and some painted pillars, which are grand and elegant. The three-dimensional structures are mostly beam-lifting and bucket-drawing. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, rural areas developed in the direction of brick and wood structures, 4-bay and 3-straight (5-straight) structures, and cities and towns developed in the direction of brick-wood, concrete, and frame structures, with 1 hall and 1 room or 2 halls and 3-4 rooms. With bathroom.

He Xinju

The traditional custom of relocation in Nanping City. After the new home is completed, choose a good day to move into the new home. A family of young and old must leave the old home at the same time. When leaving the old home, they must light incense and set off firecrackers, which is called "Xie Ju"; when going to the new home, they must light torches, lanterns, or horse lanterns, and connect the fire to the new home to pray for prosperity. When entering the new home, also Incense candles and firecrackers are lit, and a banquet is set up to entertain guests.

Guessing

Symmetrical punching, punching, and punching. The traditional custom of drinking and gambling in Nanping City. Generally, two people play against each other. At the beginning of the order, each person shouts a number from 1 to 10 and stretches out his fingers accordingly. Whoever shouts a number that matches the sum of both fingers wins and the other party drinks a glass of wine. A round of 3 or 6 glasses of wine. If you lose all 6 punches, you will be "prized" with a glass of wine. The initiator asks the guests at the table to take turns guessing in order, which is called "passing the level". A third party intervenes to support the losing side, which is called "punching in." Some people don't want to shout, and judge the level based on the odd and even numbers of the sum of the two sides' indexes, which is called "dumb boxing".

The index finger and middle finger are used as a scissors-shaped mark, the horseshoe is used as a cloth-shaped mark, and the fist is used as a stone-shaped mark, which is called "rock-paper-scissors boxing". It is called "guessing the punch" by clenching the fist and asking the opponent to guess whether there is something else in the heart. There is a customary "one word guess". There are also "fast punches" and "slow punches". The number of punches from 1 to 10 is: one means wholehearted respect, must respect, one son will shake the world, will definitely rise; second, two brothers are good, two new families, second, plum blossom, two good friends; third, three horses, Taoyuan Three, three consecutive championships, three stars shining brightly; four means four seasons of red, four seasons of hair, four seasons of good luck, four seasons of peace; five means five gold leaders, five leaders, five sons admitted to the imperial examinations, five blessings, six means six combinations, and six combinations; seven means seven. Qiao Qiao, Qiao Qiqi; eight means eight immortals floating, eight eight hair; nine means nine old people, come quickly, nine times nine; ten means family portrait, full house, all come, full of contentment. Use different auspicious words, congratulatory words, offensive and defensive words to match, endless, the one who can't win is the loser.

Take a ferry

Nanping City transitions to traditional customs. If the boat is on the other side, say "I" at the ferry, and the ferry will come. The person handling the pole at the bow and the person handling the boat at the stern should cooperate tacitly, greet each other, and act according to the gestures. During long-distance boating, firecrackers must be set off once after passing dangerous shoals to celebrate. When taking a boat or being a guest on a boat, avoid placing chopsticks on an empty bowl when eating, pouring rice into a gourd, and turning the soles of your shoes upward. This is considered a bad omen.

Engagement

Traditional wedding customs in Nanping City. Also known as "Xiading", the groom's family will make meatballs (which means reunion), prepare six bowls of vegetables (which means Liuhe and Liushun), and entertain the matchmaker, relatives and friends. The betrothal jewelry, the "Qiankun Book" signed by both men and women, and the six auspicious dried fruits are packed in a special "red bucket" and sent to the bride's home by the searcher. The girl's family also prepares six kinds of banquets to entertain matchmakers, relatives and friends. After the 1970s, folk engagement ceremonies were divided into "big Ding" and "small Ding". In "Dading", the male and female families have a breakfast banquet, and the female family prepares a luncheon. After the young male and female betrothed are seated, the elders of the male (female) family will give "meeting gifts" respectively. The engagement gifts are still sent to the female family by the matchmaker, but the bonus is The custom of buckets has been abolished. During the "Xiao Ding", both parties did not treat guests. The young men and women met to give souvenirs and discuss matters related to the marriage.

Sending stickers

It is also called sending "daily receipts", or "sending money". Traditional wedding customs in Nanping City. The groom's family prepares breakfast for relatives and friends, and sends a red sticker with the wedding date and the bride price to the bride's family through a matchmaker. The heavier the bride price, the more respectable the groom's family is. If the girl's family does not accept or accepts less gift money, it is considered to be "lowering her social status" and she will not be "valued" in the groom's family in the future. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the gift money became useless. In the 1960s, the trend of asking for betrothal gifts was revived, and the "six six" (gift of 360 yuan, 6 sets of clothes, 60 kilograms of red wine, 60 kilograms of pork, 360 kilograms of fish, and 360 eggs) circulated in rural areas. The money and material of the betrothal gifts must be appropriate. Six numbers, sewing machines, spiritual machines, watches, etc. are also required. In the 1980s and 1990s, color TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, gold jewelry, etc. were also required.

Welcoming the bride

Traditional wedding customs in Nanping City. Three days before the wedding, the groom's family will send cloaks, flower buns, etc. to the bride's family. The day before the wedding, the groom's family will give a jar of "living mother's wine" to the bride's family. When a daughter gives birth, her mother's family will use this jar to hold wine and give it to her daughter. On the wedding day, the groom's family hires a sedan chair, music, music, and large lanterns to greet the bride's bride, along with those who carry the bride's dowry. At noon, the bride's family holds a "mother's banquet" to send off the bride. In the afternoon, the bride should shave off her hair, comb her hair, put on new embroidered shoes and Xiapei, bid farewell to her parents and elders, and then her father and brothers will carry her into the sedan chair. Some brides want to "cry to marry" to show that they are "two families" from now on; some brides have to change into soiled shoes when getting on the sedan chair to show that they will not take away the "feng shui" of their mother's family. The bride's younger brother rides in a sedan chair to see off the bride and is called "his uncle". There was drumming, playing, and firecrackers all the way. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the old custom of riding in a sedan chair has been abolished. The bride is mostly greeted by the groom and accompanied by several girlfriends. One of them walks with an umbrella or takes a decorated bridal car to the groom's house.

Wedding

Traditional wedding customs in Nanping City. In the old days, when the sedan chair arrived at the groom's house, the groom would stand high on the balcony to show that "men are superior to women." When he set off firecrackers in front of the door to pick up the bride, he would also sprinkle salt into the brazier to make a popping sound, which was a sign of "big fortune." When the bride gets off the sedan, she gives the boy receiving her a bunch of dried longans to express "complete happiness and hundreds of descendants." The master of ceremonies ushered the newlyweds into the hall to worship amid the sound of drums. That is, one worships the heaven and the earth, the second worships the high hall, and the third worships the husband and wife to each other. Then the elders and relatives are worshiped, and each person who is worshiped must give a gift of money. Then the wedding banquet begins, the band plays and sings, the brother-in-law sits at the head of the hall, and the groom has to come to the table to serve food and toast. The bride is led by her mother-in-law to toast her relatives (sometimes they offer tea after the banquet), in order of seniority, and the elders need to give money as gifts, commonly known as "meeting gifts". The bride's parents-in-law want to send red envelopes to the brother-in-law. After the ceremony, the bride is sent to the bridal chamber, drinks a glass of wine, and then has a banquet. In some cases, every time a dish is served, the bride has to change her clothes to pay tribute to the guests. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, this custom was mostly abolished.

Having a wedding party

When the newlyweds enter the bridal chamber, relatives and friends, old and young, can go to the bridal chamber to make fun of the newlyweds. Ask the bride and groom to perform a show. As the saying goes: "There is no big or small bride in three days" and "the more fun there is, the more fun it will be", which is intended to increase the lively atmosphere, but some people break up unhappy because of the rough banter. Before going to bed, the elders are also asked to recite auspicious words and throw money and colorful fruits on the bed, commonly known as "throwing the bed" to predict the early birth of a "precious child". The lights in the bridal chamber were kept on that night. If someone stole the bride's embroidered shoes and clothes, the groom would have to redeem them with wine the next day. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the customs of throwing beds and stealing shoes have been abolished.

Returning to the door

Traditional wedding customs in Nanping City. On the third day, the newlyweds took a sedan chair back to their parents' home to meet their parents-in-law and say goodbye. When returning, the woman is in front and the man is in the back. When returning, the male is in front and the female is in the back. The father-in-law invites the man to drink at home for dinner and stay overnight, and the man invites him to drink at home for dinner. Relatives and friends of the woman should give the groom a meeting gift. Three days later, the new daughter-in-law began to go to the kitchen and take care of the housework. On the full moon of the wedding, the mother's family will give her naughty tools. Before New Year's Eve that year, I sent New Year's goods to my parents-in-law. In the first month of the following year, the male's relatives invite the bride, and the female's relatives invite the groom, which is commonly known as inviting the new bride. Relatives do not accept New Year candy from the groom or bride.

Bringing in a wife

Also known as "recruiting a horse" or "recruiting a bride". Traditional wedding customs in Nanping City. When a man "marries" into a woman's family, it is usually because the woman's family is short of labor or has no male heirs, so she recruits a son-in-law as a son to carry on the family business or continue the family life. After getting married, the man does not need any financial expenses. Most of the furniture settings and banquets are arranged by the woman herself, and the man only subsidizes the woman a certain amount of money. Before bringing in a child, parents of both parties must sign a child-in-law contract, each holding a copy as proof. The eldest son takes his mother's surname. If there is only one son, both surnames will be inherited. If a man goes to the woman's house for a wedding, the Wuyishan area is called "going to the house".

Fertility

Traditional birth customs in Nanping City. When a daughter gets pregnant and is said to be "happy" after getting married, her family will give her daughter pork belly and eggs to eat. Giving the baby clothes, shoes and hats before giving birth is commonly known as "birth induction". After giving birth, the son-in-law must send eggs and wine to his parents-in-law's house within three days to announce the good news. A round stopper is placed on the spout of the wine pot to indicate the birth of a boy; a flower stopper indicates the birth of a girl. The parents-in-law bring chickens, rabbits, eggs and other nutritious food to visit their daughters and grandchildren. The parents-in-law’s family will send eggnog from the son-in-law to distribute to relatives and friends. On the third day of confinement, relatives and friends will celebrate "Sandan", also known as "Three Birthdays" and "Three Dynasties", to commemorate the child's first birthday. Ask the elders to give the name.

Full Moon

Nanping City’s traditional fertility custom. When a baby is one month old, he performs a "full moon" ceremony, shaves his full moon head, and holds a full moon feast to entertain relatives and friends who have given gifts. At the banquet, the baby in the package met with relatives and friends, who spoke kindly and praised the baby, wishing the baby health and wisdom. A casual meal.

One year old

Traditional birth customs in Nanping City. On the baby's first birthday, close relatives send gifts to congratulate the baby, which is commonly known as "sending weeks". At noon, place the Four Treasures of the Study, an abacus, sword, etc. in the sieve, sit the baby on the sieve, and let him touch the objects on the sieve. This is commonly known as "grabbing weeks". The object the baby touches for the first time indicates his future ambitions. For the future, if you touch a pen, it indicates good writing, and if you touch an abacus, it indicates good business. You can use this to tease the baby and add fun. After the week, you will have a banquet and have a good time.

Birthday Celebration

Nanping City’s traditional birthday celebration custom. In Yanping, starting from the first month of the baby's life, birthday celebrations are held every year on the birthday of the baby. The simplest method is to boil 2 eggs and 1 bowl of noodles to show "peace". In Songxi area, birthday celebrations are celebrated on "10", that is, on the 10th, 20th and 30th birthdays, birthday celebrations are called "doshi". However, the 40th birthday is not allowed because of the avoidance of "4" and the local dialect "death". In the Wuyi Mountain area, it is customary to celebrate a girl's birthday when she is 20 years old before she gets married. Generally, birthday celebrations start at the age of 50, and birthdays are celebrated every tenth year. The 50-year-old is called the "Five-rank Rongqing", the 60-year-old is called the "Sixtieth Daqing", the 70-year-old is called the "Old and Seven-rank Daqing", the 80-year-old is called the "Eight-rank Daqing", and the 90-year-old is called the "Nine-rank Daqing". When celebrating a sixtieth birthday, a longevity hall can be set up, with a red curtain hanging in the hall, a table with a red rim for the birthday star, birthday peaches, and longevity noodles. For those celebrating a birthday in their 60s, the son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and son-in-law will kneel three times and kowtow nine times to pay homage to the birthday. Generally, invitations are not sent out on birthdays, but relatives and friends tell each other and come to celebrate birthdays.

Feast etiquette

Traditional banquet customs in Nanping City. For various banquets, there are usually 12 bowls of dishes, called "12 pieces". The first bowl of Yanwan served in Pucheng area is called "the first bowl of Yanwan". It is a celebratory feast, and when Yan Wan is served, firecrackers are set off to express congratulations. The chicken is put on the table, and then the whole fish is put on the table, indicating the end of the feast, which is called "the chicken flies and the fish flies away". If the whole fish is served but not eaten, the guests will leave the table. It can also be ended with mushrooms or beets. The mushrooms resemble umbrellas, giving an "umbrella" to say goodbye, and the beets mean "sweetness, friendship will last forever". Toasts start with distinguished guests and proceed in sequence (the host does not toast at a funeral banquet). There is a custom of guessing (drinking order). Seating, round tables can seat 10-12 people, square tables can seat 8 people. The table in the center of the hall is the chief seat, and distinguished guests and elders sit at the chief table (if work is started or finished, the master should be invited to sit at the chief table), and the rest are free.

Changgong Banquet

Traditional banquet customs in Wuyishan City. It falls on the evening of the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month every year. In the old days, the folk proverb of Wuyi Mountain was: "Three hundred long-term workers and two hundred studies (teaching)." Those who were long-term workers had to work for their employers for more than 300 days every year. They were usually hired after the Lantern Festival. Until February 25th of that year. On this day, the long-term workers had to pay their bills and go home. To show their hospitality, the owner held a banquet for the long-term workers in the evening. Invite the long-term worker to sit upright at the banquet. The boss will accompany him and toast to the long-term worker diligently. The long-term worker deserves it. If the long-term worker accepts this banquet, it means that he will definitely accept the employer's invitation next year. If the long-term worker does not want to be employed here again next year, he should decline this banquet.

Leap Moon Rice

An old custom in Nanping City. In years that fall on a leap month in the lunar calendar, the elders will hold a banquet in the leap month for their daughters who are getting married and other close relatives to come and have a lunch, which is called "leap moon meal", also called back meal. After lunch, you have to go home and are not allowed to stay overnight at your parents' house. , it is said that "after lunch (meal), you will be rich; after death, the basket will be used as a wooden (pot)."

If your daughter is far away or unable to come due to other reasons, you should give her rice (about 1 catty) and eggs (4 or 5) in place of the leap month meal. Today this custom has been abolished.

Being behind

The traditional custom of Nanping City. In the old days, after a daughter got married, she was abused by the groom's family, resulting in injuries and illnesses. The parents and brothers of the bride's family invited the patriarch, relatives, friends and famous figures to rush into the groom's house and make various reprimands until the groom admitted his mistake and sincerely repented, and even the son-in-law Kneel down to apologize and hold a banquet before resigning; there are also cases where a daughter was abused and ran home to hide, and the natal family turned to the husband's family to ask for someone to teach him a lesson; if the daughter had died, more people would come and raise all kinds of problems, until the husband went bankrupt. They are not willing to give up until they have arranged the funeral of the deceased, which is commonly known as "being the one behind the scenes". After the founding of the People's Republic of China, such incidents are generally handled by the people's government in accordance with the law.

Family division

Also known as "Family Division". Nanping City’s old traditional customs. The separation of brothers in a family is generally presided over by the parents, and the mother-in-law, uncles, elders, local reputable people or members of the township government are asked to supervise the notarization. Property is settled through negotiation or drawing lots, with parents leaving a share of the property to support themselves (or brothers taking turns to support themselves). Parents should prepare a new rice cooker for each only child, and the eldest son gets the original kitchen pot and stove. It is commonly known as "the eldest son never leaves the stove". The agreement on family separation, commonly known as "separation", must be signed by the parents and a notary to become effective. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the old custom of household separation in rural areas was mostly followed. Urban residents or sons of cadres separated their families, and property distribution was settled through family negotiation. In the 1980s, the old custom of dividing families among the people was gradually abolished, and matters were handled in accordance with the Marriage Law and the Succession Law.

Ancestral Succession

In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, folk tradition stipulated that only sons could inherit the ancestral property. If there are no heirs, the sons of multiple brothers will be adopted as stepsons (or adopt a son with a different surname) to inherit the clan and family business. If there are no stepsons, the step-son (daughter) who supports the adoptive parents will also have the right to obtain the family property, but it will not be counted as a descendant and will not be recorded in the genealogy. During the Republic of China, although the civil law stipulated that women had the right to inherit, this was mostly not implemented. After the founding of the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of China, the government promulgated the "Succession Law". Direct children, spouses, and adopted children (females) who have gone through legal procedures all have the right to inherit. All inheritance disputes will be adjudicated in accordance with the law, and the old patriarchal inheritance system will be abolished.