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Chinese New Year Customs in Old Shanghai

The Spring Festival has lasted for thousands of years in China. But for a long time, the term "Spring Festival" refers to the "beginning of spring" among the 24 solar terms in a year. It was not until the Revolution of 1911 overthrew the Manchu rule and the Republic of China was founded that Sun Yat-sen ordered the whole country to switch to the solar calendar. Later, the New Year will also be changed to New Year's Day in the solar calendar. But after all, the Lunar New Year has become a traditional festival celebrated by the whole people, and it is difficult to change the solid local customs and national culture. The celebration of the Lunar New Year is still endless year after year. Since there is a new New Year's Day in the solar calendar, the Lunar New Year has been called "Spring Festival" in the solar terms since the Republic of China.

In the old days, it entered the "New Year" from the 65438+February 23rd of the lunar calendar and continued until the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, forming a set of fixed programs. Let's see how Shanghai celebrated the New Year in the past.

The 24th of the twelfth lunar month, that is, the 24th of December, is the day when Kitchen God plays with things in the sky. Therefore, on the evening of 23rd, every household should "send a stove" and "sacrifice a stove" to celebrate the New Year. In the evening, every household worships the Kitchen God in the hall. More often, wine and fruit are placed on the kitchen with the image of the Kitchen God, and water chestnuts, clams, good fish and good meat are also provided. There is a bamboo cloud: "fame and fortune are prosperous and less right and wrong, all depending on the sky." There is nothing to offer at present. Fish buy fresh meat and fat meat. "

Kitchen God is going to report the human quality and human faults to the Jade Emperor for one year. In order to prevent him from going too far, people also offered candy ingots made of caramel when he sent them to the kitchen stove. It is said that it is to make him eat and stick his teeth, to make him unable to speak clearly, to make him talk less and not to speak ill of the world. When "sending the stove", all the points are incense sticks. It was night, cigarettes filled the room, and the offerings were dazzling, and the atmosphere of the New Year came at once.

The 25th day of the twelfth lunar month is the day when immortals descend to earth. Traditionally, every household has to dust inside and outside, remove the accumulated dust for one year, and clean up the sundries accumulated at ordinary times. This move is quite serious, and in today's words, it can be called an active and orderly mass health movement. After this day's work, every household is dirty, the supplies are better than before, and the appearance is fresh inside and outside, like a New Year's Eve.

From this day on, every household began to be busy with all aspects of the Spring Festival. The first thing is to buy and prepare all kinds of food for the New Year. Every family must also grind flour to make dumplings, and some families make rice cakes with flour. The former means "round and round", while the latter can mean "happy" and "high every year". The second is to prepare new clothes, new hats and new shoes. People may wear old clothes all the year round, but they must examine their "clothes" in the new year. Once again, I began to buy Spring Festival couplets, New Year pictures and "door gods" and put them on the doors, upstairs and downstairs. During this period, in order to meet the needs of the public, many kinds of such things appeared in the market. Every family also needs its own things. For example, when buying Spring Festival couplets, the store will choose "the business is booming all over the world, and the financial resources are reaching the Three Rivers", while the average household will choose "the sky is increasing, the people are increasing, the spring is full, and Kunming is beaming".

This period is also the busiest time for shops in the middle of the year. On the one hand, business is booming and sales are booming. On the other hand, the end of the year is the period when each family cleans up the current accounts for one year and asks the debtor for arrears. So each family sent someone to handle this matter, and a large-scale "debt collection" team appeared in the city: "Cross the street from east to west with bills in cloth bags. Step into the heavy door and call it, and the husband will be together. " There are many people who can't repay on time for various reasons. Debt collectors have great responsibilities and pursue hardships, often day and night, regardless of the cold day and night.

Among those who can't pay their bills on time, in fact, many people are completely unable to pay their bills. In addition to the debts owed to the store, these people probably owe personal debts. The end of the year is also the time when most debts are paid off, so these people are under pressure from two sides to ask for money. However, according to the usual practice, debt collection and debt collection can only be done on New Year's Eve, but not on New Year's Eve. It is unlucky to blame yourself for "bad luck". Therefore, the New Year's Eve dinner is the last pass for those who evade debts. If they escape this, next year will be another matter. So they have been dealing with debt collectors and trying their best to get through this New Year's Eve: "The creditors who are riddled with holes have come, and it is difficult to get them back without any plans. I have to go on stage today to avoid it, and I will drive it away after dawn. "

However, except for the poor people mentioned above, on the whole, when the New Year comes, everyone is inevitably extremely happy and in high spirits. After all the preparations mentioned above, the New Year's Eve that we are looking forward to every day has finally come to our eyes, and the celebration of the New Year has reached a climax.

The beauty of New Year's Eve is at sunset. In the evening, all the families gather indoors, even those who are far away from home, try to go home and spend the New Year with their families before. Everyone sat under the lamp, eating the "New Year's Eve", eating and drinking, talking and laughing, and eating this meal for a long time. This is a year of trying to enjoy family happiness, hence the name "Family Happiness".

This night is next to the Chinese New Year, so many family elders don't sleep after the New Year's Eve. Still talking and laughing, eating omnivores. People don't think this night is deeper and longer. At midnight, some people will go to temples in the city to burn "head incense".

At the time of the crow, every household, men, women and children, put on new clothes, hats and shoes, and worship the heavens and the earth and ancestors in the hall where offerings have already been arranged. Then, young people and old people pay New Year greetings to their parents. They distribute the lucky money prepared many years ago to their children. This is the long-awaited hope of the children, and they finally happily put it in their pockets. Then open the door and let sonic boom greet the New Year, and the neighbors will meet to celebrate the New Year.

Every day from the first day of junior high school is a time when friends and relatives return to pay New Year greetings. When guests bring more gifts, they must treat them to "Yuanbao tea", that is, put olives in the tea or put an olive on the tea cover. He also offered fruit in a golden lacquer plate and said, "Congratulations!" " . I will treat you to wine and rice. At that time, the elders had to send lucky money when they saw the younger generation, which was inevitably a big burden for those who were financially strapped. However, this new year greeting method was simplified in Shanghai in the late Qing Dynasty. People who have a lot of contacts go out to pay New Year's greetings, and often just throw a thorn for them, which can save entertainment and expenses: "In exchange for new peaches and new colors, the robe is short to the door. Who is most afraid of frequent bending and rushing to throw thorns for the New Year. "

In the new year, in addition to visiting each other to celebrate the New Year, the rest of the time is to "celebrate" with various travel and entertainment activities. Some people go out for a stroll, and the most visited places are the City God Temple and the connected West Garden (that is, Yuyuan Garden): "There is nothing to do in the New Year, so you can take a walk in the zigzag bridge in the garden. Suddenly I heard the children clap their hands together and the kite shook for a long time. " However, since the establishment of the modern concession, the colorful Shili Yangchang has become a fascinating amusement place in the New Year, especially for those who live outside the Yangchang: "People in the city love the Yangchang, while people outside the city compete for the Temple Garden. At the same time, they are generally willing to watch, and everyone is speechless. " Others go out to the theatre, listen to books and have tea. After the opening of the port, there was a lot of prostitution in and out of Shanghai's foreign exchange. Some people took advantage of this period to travel wildly, so they were busy with fireworks everywhere: "The new year weather mirror is polished, and money is like a shuttle. There are thousands of Chuting in Qian Qian in Qin Lou, and there are many laughs at the opening of the fruit bowl "; Of course, more people often stay at home, and indoor fun can be found by themselves, such as inviting relatives and friends to build a "square city", playing drums and playing the piano, singing by themselves, and so on: "Food, new clothes and happiness make people old, and thousands of people borrow common names. Every household is closed for three days (referring to merchants), not the sound of cards or drums. "

On the fifth day of the first month, it is the birthday of the God of Wealth (commonly known as the "Road God"), and there are actions of "connecting with the God of Wealth", "connecting with the God of Wealth" and "connecting with the Road God" everywhere. The god of wealth talks about "wealth", and everyone pays attention to it, especially businessmen who start businesses for wealth, so their celebration is the most energetic. Shanghai has long been a prosperous commercial city in the southeast, and businesses can be seen everywhere. It is conceivable that the celebration of the fifth day is particularly intense. Businessmen get more than three kinds of sacrifices from the god of wealth: pig head, carp and rooster. Carp lovers, homophonic "Li Yu", are particularly popular. As early as a few days ago, villagers from rural areas were selling fresh carp to various pockets in the streets and alleys. Carp is also called "silver ingot fish", so it is called "sending silver ingots".

On the fifth day of the fifth grade, a new portrait of Marshal Zhao was hung in the middle of the merchant hall. Except for three sacrifices, the other sacrifices are extremely rich. Incense candles were lit and the house was brightly lit. Then, firecrackers were set off indoors and outdoors, one after another, and the whole city roared and the sound shocked hundreds of miles. And continuously, its sound and strength are too strong for the first morning: "firecrackers can't be picked up, and the god of wealth is busy fighting." I just hope that business will be good this year. Why not pick me up at the fifth watch? "

Finally, it is the fifteenth Lantern Festival. The expiration of May coincides with the reunion and is for good luck. On this day, every family must eat "Yuanxiao", which means reunion and good luck. But the prosperity of the Lantern Festival lies in "lights", so it is also called "Lantern Festival". It is a big lantern in front of every household and shop, and it is also a big lantern in public places such as temples, gardens and squares. After sunset, all the lights are put together, connected together, and the red light shines. Lanterns have various shapes, including various lanterns, plant lanterns, animal lanterns, character lanterns, story lanterns and so on. The most common lanterns in Shanghai are rabbit lanterns, ingot lanterns and lantern lanterns, among which the biggest and most wonderful one is the "dragon lantern": the dragon has a head and a tail, the scales are flashing, it is * * * long, and it has a long handle, which is held by the dragon dancer. There is also a special person holding a "rolling lantern" like a big ball, playing with the dragon's body, chasing and even fighting. They are dancing in the streets of Shanghai.

At that time, men, women and children will appear in groups. Chenghuang Temple and Xiyuan Garden are also the center of an activity. It is a pavilion decorated with colored lights, bright inside and outside. In the garden, there is a big rockery and high rocks, and fireworks are set off, which is the most attractive. The audience who came here jostled shoulder to shoulder, all smiling. In addition to watching lanterns, this Lantern Festival has a special "popularity": the so-called "ten-mile bead curtain does not roll, and the lantern watcher looks at the lantern watcher" is that unique artistic conception. The midnight snack will last until late at night, and everyone will walk home slowly after lights out. There is a saying that this day happened to be the day when the kitchen god returned, so he just caught up with the kitchen god when he went home.