Our Chinese New Year activities begin on the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month. On this day, every household will worship the Earth God, especially businessmen. In order to pray for wealth in the new year, they often sacrifice animal bodies and gold paper, and share the sacrifices with colleagues to reward employees. This is called "eating tail teeth". During the period of "eating tail teeth", the employer will throw a chicken head at the employee who is about to be fired, indicating that he should find another job next year. Therefore, there is a proverb: "Eat the tail teeth and worry about the face, eat the head teeth and caress the beard." It means that the meal at the end of the day is related to whether you will stay or leave your job.
The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is the day to send the Kitchen God to heaven. Among the sacrifices, there must be "Tianyuanzi" (glutinous rice balls), which are stuck at the mouth of the stove, so that the Kitchen God can "send good words to heaven and put bad words aside." On this day, there is also a general cleaning to remove all "bad luck" from the home in order to welcome the New Year.
The next step is to prepare New Year’s goods, because most shops are closed from the first to the third day of the first lunar month. Therefore, all new year goods should be purchased within the year.
One or two days before New Year's Eve, every household usually pastes Spring Festival couplets symbolizing the auspiciousness of the New Year, all the best, and attracting wealth on their doors and windows, grain stores, pig pens, wells, etc. , and then arrange offerings and incense candles on the altar table in the main room to worship the ancestors and welcome them "home for the New Year". The sound of setting off fireworks and firecrackers came one after another, and it was very lively, and it lasted until the morning of the first day of the new year.
New Year's Eve is called "Twenty-Nine Dark" and "Thirty Dark" in our hometown, depending on the size of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar. "杝" means the end of the year. Before it gets too late, every family prepares offerings, such as sweet oranges, sweet rice crackers (rice cakes), "spring rice", "lucky money", etc. "Spring rice" is a pointed rice bowl with a paper-cut spring character inserted into it. Because the words "spring" and "leftover" in the Hokkien dialect are homophonic, it means "there is more food every year and there is more to eat every year." In addition, behind the gate, two sugarcane with whiskers and leaves are placed vertically. They are called "long-year sugarcane", which means "long and sweet", which means "firming the family luck and good luck". When having New Year's Eve dinner "around the stove", a new charcoal stove and a new sunflower fan are placed under the Eight Immortals table, with the words "spring" and "blessing" written on red paper on the fan and stove. When surrounding the fire, you should say auspicious words, such as "Eat red dates, good luck every year!", "Eat New Year's rice, make money every year!" etc. There must be mustard greens on the table, called "perennial vegetables", symbolizing longevity. Some people also have "leeks" on the table, which is a homophony of "leeks" and "jiu", symbolizing longevity. Radish is also indispensable. In addition to its functions of relieving the fishy smell and adjusting the taste, we call it "Caitou" in Minnan dialect, which means "good luck" (good omen). In addition, there is also a salty radish rice cake, which needs to be heated over a fire and then wrapped in seaweed. There is also chicken, which is homophonic to "home", and "eat chicken to start a family", which can greatly boost the reputation of the family. When "circling the stove", vegetables are not chopped with a knife. They are washed and boiled by the roots. They are not bitten when eating. Instead, they are eaten slowly from beginning to end to wish parents longevity. Because my hometown is close to the sea, oysters are produced at this time of year. Fried foods (such as oyster cakes) and fried foods (such as oyster pancakes) centered on oysters are must-haves during the New Year.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, there is a New Year's Eve dinner, and the elders give "New Year's money" to their children in a unique way: for older children, their "New Year's money" is pre-wrapped in red paper and handed to them. The "new year's money" for young children is wrapped in red thread by adults in advance and tied into a small loop, which is put around their necks. "Shou Sui" is also called "Longevity Night", which symbolizes the younger generation's wishes for their parents' longevity. As soon as "Jiao Shi" (12 o'clock in the middle of the night) passes and enters the first day of the Lunar New Year, people gather together, young and old, to worship the gods with red and white rice cakes, worship their parents-in-law (grandfathers and grandmothers), and then set off firecrackers to welcome the spring and bring good fortune. .
Our Spring Festival customs are mainly as follows,
On the first day of the first lunar month: 1. New Year greetings. Relatives and friends go back and forth to visit each other, congratulate each other, and wish each other success and good health in the coming year.
2. Wear new clothes. New clothes represent the renewal of everything, especially children's expectations for the New Year. It is so exciting to have a set of clothes that they like, from hats to clothes to shoes, that are all new.
3. Spring. When you go out for the first time in the new year, you usually go to the temple to pray for everything to go well in the new year. You should pay special attention to the direction when you go out. If you go east first, you will have good luck, but few people will go south.
4. Opening and closing the door indicates auspicious times. Opening and closing the door is a common thing, but on the first day of the Lunar New Year, it becomes grand, because farmers' calendars indicate when it is auspicious to open and close the door, so everyone would rather seek auspiciousness according to the time.
5. There are many taboos. During the New Year, anything considered unlucky is listed as taboo, such as: no swearing, no swearing, no taking out garbage, no using knives, no sleeping during the day, no frying rice cakes, etc.
6. Eat vegetarian food and noodles for breakfast. This was the only meal that families who generally ate meat had to eat vegetarian food in agricultural societies in the past. This was a symbol of the ancestors’ compassion for all living things. Modern thinking believes that eating vegetarian food on the first day of the new year is also a good thing, because the New Year’s dishes the night before were too greasy and cleanse the stomach. Also good for health. Eating noodles represents health and longevity.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year: Due to the custom here, the second day of the first lunar month is "Son-in-law Day". On the second day of the Lunar New Year, all married daughters must go back to their parents' homes with their son-in-law and children, who are known as "half-sons". There is a proverb: "On the second and third day of the lunar month, if you have a father and a mother, you will have to fight without a father and a mother." This means that if a daughter-in-law's parents are still alive, someone will definitely come to take her back as a "guest" on the second and third day of the lunar month. The daughter-in-law, who has no parents, has no choice but to stay at her husband's house and work, helping to carry the burdens of relatives and friends who come home as guests. Because everyone believes that returning to their parents’ home on the first day of the Lunar New Year will make their parents’ family poor, so they have to wait until the second day of the Lunar New Year to go back. To put it another way, after the first day of the Lunar New Year, the husband’s family is busy with various New Year activities and receiving New Year greetings. visitors. As a daughter-in-law, you should be considerate. If you just go home, it would be unreasonable.
When a son-in-law comes to visit, he must bring a gift with him, which is called a "accompanying hand". When you return to your parents' home, you first pay New Year greetings to your elders and then give them red envelopes. Some elders will also give red envelopes to their grandchildren. If there are young brothers and sisters in the natal family, or the children of brothers and sisters, they should also send red envelopes to each other to celebrate the New Year. If it is the first time for a daughter to bring her child home to meet her grandpa or grandma, some grandpas and grandma will also give them chicken legs, and tie copper coins with red woolen thread and hang them around the child's neck, which is called a "ribbon."
When a married daughter returns to her parents’ home, it used to be the eleventh day (for a son-in-law) or the twelve days (for a daughter to return to her parents’ home). However, I don’t know when it was changed to the second day of the lunar month. Perhaps due to the short New Year holidays in the industrial and commercial society ( There are only five days), so it is more appropriate to choose this day. In the old days, the purpose of a daughter returning to her parents' home was for her parents to inquire about her daughter's situation at her husband's house and whether she was filial to her parents-in-law. Manage the family diligently and encourage your son-in-law to work harder in the new year.
The third day of the first lunar month: the day to freshen the sorrow (i.e. burn a new bed) for the bereaved family. Anyone who has not been to a friend's house on the first or second day of the Lunar New Year should not visit on that day. Visiting is considered disrespectful. People don’t go out much, and they eat early and go to bed early at night. This is also a good opportunity to take a break amidst the hustle and bustle. There is a proverb that goes, "The first day of the lunar month is early, the second day of the lunar month is early, and the third day of the lunar month is sleepy and full." It means that there are no guests coming to the house on the third day of the lunar month, so it doesn't matter if you get up late. So where did this custom come from? According to legend, during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Japanese pirates occupied Wuyu, an island outside Xiamen. One New Year's Eve, the officers and soldiers were busy celebrating the New Year and neglected to defend. A large number of Japanese pirates took the opportunity to attack the city. The soldiers and civilians rose up to resist the enemy. After two days and three nights of fierce fighting, the Japanese pirates were defeated. However, the soldiers and civilians in the city suffered heavy casualties. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, people bury their relatives and friends, mourn the dead, and cry loudly. They have no time to visit other homes to pay New Year greetings. On the third day of the second lunar month, we regard this day as the anniversary of death. Over time, it has become a tradition.
The fourth day of the first lunar month: This day is the day to welcome the "Kitchen God" to earth, so naturally it will be a lively event. Those who worship the Buddha must burn paper, silk and horses to receive the gods, in order to welcome the gods on December 23rd.
The fifth day of the first lunar month: From this day on, many people open their businesses and go to work.
The ninth day of the first lunar month: The ninth day of the lunar month is said to be the birthday of the "God of Heaven". Every household must prepare the best wine and food, burn incense, worship, perform and recite sutras, to celebrate the birthday of the "God of Heaven" . On the birthday of the Jade Emperor, the incense table is used to worship the gods. However, the mourning family must stop offering sacrifices for two years.
The tenth day of the first lunar month: Earth’s birthday. No wood is cut or earth is dug on this day. And pay tribute with ordinary items.
The eleventh to the fourteenth day of the first lunar month: "Travel". Every village has a "travel" in these days, that is, the gods from each village temple are carried out and walked on the village road, which means that the gods can come out to see the new changes and new faces of the villagers. People burn incense and pay homage to the "traveling" gods one after another. The lively scene is no less than that of the Lantern Festival.
The 13th day of the first lunar month: the birthday of Emperor Guan Sheng, merchants all offer sacrifices.
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month: We also call the Lantern Festival the Shangyuan Festival or the Japanese Lantern Festival, which is the birthday of Emperor Sanguan and the lantern festival. This is the last scene of the entire Spring Festival. On this day, every family will eat glutinous rice balls and watch lanterns according to traditional customs. Under the full moon, all kinds of colorful lanterns shine brightly, and there are activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern playing, and "drums welcome", which are colorful and dazzling. Especially those children who are full of childishness, carrying lanterns and chanting songs, walking through the streets and alleys, just like fish swimming under the sea, adding icing on the cake to the lively Lantern Festival night! In addition, the "traveling" gods are also sent back to the temple on this day.
With the progress of society and the acceleration of the pace of life, some cumbersome customs in our hometown have gradually been abolished, but the traditional New Year customs and ways of celebrating a good year in farm families still continue.
With the development of the times, information-based New Year greeting methods have quietly emerged, adding more fun to our New Year greetings. Quangang District, which is undergoing modernization, is no exception.
Telephone New Year greetings: Telephones eliminate the need for people to move around to pay New Year greetings, allowing people to spend more time at home. This method is most suitable for paying New Year greetings to distant friends, elders, teachers, relatives and friends.
SMS New Year greetings: This is the most "popular" way to send New Year greetings nowadays - it is convenient and fast, and the message can be conveyed as soon as possible. In addition, text messages for New Year greetings cost 10 cents each, so the cost is relatively cheap.
MSN, E-mail, electronic greeting cards, video New Year greetings: As long as both parties are online, instant messaging software like MSN adds a powerful "weapon" to New Year greetings. E-mail and electronic greeting cards can take photos of the scene and send them to relatives and friends via e-mail.