First, after the nursery year.
Miao year is the Miao people's own age, and the time of Miao year varies from place to place. In most areas, "the year begins in winter and March, and each has its own." The beginning of a year is the beginning of every year, which means the New Year in China. Some are in October, others are in winter or December. In recent years, most Miao people celebrate the Spring Festival in the first month, but the customs and habits of Miao people have not changed. Chinese New Year is the biggest festival, so we should prepare rich food, such as killing pigs, bacon, making cakes, loquat and fried rice. It is also necessary to kill chickens to worship ancestors, "keep the old age", open the "financial door", respect the "God of the Year", and rest from the first to the fifteenth day of winter. During this period, traditional entertainment activities will be held, which are translated into Chinese as "stepping on the flower mountain", "jumping on the field ridge", "jumping on the moon" and "eating a family banquet". The traditional Chinese New Year entertainment of Miao nationality is called "Catch the Year Field", which mainly includes swinging, lion dancing, playing with dragon lanterns and singing lanterns.
Second, the Hundred Lions Club
The most interesting folk activity in the Miao nationality's Chinese New Year custom is the Hundred Lions Club. Nearly a hundred or dozens of lions danced in the surrounding villages and towns, gathered in traditional villages or market towns, beat gongs and drums, paved the ground uniformly and fired muskets, which simply turned the world upside down. There are quite a few famous performances of the Hundred Lions Club, such as welcoming lions, dancing lions, measuring lions, catching lions and climbing lions. They are simple and rich in Miao customs, hiding profound cultural heritage. Miao people's love for lion dance is related to ancient legends and soil white. According to legend, during the flood period, demons ran rampant and harmed Miaoshan. A group of golden lions ran out of the forest to drive away the demons that devoured cattle, sheep and crops, and let the Miao family enjoy peace again. Later, the cunning devil came up with a poisonous trick, asking the witch to lure the lions into the rough East China Sea with colorful hydrangeas. Yaguo, a brave descendant of Miao nationality, braved difficulties and obstacles, waded through mountains and rivers to save the villagers from suffering, finally picked up the hydrangea floating on the waves, brought the auspicious lion back to Miaoshan again, and wiped out the evil monsters. Miao people rushed to Zhaitou to greet the auspicious golden lion with cheerful gongs and drums. Since then, there has been a "Hundred Lions Club" in Miao Township.
Third, set off firecrackers to grab the new year.
It is very important for Miao people to grasp the custom of the New Year. Time is New Year's Eve 12 o'clock (that is, 0 o'clock on the first day of the second year), set off firecrackers to grab the New Year! Grab the new year's goods is very particular. If you put it early, it won't work. Putting it early means sending the old year away. It's no good putting it late. It's late, which means that others have already robbed the year. So be sure to wait until 12 on time. The custom of setting off firecrackers to rob the New Year is common in both urban and rural areas.
Fourth, New Year's Eve.
On the morning of New Year's Eve, every household should clean the house and the front and back of the house. Around two or three in the afternoon, the whole family began to prepare for the New Year's Eve dinner. The housewife washes rice to cook, and the man kills cook the meat.
After the New Year's Eve dinner is ready, we should first light a lamp on the altar in the main room, and then insert incense and burn paper on the altar, on the pillars of the house, on the stove, at the door, on the pigsty and in the chicken coop. And the host or family will sacrifice to their ancestors on the table where the dishes are set and set off firecrackers at the same time. After the sacrifice, the ancestors invited relatives and friends to have a formal meal with a small amount of rice and meat. In some villages, it is customary to invite each other on New Year's Eve. You come and I go, so lively. After the New Year's Eve, families mainly feed some good meals to stone mills, fruit trees, chickens and dogs, indicating that they will also celebrate the New Year like people. When it is getting dark, the old man will summon the soul of every family member with eggs. In addition, the householder will find a thick wooden head and put it in the fire to celebrate the New Year's Eve. The bigger the firewood, the better, which indicates that big fat pigs can be raised in the coming year.
That night, the residents mainly changed the burnt incense in time, and the lights on the altar should not be put out, indicating that the ancestors had to stay up all night for New Year's Eve.