Part 1: Ningxiang’s ethnic customs
Every year on the first day of the first lunar month, it is the Chinese New Year. Among Chinese traditional festivals, this is the most important and lively festival. Because when we celebrate the Lunar New Year, it is the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Therefore, people call this festival "Spring Festival".
Eat, drink and have fun. Times are different, and the meanings of these four words are also different.
Eat, I remember I was looking forward to the Chinese New Year last time. There will be delicious food during the Chinese New Year. I can eat hard without getting scolded by my elders. Now the requirement is how to eat healthily.
Drinking is classy, ??so many families choose to have New Year’s Eve dinner in hotels. Of course, most people still have a reunion dinner at home.
Play, during the Chinese New Year, get together with relatives and friends to play mahjong and fight against small landlords is the choice of many people. The "opening gun" just after 12 o'clock in the evening of New Year's Eve is a must. Yes, there are also firecrackers that must be set off on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, which means that the New Year is over.
During the Chinese New Year, my family would eat the New Year’s Eve dinner and watch the “Spring Festival Gala” on the TV. Of course, New Year’s Eve is the paradise for me and my children. For example: the elders usually release the New Year's money or firecrackers bought a few days ago with the younger ones.
These activities are all to pay homage to ancestors, remove the old and introduce the new, and welcome the spring and bring blessings. Praying for a good harvest is the main content. With strong national characteristics.
Chapter 2: Ethnic customs of my hometown
My hometown is Pucheng, which is a very small county. However, despite this, the people of Pucheng have always admired the traditional Chinese folk customs. , which shows everyone’s respect for their ancestors.
Let me start with the Spring Festival! On New Year's Eve, every family starts having New Year's Eve dinner at around 3 o'clock. "Egg rolls" are an indispensable dish. Its color is golden, which symbolizes that the family will be prosperous every year and the children can respect their elders. After dinner, we never go out. My grandma said: "If we go out, we will take away everyone's good luck." Although we can't go out, we can't go out at home, but at home, We can still have fun. The adults played cards at home all night long, and the children set off fireworks with great enthusiasm! This means that everyone will have good luck and wealth every year... After New Year's Eve, the first day of the first lunar month is also very popular! In the morning, after washing up, drink a cup of "osmanthus honey". This is our children's favorite. It tastes sweet and fragrant... This means that we hope that everyone's life will be prosperous and sweet... After the meal, we pay New Year greetings to the elders. The elders have to pack the New Year's money. The children will be happy after getting the New Year's money. However, from the first to the third day of the Lunar New Year, they are not allowed to spend money randomly. This also means that the adults spend this year It's hard to make money, and my luck is not very good... After paying New Year's greetings to the elders, the girl helps her parents at home, and the boy follows the adults to the homes of their relatives and friends to pay New Year's greetings. Everyone is very happy. . On the fourth day of the first lunar month, the whole family will go to the temple on the mountain to burn incense, pay respects to the Bodhisattva, and let the Bodhisattva bless the children and grandchildren. The lives of the children will be happier... After the sixth day of the lunar month, everything will return to normal, sir. We will continue to work while we are at work. It is time for the children to review their homework and welcome the new semester. This Spring Festival is unforgettable. Chapter 3: National Customs
It is April in the world, and the spring scenery is all over the south of the Yangtze River. The Maoshan Temple Fair is a date between traditional folk customs and spring: April 13th - March 18th of the lunar calendar, the ancient town of Maoshan, with a history of more than 2,000 years of civilization, celebrates its own festival today, and the air is filled with... With the atmosphere of festival, the majestic gongs and drums excite the blessed land of Maoshan; the dancing dragons and lions stir the spring breeze of the ancient town. Common people from surrounding towns gathered together to watch the grand spectacle of the Maoshan Temple Fair, which felt like a "civilian carnival."
Tracing back to the Maoshan Temple Fair, which began around the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it has been more than 200 years. This year is the 22nd organized and planned temple fair in Maoshan. Although the temple fair is somewhat superstitious, its purpose is to Merchants gather to exchange materials and supply supplies needed for spring farming and people's daily life, which plays a role in revitalizing the economy and revitalizing the market. There are also young artists who give full play to their specialties, perform costume performances, compete in entertainment, and enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the masses.
At eight o'clock in the morning, the sound of gongs "哐哐哐" opened the curtain of the temple fair. The majestic dragon dance team took the lead in taking the stage. The dancing dragons flying and tumbling in the air attracted loud cheers from everyone. These dragon dance teams are composed of various villages and towns. Generally, there are two dragons in a township, and there are usually four dragons. The dragon dances are transported by special boats. After arriving at Maoshan, they are placed in the local temple. When the temple fair is on time, they are decorated with flags, gongs, drums, The horn serves as the precursor to invite the dancing dragon out of the temple. The body of the dragon is mostly made of bamboo tied into a round dragon shape, with the joints connected. The outside is covered with a huge red cloth with dragon scales painted on it. There is a person holding a pole every five or six feet, and the distance between the head and the tail is about ten feet long. The dragon is led by one person holding a pole, and a giant ball is erected on the top of the pole as a guide. When dancing, the giant ball swings back, forth, left, and right, and the dragon's head looks like it's grabbing the ball, causing the dragon's body to wander and fly.
The dragon dance passes through the Dongyue Temple. The Dongyue Temple Fair is derived from the prototype of Dongyue the Great - Mao Ying of Sanmao Zhenjun. He is also the founder of southern Taoism. Each dragon dance is in the statue of Dongyue the Great. After kowtowing for blessings for the first three days, we finally arrived at Jingde Zen Temple to rest for a while, waiting for the street sweeping at 1 p.m. Pilgrims followed the dragon procession into the temple to worship Buddha. The temple was crowded with people, and the smoke filling the sky made people feel like a fairyland. Jingde Zen Temple, known as a thousand-year-old ancient temple, is filled with smoke and long-lasting Sanskrit chants. The Main Hall also held a beam-raising ceremony today. The Reclining Buddha Hall, Sutra Library, Upper Beam of the Abbot's Chamber and Shanmen Hall in the temple have been renovated and opened to the public. The Reclining Buddha Hall is the most lively. The Reclining Buddha cost about 100 million and is carved from jade imported from Myanmar. It weighs about 6 tons. He quietly accepted the worship of pilgrims and listened to their voices. The old lady who devoted herself to practicing worshiping Buddha was waiting outside the Reclining Buddha Hall in a navy blue robe, her eyes full of piety and expectation, and her body full of calmness and aura.
The Huai Opera Troupe from Xinghua set up a stage to perform in Jingde Zen Temple. In order to have a clear view, the common people occupied the place early with stools. The loud and rapid singing of Maoshan trumpets The rhythm of the song passes through the sky and can be heard from a distance. The soft and lingering dance and the innocent and cute children performing on the same stage provide the people in the audience with a visual feast full of laughter and laughter.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, the dragon dances gathered together to form a 100-meter dragon team, which paraded around Maoshan Town to sweep the streets. The purposes of dragon dance can be summarized in a few ways: one is to pray for rain and blessings, the other is to entertain gods and yourself, the third is to demonstrate strength, and the fourth is to prosper people. There was a man in front of the dragon team who beat the gong to show urgency, and then the horsepipe cleared the way. Ma Pi is a wizard invited by the locals to sweep the streets before social festivals to drive away demons and evil spirits. Ma Pi leads the dragon team through every house in the streets and alleys, and is welcomed by everyone. There are more than ten faces with similar and different colors. Colorful flags flutter in the wind to support the parade, and every household holds candles, burns incense, and sets off fireworks and firecrackers to ensure peace and prosperity in the coming year.
Looking around, it is the strong local customs of Maoshan that make people intoxicated. The people in the ancient town embrace the new while not forgetting to inherit the culture. Shaving noodles, making incense, and homemade farm tools are deeply loved by the masses. While inheriting traditions, we also learn new experiences and seek new developments. Behind cultural communication is economic integration. The so-called gold in troubled times and antiques in prosperous times. The wealthy Maoshan people, with the help of political leaders and people, spontaneously restored the Maoshan Temple Fair. The purpose is to excavate historical and cultural heritage, protect cultural monuments, develop the tourism economy, promote national and religious culture, and promote the local economy. Cultural development, production development, economic prosperity, market expansion, and revitalization of Maoshan.
A Maoshan, a feng shui, stimulates the economy of a place, and also promotes the integration of traditional culture and modern civilization. We firmly believe in the well-being of Maoshan! Good luck Maoshan! Chapter 4: Folk customs of the Manchu people
"56 ethnic groups, 56 flowers". Each ethnic group has different customs and habits, as well as distinctive houses and special foods. This corresponds to the saying "the winds are different in a hundred miles, and the customs are different in a thousand miles".
The Manchu is one of the 56 gorgeous flowers. The costumes of the Manchu are particularly distinctive. Let me briefly introduce them below.
Manchu women do not bind their feet. All their shoes are embroidered with beautiful flowers and have a 10 cm high wooden heel in the center of the sole. Manchu women can walk with their heads held high and their waists swaying when walking in such shoes.
Cheongsam is the traditional dress of Manchu women. They like to wear cheongsam that reaches their feet or wear a waistcoat. The characteristics of the cheongsam are a stand-up collar, a large right lapel, a tight waist, and slits at the hem. Ancient cheongsam has Pipa lapel, Ruyi lapel, oblique lapel, piping or trimming, etc. After the 1920s, it was improved with a loose waist, wide cuffs, and moderate length, making it easier to walk. It has become a more popular clothing for Chinese women. In the early 1930s, influenced by Western short skirts, the length was shortened, almost to the knees, and the cuffs were reduced in size. In the mid-1930s, they were lengthened again, with high slits on both sides. In the 1940s, it shortened, and short-sleeved or sleeveless cheongsam appeared, with a streamlined appearance. Later, the front and back parts of the garment were separated, with shoulder seams and sleeve-style cheongsam skirts. Cheongsam has an oriental color and can fully display grace and elegance. It is considered to be a typical national costume that expresses female beauty. Fame in the world.
Women’s cheongsam is more decorative than men’s cheongsam. The collar, front and cuffs are all embroidered. Inlaid with several patterns or colorful teeth, it is commonly known as "painted road" or "dog tooth".
The clothes of Manchu women are very beautiful, and the clothes of Manchu men are also very good.
Historically, Manchu men often wore robes with horse-shoe sleeves and a belt around their waists, or wore robes over a double-breasted mandarin jacket.
The mandarin jacket is a kind of jacket that Manchu men often wear when riding horses. The mandarin jacket is divided into many forms, such as large lapel, double lapel, pipa lapel and so on. The mandarin jacket later became a daily garment worn outside the robe. The collar is high, open on all sides, waist-long, and the sleeves are slightly shorter. Three or four inches of the sleeves can be exposed. Roll the sleeves over the sleeves, which are the so-called big and small sleeves. The double-breasted cotton-padded jacket worn by many Manchu people today evolved from the mandarin jacket. In order to facilitate riding, a short coat that reaches the navel and is slit on all sides is worn outside the robe to keep out the wind and cold.
Manchu men wear straw hats in summer and leather sloppy hats in winter. Their clothes like to be made of cotton, silk, silk, satin and other materials of various textures such as green, blue, brown and other colors. Their trouser legs are tied with green leg straps, and their feet are made of cotton boots or leather boots. In winter, they wear leather urala. Leave a braid on top and shave the surrounding hair.
The Manchu people are one of the 56 ethnic groups in my country. They are a beautiful and wonderful flower. It has different customs and characteristics from other ethnic groups, which we need to slowly understand and understand. Chapter 5: Folk Customs
"There are different styles in a hundred miles, and different customs in a thousand miles." In China, this huge family is composed of brothers and sisters from 56 ethnic groups, and each place has different characteristics. My hometown is in the beautiful Guangdong. Let me take you to the Guangdong Folk Customs Grand View Garden!
First of all, we introduce the favorite drink of Cantonese people - herbal tea. We believe that herbal tea is the body's insurance company,
Because it can cure diseases when taken with illness, and it can cure diseases without any illness. Hospital gowns can also prevent illness. In Guangdong, if adults do not drink several cups of herbal tea (mostly Wong Lao Kat) within a month, and infants and children do not take Seven Star Tea once every 2-3 days, their health is considered to be unsafe.
Bamboo sugarcane grass root water is one of the Guangdong herbal teas. It has the effects of clearing away heat and reducing internal heat, promoting body fluids and quenching thirst, moistening the lungs and detoxifying.
Commonly used herbal teas such as Wuhua tea, Xia Sangju, Wang Laoji, etc. are all composed of drugs that are bitter in taste and cold in nature. They are suitable for stagnation diseases such as colds, headaches and fever. Among them, Wanglaoji has the most cooling properties, while Wuhuacha and Xia Sangju are relatively mild. Children's Seven Star Tea is composed of medicines with a sweet taste and mild cold properties. It is suitable for children with colds, fever, irritability and teeth clenching. It is suitable for people with strong physique, strong fire and dampness, frequent sore throat, dry stool, red tongue and yellow greasy coating. However, the only thing foreigners feel after drinking herbal tea is the word "bitter"! When many people drink herbal tea, they take a sip and then put in a few slices of tangerine peel to remove the bitterness.
During the Spring Festival or plowing season of every year, the Guangdong people perform a spring cow dance with a strong local flavor in the vast rural areas from northern Guangdong to the mountainous areas of western Guangdong. People affectionately praise the cattle that work hard with them, which fully reflects people's love for this farm treasure and their prayers and expectations for future life. During the performance, the actors and the audience cheered and made each other laugh. The atmosphere was strong and harmonious, full of the special joy of farm families. "Spring Ox" is usually performed by two actors, one dancing the bull's head and the other dancing the bull's tail. The bull's head is made of wood or bamboo shoots and is twice as big as the real bull's head. It has curved horns, big eyes, and black eyes. The fur, cow nose is worn, just like the real thing. The body of the cow is made of cloth, covering the actors inside, and the body and tail of the cow are danced by one person. Before the performance, the "cow" lies aside. Amid the sound of cheerful gongs and drums, a character dressed as an old farmer picks up the "cow" and walks around the field for several weeks, while making some jokes to the "cow". words to make the audience laugh.
Sometimes the audience also teases the actors and sings: "Holding a red flower in your hand, the red flower is hanging in the horns of the cow. You can sing well like a spring cow, but there is a hole in your cow's back." The clever actor immediately sang Answer: "The gongs and drums are chattering, and what I said is not bad; there is a hole in the back of the cowboy paper tie, which is perfect for holding."
It made everyone laugh, and then the official performance began. During the performance, the dance movements of the "cow" are very simple. They only move their heads and tails as the cowherd man sings, making a gesture of joy and accepting people's praise. The cowherd man has more actions. While singing, he is stroking the spring ox, from the head to the tail. Every place he touches has lyrics. At the same time, he also performs actions such as riding the ox, driving the ox, plowing the field, and raking the ground. Some hold hands. Plows and other agricultural tools are sometimes used with bare hands, but the movements must be very realistic. If there is any slight flaw, the audience will sing and ridicule: "Holding golden flowers in hand, the uncle is not good at plowing. Tintin's garden is turning the plow tightly, so Isn't it okay to open the middle?" The performer took over the conversation and replied jokingly: "I can make a lot of noise with the gongs and drums. I learned from Lianshan and left the middle as a fish pond."
To make the atmosphere more lively. In some places, the bride and groom dress up as the bride and groom, holding umbrellas and wearing blue flowers on their shoulders. They dance and sing along with each other, singing for a while, twisting for a while, and beating gongs and drums for a while. What best expresses the characteristics of this dance is its innocent and affectionate lyrics. The performer who led the cows led the cows into the field and began to sing: "I am a good boy for plowing. I have a big head with sharp horns. I don't use whips to rake the fields, and I don't use ropes to plow the fields." Then he stroked the cows full of love, Touch the cow's head to the cow's tail, while touching it, and sing: "Touch the cow's head and cow's tail, the farm work depends on you; touch the cow's head and touch the cow's eyes, the production of millet, beans and wheat will increase; touch the cow's head and ears, develop production and become rich; If you touch the cow's head and its mouth, the plowmen will follow you step by step; if you touch the cow's head and its body, the weather will be smooth and the farming will be smooth; if you touch the cow's head and tripe, you will find a way to improve your life; if you touch the cow's head and its feet, you will have no worries about food. "The cow is a treasure of the farm. We love the cow as much as we love our parents. We depend on each other and work hard, and we will go to the golden road together."
The content is simple and the feelings are sincere. It educates everyone to love the cow and work hard. kind; the melody is deep and lingering. As a result of long-term singing among the people, a unique tune has been formed, commonly known as "Chunniu tune".
Of course, there are many folk customs in Guangdong. For example: Guangzhou is known as the "Flower City", and its annual Spring Festival flower market is very eye-catching; lion dance; square bamboo planting...
The folk customs of each place have different characteristics. It has its unique charm; it has its liveliness. The motherland has given birth to different nationalities and different folk customs, and they are all colorful, but the customs of Guangdong make me happy! I hope you can learn more about the customs and habits of your hometown, and even the characteristics of other ethnic groups, so that we can fully experience the diversity of China! Chapter 6: Mid-Autumn Festival Customs - Ethnic people worship and worship the moon
This custom of worshiping and worshiping the moon is also popular among ethnic minorities. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Dai people of Yunnan have a popular custom of "moon worship". According to Dai legend, the moon was transformed by the third son Yanjian. Yanjian is a brave and strong young man. He once led the Dai people to defeat the enemy and won the love of the Dai folks.
Later, after his unfortunate death, he turned into the moon and rose into the sky, continuing to emit soft moonlight and bring light to the Dai people in the darkness. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, young men take their gunpowder guns and go up the mountain to shoot finches and pheasants early in the morning to hunt for festive game. Girls and wives are busy going to the lake and catching fish in the pond. They were all busy preparing the festive dinner. The old lady was busy pounding glutinous rice and making food of different sizes. There was a round glutinous rice cake on each of the four table corners, and a stick of cold incense was placed on each cake. As soon as the moon rises over the mountains and forests, cold incense is lit, and the whole family begins to "worship the moon." Then, gunpowder guns are fired into the air to show respect for the hero Yanjian. Finally, the whole family sat happily around the small square table, tasting food, talking and laughing, admiring the moon, and then left happily.
When the Oroqen people worship the moon, they put a basin of water in the open space, place the sacrifices, then kneel in front of the basin and bow to the moon; Then, people kept hitting the moon in the basin with pebbles, which is commonly known as "beating the moon".
The "Moon Sacrifice and Invitation to the Gods" activity of the Zhuang people in western Guangxi is more typical. Every year in the middle of August of the lunar calendar, sometimes on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, people set up a table in the open air at the head of the village to place sacrifices. and the incense burner, on the right side of the table
A tree branch or bamboo branch about one foot high on the side symbolizes the social tree and also serves as the ladder for the moon god to descend to earth and ascend to heaven. The elements of the ancient moon myth are preserved here. The whole activity is divided into four stages: inviting the moon god to come down to earth, with one or two women acting as the spokesperson of the moon god; antiphonal songs between gods and men; fortune telling by the moon god; and singers singing songs to send the moon god back to heaven.
The Mongolian people "chasing the moon". On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Mongolian people love to play the game of "Chasing the Moon". People mounted their horses and galloped on the grassland under the silvery moonlight. They galloped toward the west, and the moon rose from the east and set in the west. The persistent Mongolian rider will not stop "chasing the moon" until the moon sets in the west. The Tibetan people "seek the moon". The custom of Tibetan compatriots in some areas of Tibet to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival is to "seek the moon". That night, young men and women and children walked along the river, followed the bright moon reflected in the water, and reflected the moon shadow in the surrounding river ponds, and then went home to reunite and eat moon cakes.
The Hezhe people "sacrifice the moon". In the Hezhe ethnic minority settlements in northeastern my country, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people gather grapes and worship the moon. According to legend, it is to commemorate a smart and hard-working daughter-in-law of the Hezhe ethnic group. She couldn't stand her mother-in-law's abuse and ran to the river to ask the moon for help. Finally I ran to the moon.
The De'ang people "cross the moon". The young men and women of the De'ang ethnic group in Luxi, Yunnan Province, during the Mid-Autumn Festival when the moon is high and extremely bright, from time to time there is a melodious and melodious sound of gourd and sheng playing at the top of the mountain. The young men and women "string the moon" together to express their true feelings. Some people also make engagements by sending banquets and tea through "Moon Moon".
The Axi people "jump to the moon". The traditional custom of the Axi people during the Mid-Autumn Festival is to "dance over the moon". On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, people from various villages gathered in the open space in the mountain village. Girls in veils danced, and young men with big sanxian on their shoulders danced. However, what is particularly sultry is the antiphonal song in which young men and women express their love, as if the moon is also moved by it.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival night, the Miao people bathe in the moonlight, play the melodious Lusheng, and dance Miao songs and dances. Young people look for each other in the "Moon Festival" activity. The people you love should express their love to each other like the moon and clear water, with pure and bright hearts, and a lasting friendship for a hundred years.
The Gaoshan people "appreciate the moon". The Gaoshan people who live in the mountainous areas of Taiwan Province, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon hangs high and the light shines all over the earth, they wear national costumes, sit around, sing, dance, drink and enjoy the scenery. Moon, enjoy the happiness of family.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Dong Township, Hunan, an interesting custom of "stealing moon vegetables" is popular. According to legend, in ancient times, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the fairies in the Moon Palace would descend to the lower world and spread nectar all over the world. The fairy's nectar is selfless, so people can enjoy the fruits and vegetables sprinkled with nectar together that night.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Dong girls hold flower umbrellas and choose the gardens of their beloved children to pick vegetables without being regarded as "stealing".
They even shouted loudly and intentionally: "Hey! I've ripped off your vegetables. Come to my house to eat oil tea!" It turned out that they were using the Fairy of the Moon Palace to pass on the red thread. If they can pick a melon with parallel stems, it means they will have a happy love. Therefore, beans growing in pairs became their picking targets. The sisters-in-law also went to other gardens to "steal moon vegetables" that night. However, they hoped to pick the fattest melon or a handful of fresh and green edamame, because this symbolizes the child's fatness and hairiness. health (the homophone of edamame refers to children). Young men also have the custom of "stealing moon vegetables" because they also hope that the Moon Palace Fairy will give them happiness. However, they could only cook and eat it in the wild and could not take it home. "Stealing moon vegetables" adds infinite joy and magic to the Mid-Autumn Festival night in Dong Village. Chapter 7: The customs of the Lahu people
There are 56 ethnic groups in China. Each ethnic group is a beautiful flower. Each ethnic group has its own unique living habits and unique festivals. The Lahu ethnic group is One of the ethnic groups, the Lahu people lived by hunting a long time ago and nomadically lived in the Erhai area of ??western Yunnan. The "Kunming" or "Kunming tribe" may be the ancestors of some ethnic groups of the Yi branch, including the Lahu people. The ancestors of certain ethnic groups of the Yi branch, including the Lahu people.
Lahu language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language group of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
The Lahu people believe in Mahayana Buddhism and animistic primitive religion, and a small number of people believe in Christianity and Catholicism.
"Lahu" is the self-proclaimed name of this nation. Before the 18th century, the Lahu people roughly lived in the area where they are now distributed.
The traditional house of the Lahu people is called a palm building. The palm building is generally square, which symbolizes that the owner of the house has a stable status and a stable life. The palm building is divided into two floors: the upper floor is divided into bedrooms and guest rooms. There is a fire pond in the center of the guest room, and the fire in the pond does not stop all year round; the lower floor has no walls and is used to pile up debris and corral cattle and chickens. There is a balcony outside the building for drying grain or enjoying the cool weather.
The Lahu people use bamboo tubes to make tea. The method of making bamboo tube tea is: after kneading and frying the newly picked tea leaves, put them into green and tender bamboo tubes and compact them, then place them next to the fire to dry, and then cut the bamboo tubes. , take out the tea leaves. It combines the mellow tea aroma and the strong bamboo aroma, making it a unique drink of the Lahu people.
The Lahu people have rich oral literature, and one of their poems is called "Topke" and "Riddle", which is deeply loved by the masses. The music and dance of the Lahu people have unique styles. Traditional musical instruments include Lusheng, Sanxian, etc. The Lahu people's long epic poem "Mupa Mipa" records that the Lahu people's ancestors were conceived from gourds, so the Lahu people use gourds as their national symbol. The Lusheng made of gourds is the favorite musical instrument of the Lahu people. The episode "Wedding Vow" in the movie "Lusheng Love Song" was created based on the Lahu people's Lusheng tunes.
"Kuuzha" is the most important festival of the Lahu people. It is usually held on an auspicious day in the first month of the lunar calendar. "Expansion" lasts nine days and is divided into three sections. The first period from the first to the fourth day of the lunar month is called "Kualu Ma", which means the New Year. Grabbing new water on the first day of the Lunar New Year is the most interesting activity of "expansion": with the first crow of the rooster at dawn, young men and women rush out of their homes and rush to the spring to grab new water. New water is regarded by the Lahu people as a symbol of purity and happiness. The first person to grab the new water is believed to have good luck in the new year. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, people bring food to visit relatives and friends, and also sing and dance. The eighth and ninth days of the lunar month are the second section, called the "Nine Yellow Meetings", also known as "Men's Day". The 13th to 14th day is the third section, called "Xiao Zha", where every village has a swing.
The Lahu people are such a beautiful nation, a bright flower among the 56 ethnic groups. Chapter 8: National Customs
The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, formerly known as New Year's Day. On this day, people get up early and wear new clothes, new hats, and new shoes to say farewell to the old and welcome the new. It is said that wearing new shoes that have not been worn on the ground will make your feet light and your hands healthy in the new year. The male host gets up, chants auspicious words and opens the door first, then sets off firecrackers at the door, which is called "opening the door." Generally, three cannons are fired when opening the door. It is necessary to "bring four and release three", leaving one as "prepare cannon". The Ningbo dialect "prepare cannon" comes from this. The higher the firecrackers are set off, the louder they are, signaling good luck in the New Year.
If it is a squib that "blows, blows, blows", it means it is unlucky. You should immediately say: "Oh, blow, blow, blow, you will get rich this year." and immediately release another one.
Wealthy families enshrine the portraits of their ancestors in the ancestral hall or the middle hall (the front room of the hall). Generally, the portraits of ancestors within five generations are hung, which are called "offering frames", "offering shadows", "offering gold and purple". (The portraits painted in the past were all in gold crowns and purple robes)", all have the same meaning. According to the rules of some ancestral halls, men can only worship when they are 16 years old, and women are not included. The person in charge takes turns distributing a pair of sesame cakes (also known as auspicious cakes) or two bowls. The children of each family pay homage to their elders in order, saying "Worship the New Year". On New Year's Eve, "lucky money" has been distributed, wrapped in red paper and placed under the pillow of the young child, so it is called "lucky money".
On this day, we eat glutinous rice balls (tangyuan) in the morning, which means reunion. Some families go vegetarian for one day as a whole. The most important feature of this day's custom is to let the household utensils "rest" for a day, that is, to let housewives have a rest. They do not sweep the floor, do not beg for fire (do not light fires or cigarettes from others), do not kill animals, do not use knives or scissors, and do not pour water. Do not use the toilet, do not wash clothes, do not beat or scold children, do not say unlucky words. Don't say the word "morning" when meeting in the morning, as it will attract a lot of "fleas" this year. If you stumble while walking, you should immediately say: "Oh, the ingot fell." That night, go to sleep before falling asleep, and do not light a lamp, because lighting a lamp will attract more mosquitoes and flies this year. Before going to bed, play the "closer cannon". Not going out at night is commonly known as "Peaceful Night".
From the second day to the seventh or eighth day of the lunar month, and as late as the 15th day of the lunar month, every family goes out to visit relatives to "pay New Year's greetings". Generally, first come to relatives and then to distant relatives. Younger people pay homage to elders as son-in-law, and nephews to uncles and nephews. The aunts and sisters are the most important thing, and they entertain each other with banquets, which are called "Sui rice" and "Sui wine". The fifth day of the lunar month is the day of the God of Wealth. This is the most important day for businessmen. Only after "inviting the God of Wealth" do they open their doors for business, which is called "opening the market". Some Buddhist believers walk on seven bridges on the seventh night of the Lunar New Year without looking back. They visit eight temples on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, commonly known as "walking on seven bridges" or "worshiping eight temples".
During this period, folk entertainment activities include dragon lantern dance, marquee lanterns, big-headed monks, etc. Somewhat slightly different from other places is the "pretend to sweep the floor", that is, a beggar (called "the rich man" at this time) carries a basket on his back, holds a broom with red balls in his hand, pretends to sweep the floor, and sings a slang song: "Pick up the golden thread" Sweep the broom, Ruige (onomatopoeic). If you sweep it to the east, there will be a green dragon in the boss's house. The green dragon will be panning the rice vat and the yellow dragon will be panning the barn. If you sweep it to the south, the boss' house will make a fortune. The big ingot will carry the basket. Yuanbao was carried on the ship."
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, customs such as New Year greetings remained unchanged, and most of the superstitious colors disappeared. Government agencies and organizations held group visits, carried out activities to support the military, give priority to their families, support the government and love the people, and express condolences to veteran cadres, veteran workers, veteran teachers, veteran scientific and technical personnel, elderly people in nursing homes and employees who continued to produce and work during the Spring Festival. When acquaintances meet on the road, they exchange hands or shake hands and wish each other good luck.