Shanxi is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization, but also the collision of the Han Chinese nation and the northern ethnic minorities in the cultural region, the unique geographic and cultural ecology of the Chinese New Year festival folklore has given birth to distinctive characteristics. The following is my good for you to organize the customs of Shanxi around the New Year, welcome to refer to learn oh!
Introduction to Shanxi
Shanxi is divided into Jinbei, Jinzhong, Jinnan, Jinci, Jindong five cultural subregions, the Spring Festival in various regions of the folklore of colorful activities, a variety of forms, the connotation of the deep.
Jinbei is a place where Han Chinese and northern minorities clash and mingle, where farming and nomadic herding collide and converge, and the Spring Festival folklore shows a "mish-mash wind". Jinzhong is the agricultural and commercial culture area, the Ming and Qing dynasties Jin merchants became dominant national merchant gangs, the prosperity of the commercial economy for the Spring Festival folk activities to provide a solid economic support, Jinzhong during the Spring Festival, there are lively social fire performances, brilliant, diverse forms, both the north of the majestic and the south of the soft and delicate, with the atmosphere of the north and south. Jinnan for the ancient Hedong region, ancient myths and legends, primitive ritual worship, mysterious Nuo dance performances continue here. Lvliang Mountain area in western Jin Taoist culture prevails, Liu Lin County Lantern Festival "plate will", Linxian, Fangshan counties umbrella head rice-planting song is the art of such cultural performances. Southeast Jin for the ancient Shangdang area, which is located in the towering Taihang Mountains, cultivated the ancient magical art of social fire, the Spring Festival in order to pray for the gods as the center of the welcome to the gods race social activities in the villages and towns staged.
Jinbei Spring Festival Folklore
Jinbei mainly refers to the area around the northern part of Shanxi Province, in the Sanggan River, Hutuo River and the Yellow River Basin in the intertwined zone, the terrain to the mountains, hills, mainly, the basin of the intermittent distribution. Now the administrative division specifically refers to Datong, Shuozhou, Xinzhou three cities, **** including 29 counties and districts. Jinbei is located in the border stronghold, deep historical deposits, ethnic and cultural convergence and fusion, has long formed a farming, nomadic, border, military, Buddhist intermingling, tolerance and inclusion of cultural characteristics.
Jinbei social fire reflects the unique "ancient military" cultural characteristics, such as Shuozhou "kicking drums rice-planting song", which originated from the martial arts competition in the "Taizu Hongquan", 108 people dressed as Liangshan heroes to eliminate evil. 108 people dressed up as Liangshan heroes to get rid of evil and promote goodness. One of the scenes is like this: Li Kui jumps down from the city tower, opens the city gate and saves all the good men, and all the heroes of Liangshan Mountain throw their bladders and light up their strength, kicking a foot with a strong force, and punching a fist with seven steps that are hard to defend. And then fire meteor, also known as "play fire charcoal" "fire egg dance". Meteor technology from the primitive hunting tool "meteor rope" development, it is by the dancers will be a rope placed horizontally behind the neck, holding the rope in the middle of the rope, the rope head at each end of the Department of color beads or small bowl-shaped wire cage head, filled with charcoal or cotton wool dipped in oil and then ignited, dancing like two fireballs rotating and flying in the night sky, so it is called "fire meteor". Fire Shooting Star". Play during the day, the bowl of water, double bowl in the air and water leakage, known as "water meteor".
Jinbei Spring Festival folklore also has a distinctive Buddhist cultural colors, such as the legend of Lahai Festival, playing ice people custom. During the Spring Festival, some local people in northern Jin will also place offerings in temples, looking for monks and Taoists instead of myself to pray to the Buddha for good luck in the New Year. Wutai Mountain is a Buddhist holy place, the temple in the Lunar New Year's Day to give alms Lunar New Year's porridge; now Wutai Mountain as a tourist attraction, will also be held in the five masters of the temple fair. Five masters temple was built in the Qing Dynasty, the area is not large, but the Wutai Mountain is the most famous, the most prosperous place. During the Spring Festival, Shanxi and even all over the country to worship the faithful come one after another, especially the first day of the first month, the fifteenth, good men and women competing to come.
The coal mines in northern Jinbei are rich in resources, and the lighting of the prosperous fire is a characteristic local custom during the Spring Festival. Every New Year's Eve and the Lantern Festival, the front of the courtyard of every house should be built with a large piece of coal into a tower-shaped fire, in order to luck, wishing prosperity and good luck throughout the year. Want to build a fire is to choose the coal to pay attention to, carefully cut the raw coal into squares; two to beautiful shape, the final shape is black and bright vase, to ensure that the burning does not collapse, after the base of the fire, from a distance, as if the large buds, auspicious and festive, symbolizing the coming year days of red-hot; three to increase the height of the year, the base of the "fire", as far as possible, higher than the Higher than in previous years, a metaphor for a year better than a year. In addition, the coal mine units to organize reunions and other ceremonies.
Jinzhong Spring Festival Folklore
Jinzhong is located in the central part of Shanxi Province, including Taigu County, Qixian County, Pingyao County, Lingshi County, and the city of Jiexiu and other 11 municipalities (counties, districts), east of the Taihang River, the west side of the Fen River, and north of the capital of the province, Taiyuan, adjacent to the city. Since ancient times, Jinzhong has been home to many famous merchants, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as industrialists Qiao Zhiyong, Dui Benchiao, and ticket company founder Lei Cuotai. Jinzhong is a cultural area of Jin merchants, located in many magnificent merchants' compounds, such as Qiao Family Compound, Chang Family Manor, Wang Family Compound, Cao Family Compound (Taigu Sando Hall) and so on.
Jinzhong region Spring Festival folk culture shows commercialization characteristics, some merchants in foreign business will be other regions of the customs brought to their hometowns, such as Taigu Palace lanterns, folk ballads sung: "Nanzhuang's rack fire, Taigu lamps, Xugou's back stick, iron bars love to kill people." Every year, merchants from abroad to bring back the lanterns, hanging in their own homes above the door, so as to show the rich and powerful, compared to each other, the more the lanterns hang more and more, the scale is getting bigger and bigger, formed the merchants in the first month of the hanging lights, light tour, more than the lights of the lamp festival custom. The main frame of the palace lights made of precious wood, inlaid with stained glass around, exquisite and beautiful modeling, below the perimeter of the Pai installed colorful spikes, appearing luxurious and grandiose.
The social fire show "Master Shen in a sedan chair" is related to the Jin merchants; Taigu cake also has a close relationship with the Jin merchants. Taigu cake, the original name of the sweet cake, started in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of Xianfeng, when the Taigu rich merchants gathered, living in luxury, Taigu City, south of the ditch village of a cake store owner to cater to the tastes of the rich merchants, repeated practice, made of sweet cake, this cake is sweet but not greasy, crispy but not crushed, soft, delicious, and has become a local specialty food.
Jinnan Spring Festival Folklore
Jinnan is located in the south of Shanxi Province, mainly referring to the two areas of Linfen and Yuncheng in Shanxi Province, which are located at the southern end of the Fen River Basin, relying on the remnants of the Taihang Mountains in the east, the Lvliang Mountain Range in the west, and the Yellow River close to it. It is also the historical land of Hedong, with a long history, humanities and deep culture. Shanxi Pu Opera originated in Puzhou Town on the bank of the Yellow River in Jinnan, and the famous historical and cultural celebrities include Guan Yu, the "Three Kings" (Wang Tong, Wang Jie, and Wang Bo), the Pei Clan of Wenxi, Xue Rengui, and Liu Zongyuan, etc. The area has a rich and colorful humanistic legend, such as the "Three Kings" (Wang Tong, Wang Jie and Wang Bo). Jinnan humanities legends are rich and colorful, such as Yao Shun Yu story, Chi You legend, the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden, the legend of the Orphan Zhao, the legend of Xue Rengui, etc., the list goes on and on, fascinating. In addition, some iconic 'festival cultural space, such as Hongdong Dahuai tree, Yuncheng Xiezhou town Guandi Temple, Wanrong Ronghe town after the earth temple, Ruicheng Yongle Palace, etc. are also in Jinnan. Overall, Jinnan Spring Festival folk farming culture is characterized by outstanding, and the local history and humanities are closely intertwined.
Jinnan agricultural folklore is characterized by distinctive, Spring Festival customs reflect the prayers for good weather conditions, grains and harvests of the auspicious psychology. During the Spring Festival, the people of Fushan deliberately steamed steamed buns to worship the gods, which is characterized by jujube mountain, jujube cake, pomegranate buns and so on. Jinnan Spring Festival in a variety of forms of literature and art, there are Psycho River back ice, running drum car, Pu Opera and so on. Back ice is an ancient and peculiar folk activities on the old Pinghe River, cold days, young men wrapped in a red scarf, bare-chested, wearing only a pair of shorts, carrying a large ice cube on his back, hand drums and gongs, which symbolizes bravery, is the ancient martial spirit of the modern show, is not afraid of the cold, dare to take on the extraordinary temperament, is the people's heart has been stored in the force of the outbreak of the enjoyment and beauty. Running drum car was initially a military family survivors in the holiday leisure time, physical fitness athletic activities, and later gradually become a regular performance in the first month of the program. Running drum car car for the wooden wheelbarrow, drums because of the different homes belonging to different communities, before the show, the entire village is divided into the East House, South House, West House, Northwest House and the middle of the house, each house elected a respected person as a performance organizer, the organizer to choose the young and strong young man to pull the drums. Running the drum car contains a profound human spirit, it is high passion, vigorously forward, showing the local people's tenacity, toughness, toughness and optimism in the spirit of progress.
Spring Festival Folklore in Southeast China
Southeast China, as its name implies, refers to the southeastern region of Shanxi, including Changzhi City and Jincheng City. Changzhi, known as Shangdang, is located in the southeastern part of Shanxi Province. Because of its strategic location, it has been a place of war since ancient times, and it has been said that "Shangdang can be expected to win the Central Plains". Shang Dang area is mountainous, as early as in ancient times, legend has it that Shen Nong's Emperor Yan Di was here to taste all kinds of herbs, domesticate livestock, and develop primitive agriculture. The most famous ancient myths in the history of Chinese literature, such as Nuwa mending the sky, Shennong picking grains, Dayu ruling the water, Houyi shooting at the sun, Jingwei reclaiming the sea, and Yugong removing the mountain, have all left their remains and legends here. In Southeast Jin, there are some ancient temples dedicated to the gods and goddesses that are rich in regional history and culture, such as "Tangwang Temple", "Erxian Grandmother Temple", "Sanbian Temple" and so on.
The Spring Festival folklore in Southeast China is characterized by the "God Race" and the "Rice-planting Song". Welcome the god race society is one of the social fire activities organized during the Spring Festival. Xiangyuan, Wuxiang rice-planting songs originated in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, farmers in the field labor sing out of the heart of the long-suppressed sadness and bitterness, initially formed a kind of rice-planting songs called "picking high", sung by the two, a hand shaking the bell, a hand holding an umbrella, see the scene, improvised lyrics, you sing and I and the two competed for the singing, the more the tone of the higher the higher, and later. Later on, the higher the pitch, the higher the tone of the song, the more the song penetrated with the local folk music and singing, and a kind of "dry plate rice-planting song" appeared; around the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it developed into a "hohu" accompaniment, and a "ground ohu" (square) rice-planting song with storytellers and singers. "(square) rice-planting songs. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, this kind of rice-planting song was widely distributed in the north and central part of Xiangyuan and the east part of Wuxiang, from then on, Xiangyuan rice-planting song and Wuxiang rice-planting song have formed an inseparable relationship, and the rice-planting song forms of the two places are collectively called Xiangwu rice-planting song in many places, and now Xiangwu rice-planting song has been improved in many aspects, and the content of modern life is mainly sung.
In addition, the Spring Festival in Southeast China's Banyinhui and Running Horse Row are also unique. Running the horse row is Yangquan City, Niangziguan Town, under the Dongzhai village during the Spring Festival unique athletic activities. Every year on the morning of the sixteenth day of the first month, the villagers of Xia Dong Zhai will simulate the ancient scene of the rapid transmission of official documents, military intelligence, in the village in the center of the old green stone street riding horseback wild, competition. The unique feature of horseback running in Xia Dong Zhai is that there is no saddle on the back of the horse, no stirrups on the belly of the horse, and only the rider sits firmly on the back of the horse and shakes the reins to drive the horse to gallop. Such difficult and dangerous action, to the next Dongzhai people but hand to hand, whether it is more than ten years old children and teenagers or 60 years old man, can get on the horse to show their heroic posture. Niangziguan spread a proverb, "would rather not sleep all night, but also can not miss the horse racing to see the fun", a hundred miles around the people are in the day to come to see the horse racing style, the major media are also on this grand folklore activities to report, horse racing row has been more and more people are aware of.
Jinxi Spring Festival Folklore
Jinxi refers to the western region of Shanxi Province, mainly refers to Lvliang City, located in the middle of Lvliang Mountain Range, the west side of the Yellow River, directly in front of Shaanxi, and southeast of the Fen River. Jinci is in the mountainous region of the Lvliang Mountains and the Loess Plateau, remote and inconveniently accessible, with traditional customs and history and culture better preserved, and some ancient folk cultures less affected by the impact of modern civilization, so the Spring Festival folklore of this area is of special significance in many ways. Generally speaking, Taoist beliefs are very prominent in western Jin, the representative of which is North Wudang Mountain, known as "the first mountain of Sanjin", dedicated to Zhenwu Da Di, so the local Spring Festival folklore has a strong color of Taoist culture, and some representative Spring Festival folklore, such as plate meeting, Jiaoji, umbrella Yangge, etc., are all related to the Taoist culture and traditions. The ritual content of some representative Spring Festival folklore, such as the plate meeting, jiao paper, umbrella rice-planting songs, etc., are all related to Taoist cultural traditions.
Liulin plate will also be called the sky official will be meeting, the population will be meeting, every Spring Festival, the village will be set up on the public land plate, set out nine songs, especially the first month of the fifteenth, the people around the plate after the sacrifice, stacking coal tower, twisting rice-planting songs, playing suona, turn nine songs, up to 40,000 to 50,000 people.
Wenshui County area during the Spring Festival to build God shed, also known as altar altar, mainly with wooden partitions built like a house-like hall tent, sacrificial offerings to the ten Yanjun, and hanging images of the deceased across the Golden Bridge, Silver Bridge, and some of the contents of hell, above the print of the life of those who do evil on the knife mountain, under the frying pan, and so on the plot. From the first month of the fourteenth to sixteen, the local people around the altar altar for a variety of social fire performances, sacrifices to the gods and God, the purpose is to advise the world to accumulate virtue and good deeds, do not do bad things.
There are also some unique Spring Festival folklore in western Jinxi, such as Linxian umbrella head rice-planting songs, Zhongyang paper-cutting, Xiaoyi shadow puppets, and Jiuqu Yellow River Formation, etc., among which Xiaoyi shadow puppets, Fenxiao rice-planting songs, Zhongyang paper-cutting, and Xiaoyi Bowl Bowl Cavity and other folk arts have been included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of the national level.