Dehua Customs! Urgent ~ materials to be used tomorrow = =

The Spring Festival is the first of all festivals in a year, and it is also the happiest festival in a year. People call celebrating the Spring Festival "celebrating the New Year". Year is not only a time unit, but also a festival name, which is a big festival between years. Nowadays, many people always feel that the taste of the year is getting weaker and weaker. In fact, the Spring Festival custom in Quanzhou in the old days was very grand and wonderful.

Spring custom holds that "New Year's Eve"-that is, New Year's Eve is an important festival to sacrifice ancestors. At noon that day, every family should try their best to prepare rich dishes to pay homage to their ancestors, even poor families should do their best. The table is full of cakes, fruits, chickens, ducks and fish. In the middle is a pile of "China New Year's rice", with several bowls of rice (symbolizing ample food and clothing), several bowls of cakes (because several bowls of cakes are commonly known as cakes, symbolizing prosperity), oranges (symbolizing auspiciousness and happiness), red eggs (symbolizing auspiciousness and happiness), Redmi pills (symbolizing reunion and perfection) and steamed gold. Therefore, in the past, many farmers had to put a word "Spring" on rice vats and rice warehouses during the Spring Festival, which not only implied that the Spring Festival was coming, but also meant "Spring"-a surplus). In front of the table, they must put a stove (symbolizing the prosperity of the family) until the evening, and then set off firecrackers, so that their descendants will bow down to their ancestors and the ceremony will be completed.

Nowadays, it is not so troublesome for many people to worship their ancestors on New Year's Eve. Generally speaking, they just prepare some rich dishes, burn incense and candles, burn "golden paper" and set off firecrackers for their ancestors. The ancestors of mountain cities such as An (Anxi), Yong (Yongchun) and De (Dehua) generally have rice, "rice fruit" (steamed from rice ground into rice paste, that is, rice tofu), fried meatballs, pig's trotters, chickens (or ducks) and fruits; In Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Shishi and Hui 'an coastal areas, rice, fish balls, chicken rolls, taro horns (cut into pieces), fried ribs, fried oysters (a snack, fried with fresh oysters mixed with sweet potato powder) and various fruits are usually used for ancestor worship. -Is taro on the table? Many people may have questions. If you have seen the taro when it was just dug out, you will understand. The newly dug taro has many small taro connected to a big taro, which symbolizes many children and grandchildren, so the ancient people who firmly believe that many children and grandchildren will also put it on the altar, hoping that many children and grandchildren will flourish. (In addition, in the tomb of Qingming in southern Fujian, some people will put a few small taro in front of the tombstone. Its moral is also hope to have many children and grandchildren, and many children are blessed. Minnan people love to worship their ancestors with chicken, fish and other meat dishes, because the homonym of "chicken" symbolizes good luck, and the homonym of "fish" symbolizes surplus, which means that there is more than one year. Generally speaking, oranges are used for fruits, big oranges (oranges as big as quail eggs) and kumquat (an orange, only half as big as peanuts, can't be eaten raw, so seeds must be soaked in salt water to remove its sour taste, and then pickled and boiled with white sugar to make candied fruit, which is unique to Yongchun, a mountain city in Quanzhou, and Youxi, Sanming is also the main producing area). This is because "orange" is homophonic for "Ji", and "orange" and "Ji" are homonyms in Fujian dialect, symbolizing good luck and all the best.

There is a saying in Quanzhou: "If Tomb-Sweeping Day doesn't go home (or winter solstice), you won't have an ancestor. If you don't go home in 2008, you won't have a wife." This shows that people have always attached great importance to having a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve. In the past, many men in Quanzhou went out to make a living, but no matter how far they went, they had to go home on New Year's Eve to get together and share their family happiness. In rural areas, there is a saying that "even a stool three feet high should be moved home for the New Year". Most ancestor worship is at noon, but it can't be ignored on New Year's Eve. Jiaozi is eaten in the north on New Year's Eve, but there is no such custom in the south, but the dinner on New Year's Eve is also very rich. The whole family sat together eating and chatting, and the atmosphere was very strong.

Mountain cities such as Anxi, Yongchun and Dehua still eat sugar cane on New Year's Eve. Speaking of sugar cane, Minnan people usually buy sugar cane during the Spring Festival, ranging from two or three to seven or eight or a dozen. Because I bought too much, I usually keep the rattan tail with leaves without peeling the roots, so it can be stored for a long time. After you buy it, you usually put it behind the door, especially the front door-in the past, the front door was double-door, and a sugarcane with roots and leaves was placed behind the left and right doors. Because they are two years old on New Year's Eve, Minnan people eat sugarcane on New Year's Eve, which means "sweet and sweet tail" and live a sweet and happy life all year round. The finished bagasse is like a brazier. -"Xuan" means "burn" in Min dialect. Usually at night, things like straw and dead branches in the field are piled up into a pot (that is, round) at home and then lit, which means that life will be prosperous in the coming year, and it also means avoiding evil spirits and disasters. At night, when the brazier is about to burn out, add bagasse.

On New Year's Eve in Jinjiang (especially in Anhai), people jump into braziers. The so-called brazier (or "fire ball") is to light a fire at the door of the house with dried potato vines, straw and dust sweeper, and then all the male members of the family jump out of the blazing fire one by one. The baby boy was held by an adult, and the man who didn't go home was replaced by his brother.

Quanzhou, Jinjiang and Shishi coastal areas all need steamed bowls and cakes during the Spring Festival, and some even call them "sesame cakes". The word "fat" in Min dialect means rich and developed. Because steamed bowls and cakes must be "fermented" first, bowls and cakes mean richness and richness. After the rice noodles are fermented and steamed with strong fire, the top of the cake will crack, which means "always smiling", symbolizing the happiness of the whole family and smiling all day long; Bowls and cakes are mostly made sweet, which means that life is sweet and auspicious.

There is generally no custom of steaming bowls and cakes in mountain cities such as An (Anxi), Yong (Yongchun) and Dehua, but it is necessary to steam "rice fruit", that is, rice tofu, because there must be "rice fruit" when worshipping ancestors at noon on New Year's Eve. This kind of "rice fruit" is made of ordinary "rice" (that is, rice used for cooking dry rice) and ground into rice slurry. An (Anxi), Yong (Yongchun), Dehua and other mountain cities often make a kind of white rice fruit made of steamed winter rice when the Spring Festival comes. Some people also call it "winter rice fruit", or simply white rice fruit, which is generally made into round cakes. After steaming, it can be wrapped with white sugar and peanut powder, kneaded into jiaozi shape and eaten directly, or sliced with diced mushrooms and shredded winter bamboo shoots. In addition, mountain cities such as An (Anxi), Yong (Yongchun) and Dehua often steam "taro rice fruit" and "cauliflower rice fruit" during the Spring Festival. As the name implies, "taro rice fruit" is the rice fruit mixed with taro, which is to peel taro, steam and mash it, then put it into the milled rice slurry of "Mimi", add salt and oil, stir-fry chopped green onion, and steam it evenly. When eating, cut into large pieces first, stir-fry and dip in soy sauce, vinegar and other seasonings. It tastes delicious. -According to personal preference, there are also foods without seasoning. As for the "vegetable head rice fruit", it is made of shredded radish instead of taro (the "vegetable head" in Minnan dialect is "radish", and Minnan people like radish, because "vegetable head" is homophonic "color head", which means good luck and good luck, so there are usually dishes with fried pork slices with radish on the dinner table on New Year's Eve and the first day of junior high school.

12 After New Year's Eve, there is another custom in southern Fujian, that is, every household should set off firecrackers, which means to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. The new year has begun again, with new hope and a good start. Many people have prepared fruits and started to light "magic lanterns" very early-that is, to light red lanterns in front of the door. Lanterns in suites are usually hung on the balcony, while lanterns in buildings are usually hung on the balcony on the top floor, where fruits are placed, incense candles are lit and gods are worshipped. At the same time, we should worship our ancestors. There are Buddha statues at home, as well as believers who burn incense and light candles, praying for the Buddha to bless the whole family with good health, safe entry and exit, and all the best. There used to be a custom of observing age, but now few people observe age-when children and grandchildren can't go to bed early, they have to sit together and chat and laugh all night. It is said that the later the younger generation goes to bed, the longer the life span of the elderly at home will be. "Keeping the old age" is actually a way for children and grandchildren to express their filial piety to their elders. On the contrary, some tireless teenagers are full of energy and play all night. They may have forgotten the true meaning of keeping old. Years ago, most people were busy for many days. After the morning, they all went to rest because they had to get up early the next day.

On the first day of the first month, the whole family should get up early. In southern Fujian, there is a custom of drinking "kumquat tea" on the first day of the first month. In other words, when you get up in the morning, you should drink a cup of green tea and eat a "big orange" or "kumquat" at the same time, which means that the new year is very prosperous and smooth. Breakfast on the first day of the first month in southern Fujian must be dry food-it is said that if you eat dry food on this day, you will not get caught in the rain when you go out. There must also be a "longevity dish" and a pot of radish-based dishes in this morning's dish. The so-called "longevity vegetables" are actually mustard. Generally, mustard is peeled off one by one the night before. After washing the leaves and stems, boil them in boiling water to soften them, then pick them up and put them in cold water, and then tear the stems and leaves into strips by hand-remember, never cut them with a knife! Cook with oil and salt until the next day to become a "longevity dish" on the table. Because mustard plants are tall and the torn stems and leaves will grow into strips, this dish means longevity and longevity. A fastidious family must have a "longevity dish" at the first bite. This "longevity dish" is called "long dish" in Fujian. As for cooking in the New Year, you still need radishes, because in southern Fujian, radishes are called "vegetable heads", and "vegetable heads" are homophonic with "colored heads", which means that the new year has a good color head and everything goes well.

On the first day of the first month, there is a custom of not sweeping the floor, using knives and scissors, and not taking well water in southern Fujian. Because sweeping the floor means sweeping away all the wealth, even if you want to sweep the floor, you must sweep it from the door, which means sweeping away the wealth at home, and the garbage can only be piled up in one place and cannot be dumped. Knives and scissors are sharp things, which often bring ominous associations of injury and bleeding. Don't move knives and scissors to avoid a bloody disaster in the new year. Therefore, Minnan people also stipulate that they should trim their hands, feet and nails on New Year's Eve. Moreover, they can only wait until the 16th day of the first lunar month before pruning again. Now most people use tap water, so the custom of not taking well water has gradually faded. I don't drink well water because it is said that there is a well god in the well. Going to fetch well water on New Year's Day will touch the well god, make him angry and bring disaster to my family.

On the second day of the first month, it is commonly known as "son-in-law's day" in southern Fujian, that is, on this day, the married daughter will go back to her family with her husband.

The fourth day of the first month is the day to greet God, also known as the day to receive God. On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, every household sends the Kitchen God and other gods to heaven to speak well. The gods have had enough fun in the Heavenly Palace, and they will come to earth today. Therefore, on the fourth day of the first month, they will be respectfully taken home for sacrifice, in order to pray for God and Buddha to bless the whole family with peace and good luck in the new year.

On the fifth day of the first month, most shops opened and farmers began to work in the fields.

On the seventh day of the first month, it is called "People's Day". Generally speaking, you should eat egg noodles.

The ninth day of the first month is called "born in heaven", which is as grand as the New Year. The ancients thought that heaven was the boss, how could they not respect God?

The fifteenth day of the first month is the Lantern Festival. We should eat dumplings and enjoy lanterns.

In addition, regarding the custom of the Spring Festival, there is a jingle in Quanzhou, Jinjiang and Shishi coastal areas: the first day (the casino opened on this day, and the entertainment activities began), the second day (the entertainment activities continued yesterday), the third day, there is no posture mother (Minnan people call women "posture mothers", and women don't go to the streets on this day), the kitchen god falls from the sky on the fourth day, and the farmers start digging fertilizer on the fifth day. At the beginning of July (seven kinds of vegetables and fruits will be made into "Qibao soup"), at the end of August (good things such as rice cakes have been eaten up on this day), at the end of September, "God" is born (it is God's birthday, so we should worship God), and at the end of October, we should eat well (the weather is still cold, so we should drink and have fun at home), and at the end of November. ), twelve please son-in-law (on this day, the mother-in-law will prepare a good dinner for her son-in-law). Thirteen, eat glutinous rice (porridge) with mustard greens (the past days were poor, and all the delicious things were eaten up at this time, so now it's time to start the days of simple tea and light rice) Fourteen, set up a light shed (set up a light shed to prepare for the activities of the Lantern Festival) Fifteen, go to the Lantern Festival (that is, the Lantern Festival) Sixteen, have a mother (there is God, of course, there is Mother Earth, and this day is Mother Earth.

The mountain cities of An (Anxi), Yong (Yongchun) and De (Dehua), which also belong to Quanzhou, also have a popular saying about the custom of the Spring Festival, which is similar to the above: the first day (the casino opened on this day, and the entertainment activities began), the second day (the entertainment activities continued yesterday), the third day and the fourth day (on the third and fourth days, the butcher has started to kill pigs and sheep for sale). On the fifth day, farmers began to dig out manure and fertilize the fields, and farming began. On the sixth day, the women arranged the loom and began to weave. On the seventh day, the seventh birthday (Nu Wa was born on this day, which is the birthday of everyone in the world. This day is the same as any other birthday. Everyone should eat birthday noodles and add a pair of boiled eggs (one egg and one duck egg) at noon. On the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, the five grains were created by the God of Grains, which nurtured the spiritual leader of all things-human beings. Therefore, in order to repay the kindness of raising them, we should also celebrate their birthdays. In the ninth month of the lunar calendar, it is God's birthday, so we should worship God. Rural people attach great importance to this day and have a very lively time, no less than the Chinese New Year! Generally, on that day, people will get up early to "light up"-that is, hang red lanterns, and then prepare whole chickens, whole fish and other foods and fruits to worship the gods, among which Taoxiang turtles and sweet fruits are essential! The skin of turtle is made of glutinous rice flour, which is very flexible. People who are fastidious should go to the fields to collect sage, add sage juice into glutinous rice flour and knead it into dough. Sage has the effect of reducing fire, clearing liver and improving eyesight. During the festival, fried food and sweet and greasy food are the majority. Therefore, eating the grass juice of mice can clear away heat and toxic materials, benefit the liver and be more beneficial to health. There are two kinds of fillings, salty and sweet. On the 10th day of the 10th lunar month, "Mother Earth" was born (this day is Mother Earth's birthday, and richer dishes should be prepared to repay Mother Earth's kindness to mankind). On the eleventh day, she invited her son-in-law (mother-in-law invited her daughter and son-in-law to visit her parents' house and cooked her a sumptuous dinner), on the twelfth day, she didn't come (meaning that she didn't invite her), and on the thirteenth day, she went to see her (inviting her daughter and son-in-law to visit her parents' house again) 14 greeting lanterns (dragon and lion dances were held on this day)

After the fifteenth day of the first month, the year will be over! Everything has returned to normal daily life.