When do you clean up?

Spring Festival cleaning refers to the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month.

December 24th of the lunar calendar is called "Dust-cleaning Day". Every household should clean up that day, such as cleaning cobwebs in the corner, sweeping the floor, mopping the floor and cleaning the windowsill.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, people mainly clean the kitchen, offer sacrifices to the kitchen god and make candy. In some areas, from the day when the kitchen is cleaned on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month to the end of this year, it is called dust removal day, also known as the Spring Festival.

The origin of custom

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, it is the day when the gods die. There are only some small gods such as duty gods and landlords who watch over the order. China folk believe that after the immortal went to heaven, he would not return to earth until the fourth night of the following year; So there is a legend that during this time, even if you flip the house, you don't have to worry about any details. Using this day to move things or fly around with sand and dust is even more afraid of offending the gods at home.

The ancients designated this day as the day of cleaning.

It is said that the correct date of "dust removal day" and "God sending day" is 23rd.

"Five Classics and Different Meanings" said that the government offered sacrifices to stoves on the 23rd. According to this book, it was also pointed out that the government chose to give gifts to God when introducing "Yin and Yang" on the 23rd.

Therefore, it actually refers to the boundary time from the 23rd to the 24th, which is still the 24th. Most Chinese in Southeast Asia come from Fujian and Guangxi provinces and are greatly influenced by local folk customs. Therefore, Chinese in Southeast Asia generally regard the 24th as a day to "send the stove" and "sweep the dust".