What's the point of setting off firecrackers in the New Year?

1, what's the point of setting off firecrackers in the New Year?

Since the Song Dynasty, China's "firecracker culture" has been enriched, more attention has been paid to setting off firecrackers, and the folk purpose has become clearer. During the Chinese New Year, from New Year's Eve to the fifteenth day of the first month, different firecrackers are set off on different days, and the meaning of firecrackers on different days is also different.

On New Year's Eve, firecrackers are called "closing firecrackers". After setting off the firecrackers, the family can't go out for a walk any more, so they can only sit around the brazier and wait for the New Year.

In some places, the "door-closing firecrackers" are also called "door-closing cannons". In the past, when people were poor, creditors never forgot to ask for debts on New Year's Eve, and those who owed money closed their doors and hid, so there was a saying of "closing their doors". After setting off firecrackers, no matter how bad the creditors are, they will not come to collect debts again, so that the poor can live a peaceful life. This is the old saying, "I don't see you for thirty nights, and I don't want money for fifteen days."

In addition to the theory of "behind closed doors", there is also a theory of "saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new". This is what Wang Anshi called "one year old in firecrackers", which is also the most extensive symbolic meaning. There is also the saying of "meeting God", or "meeting the kitchen god". Kitchen God sent it to the Western Heaven on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and set off firecrackers when sending it. I will return to Earth on New Year's Eve, so I will start. Because of its various meanings, setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the most concentrated. The so-called "firecrackers are heard on New Year's Eve" in Historical Records reflects this ancient custom.

In addition to setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve, the "La Worship" event years ago will also set off a "overlord whip". December of the lunar calendar is a day for families to sacrifice hundreds of immortals. The time for offering sacrifices is either the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month or the auspicious day of the twelfth lunar month. At the time of sacrifice, every household should hang various gods, light blazing fires, place offerings, beat gongs and drums and set off firecrackers. "Bawangbian", also known as "Baowangbian" among the people, means to predict the prosperity in the coming year. In the Qing Dynasty, Cai Yun said in Wu's poem: "This is the same as listening to the overlord whip in the morning and evening of the New Year."

The first day of "opening the door" and the fifth day of "connecting the road"

In the new year, there are more days and reasons to set off firecrackers.

The firecrackers set off on the morning of the first day of the first month are called "setting off firecrackers" or "setting off firecrackers". The early days were to ward off evil spirits. It is this appeal that people in the Southern Dynasties set off firecrackers in Jingchu Chunqiu. Later, it was to "welcome the new year", which means "open the door" and "open the door with joy". However, the "opening gun" was more exquisite, with only three rings, unlike today's people who are scratching and throwing a phone call.

The firecrackers set off on the fifth day of the first month are called "opening firecrackers" and "burning markets". The fifth day of the first month is the birthday of the legendary god of wealth. The god of wealth opens the door to do business on his birthday, which means "getting rich in the New Year". On this day, the ancients would get up early to "pick up the God of Wealth". The god of wealth is also called "the road head god" among the people, so welcoming the god of wealth is also called "the road head".

There are many gods of wealth in folk beliefs, one of which is Zhao Gongming, known as Marshal Zhao Gong. It is said that he is blind and often rides a tiger to send blessings and wealth to the people. Because of bad eyes and listening to the noise, ancient people got up early to set off firecrackers to attract the god of wealth. Whoever set off firecrackers went to the god of wealth first, so everyone was vying to set off firecrackers.

The ancients also liked to open doors on the eighth day, which was the first "birthday" of the New Year. Of course, business people like to open doors and set off firecrackers loudly on this day, which means "getting rich".

Fireworks were set off in the New Year, and the ancients paid special attention to "ringing to the end". You should not turn off the fire or mute it in the middle, otherwise it is not a good omen and will encounter "bad luck" in the new year. Because of this stress, the ancients attached great importance to the quality of firecrackers and did not put "broken firecrackers".

2. The origin of setting off firecrackers in the New Year:

In ancient times, there was a fierce monster called Nian. Every New Year's Eve, he will come out to spoil crops and hurt people and animals. People are very scared. One year, on the one hand, it was scared away by the bright red clothes hanging at the door, on the other hand, it was scared by the lights. People know that it is afraid of sound, red and fire, so it will set off firecrackers every year to scare away the New Year.