What is the origin of the Spring Festival?

One is that there was a fierce monster called Nian in ancient times, which went door-to-door every year1February 30th, foraging for human flesh and killing creatures. On the night of the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Nian came to a village. It happened that two cowboys were fighting for a whip.

Nian suddenly heard the sound of whipping in mid-air and ran away in fear. It fled to another village and saw a bright red dress drying in front of the door. It didn't know what it was, so it turned around and ran away. Later, he came to a village, looked into the door of a family, and saw that the lights were brightly lit and dizzy, so he had to slip away again, with his tail between his legs.

As a result, people realized that Nian was afraid of noise, red and light, and thought of many ways to resist it, such as setting off firecrackers, which gradually evolved into the custom of celebrating the New Year today.

Another way of saying this is that ancient calligraphy books in China put the word "Nian" in the Ministry of Grain, which means good weather and good harvest. Because cereal crops are usually harvested once a year. "Year" is extended to the name of the year.

Significance: Ancestor worship is the inheritance of filial piety culture. China's feudal society has been governing the country with filial piety for thousands of years. Filial piety is the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, which makes people grow up and be loved by their parents. People come from things and things come from heaven and earth. Because nature gave us food and clothing, our ancestors gave us life, and the way to repay our gratitude is to worship our ancestors. Sacrificing ancestors is to promote filial piety.

Extended data

The main sacrificial activities during the Spring Festival are held at home, mostly before and after the New Year's Eve, which is called "taking ancestors home for the New Year" by the people. Because it is said that the soul of the dead can't move during the day and wait until after dark.

First, put incense burners, incense sticks, candlesticks (commonly known as five sacrifices) or wooden dishes on the lid of Xikang or the hall box, take out the genealogy "genealogy table" (genealogy table) that is usually placed in the "ancestor box" and hang it on the western wall. Because some families are not long-term owners, they write the "names" of their immediate ancestors on a long piece of paper according to the records in genealogy books. After hanging, incense is placed and the whole family kowtows in turn.

Sacrifices are usually pasta and fruit. Many people specially steam white-flour steamed buns to worship their ancestors on New Year's Eve. Each one has a red dot on it, and every two planes are stacked together as a group, usually three to five layers, and each layer is placed in a white porcelain plate.

These offerings have been placed until the fifth day of the first month, and from the first day to the fifth day, they burn incense in front of the ancestral tablet (music score) twice a day in the morning and evening. It was not until the fifth night that the "ancestor" was sent away after the salute, that is, the music score or memorial tablet was put back.

In some areas, some commemorative ceremonies are held for grandparents or parents who died shortly after New Year's Eve. What is more distinctive is that the clothes he wore before his death were folded and put on the kang, and then the younger generations knelt down and kowtowed and said, "xx (address for elders) went home for the New Year."

In addition, paper was burned at the root of the "floor-standing" chimney in Fangshan Head, because it is said in folklore that this is the place where the souls of people who died in our family often live. When burning paper, you still have to "mumble" some thoughts and pray for blessings. I believe that ancestors will definitely hear them and bring happiness and well-being to their families.