The custom of inserting willow in the season of fright

The custom of inserting willow in the season of fright is as follows:

Tomb-Sweeping Day is the time when willows sprout and smoke is green. There are folk customs of folding willow, piercing willow and inserting willow. When people go out for an outing, they break off some wicker branches, which can be played with in their hands, woven into hats and worn on their heads, or taken home and inserted on the lintels and eaves.

The custom of inserting willow is related to avoiding epidemic. The Tang people thought that wearing willow branches when offering sacrifices by the river could drive away the harm of poisonous insects. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, people often planted willows in front of their homes to avoid pests.

This is because the climate gets warmer in spring, and all kinds of germs begin to multiply. In the case of poor medical conditions, people can only hope to avoid epidemics. Willow branches inserted under the eaves can also predict the weather. As the old saying goes: "The willow branches are green and the rain is falling;" The wicker is dead and the weather is fine. "

The traditional custom of "clearing willow" reached its peak in the Song Dynasty. According to Wu's dream, in Song Dynasty, in Tomb-Sweeping Day, wicker was inserted on the door of every household, which was called "bright eyes". The so-called "bright eyes" is not to pray for bright eyes, but to exorcise evil spirits in folk customs, which means to distinguish between ghosts and evil spirits and guard the home and protect the hospital. At this time, willow branches and peach branches have similar functions.