Mysterious solar terms

Legend of the origin of the Spring Festival

What exactly does the Spring Festival come from? Why did the ancients celebrate the Spring Festival? Different scholars have different understandings of these problems. At present, there are several representative views on the origin of the Spring Festival in academic circles. Here is a brief introduction:

(A) Spring Festival originated from La Worship's theory.

People generally believe that the Spring Festival originated from, and Mr. Duan, a folklorist, is one of the main representatives of this view. The Spring Festival originated in La Worship, a primitive society that worships gods. La Worship was originally a "ghost sacrifice" in Shennong era. At the end of the year, people use their harvest to pay homage to their ancestors and gods and worship the next year's harvest, which is called "wax". Dictionary of Chinese Folk Beliefs and Customs (China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Press, 1992). The article "Spring Festival" said: "As for the origin of the Spring Festival, or it originated in La Worship in ancient society, wax is the name of the gods at the end of the year, so the Spring Festival comes from repaying the gift of God after farming for one year." Mr Duan said in the article "China Ancient Carnival-Spring Festival, La Worship, Nuo": "Spring Festival is the biggest festival in China, with a history of four or five thousand years. It is generally believed that its source is ancient wax sacrifice. "

(2) The Spring Festival originated from witchcraft ceremonies.

Teacher Wang Juan mainly holds this view. Teacher Wang Juan pointed out in the article "Spring Festival in China", the second episode of China culture lecture series: "From a series of ceremonies during the Spring Festival, the Spring Festival should originate from the ancient witchcraft ceremony, which is a concrete manifestation of witchcraft, one of the ancient primitive beliefs. The so-called witchcraft ceremony means that primitive people believe that the development of natural things can be regulated by people's own will and strength. During the Spring Festival, all kinds of activities, such as eating, offering sacrifices, decorating, entertainment and pastime, as well as all kinds of taboos during the Spring Festival, including language, behavior, diet and other taboos, are all around exorcism and blessing. People get rid of or avoid evil through their own behavior, language and performance, and get peace and happiness. With the development of society, the Spring Festival gradually lost its witchcraft connotation and evolved into a celebration. "

(C) The Spring Festival originated from the Ghost Festival theory

This view is mainly in Mr. Xu Hualong's article "Spring Festival originates from Ghost Festival". Mr. Xu Hualong said: "In ancient times, people had poor ability to resist natural disasters because of their poor scientific knowledge and low productivity. In winter, they are often harassed by cold waves and worry about food shortage. In early spring, when their lives are threatened, the old people and children will first die of hunger, cold and other bad reasons. When people see this scene, they will be afraid and think it is a worship of ghosts and gods ... Once people have passed such a mysterious and frightening solar term, they will be deeply grateful and cheer and congratulate each other, which will become a custom over time ... Therefore, we can assert that celebrating the Spring Festival is because of winning ghosts. "

Two legends about the Spring Festival

In our country, people have the habit of keeping watch on New Year's Eve. Watching the new year begins with eating New Year's Eve dinner. This New Year's Eve dinner should be eaten slowly, starting with lighting lanterns, and some families have to eat it until late at night. According to the Chronicle of Jingchu in the Song Dynasty, at least in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was a custom of New Year's Eve.

The custom of observing the old age not only includes the feeling of farewell and nostalgia for the fleeting time, but also expresses the good hope for the coming New Year. The ancients wrote in the poem "Shousui": "Invite Shousui Arong's family to spread red to blue gauze with candles; Thirty-six years have passed, and I cherish the years since this night. " It is human nature to cherish the years, so the great poet Su Shi wrote a famous sentence: "There will be no years next year, and I am worried about waste; Try to do it tonight, and the teenager can still boast! "This shows the positive significance of New Year's Eve.