Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - The 24 Solar Terms - What is the origin of the 30-word Spring Festival?

What is the origin of the 30-word Spring Festival?

The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, also known as the lunar year, commonly known as "Chinese New Year". This is an ancient traditional festival with the longest, grandest and most lively folk history in China. In ancient times, there was a monster who went down the mountain for thirty nights to eat people. Later, people found that Nian was afraid of fire, noise and red, so they set off firecrackers and posted red couplets on that day. On the morning of the first day, people congratulate their relatives and friends: "Happy New Year!" "

The original intention of the concepts of Spring Festival and New Year comes from agriculture. The Spring Festival has a long history for the Chinese nation, with a history of thousands of years. The origin of "Spring Festival" is closely related to agricultural production. In the Neolithic Age, our ancestors discovered the law of alternating seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter according to the growth cycle of crops, which resulted in the concept of "year". The Xia calendar came into being in Xia and Shang Dynasties. The moon's profit and loss cycle is one month, and a year is divided into twelve months. Every month, the day when the moon can't be seen is the new moon, and the first day of the first month is called the beginning of the year.

Distinctive national characteristics

China is a multi-ethnic country, and each ethnic group has different ways to celebrate the New Year. Ancient Mongols called the Spring Festival "White Festival" and the first month was Bai Yue, which means good luck. Tibetans celebrate the Tibetan calendar year. ?

1, Korean

Influenced by China culture, Koreans also have the custom of Spring Festival. On New Year's Eve, the whole family stayed up all night, and the music of Ye Qin and flute brought people into the New Year. A traditional celebration was held on the evening of the fifteenth day of the first month. Several elected old people boarded the "moon-watching frame" to see the bright moon first, which symbolizes the health, progress and all the best for future generations. Then, everyone danced around the lighted "moon viewing frame", accompanied by long drums, flutes and suona music.

2. Tibetans

In the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, there is a tradition of "looking for fruit" before the autumn harvest. According to legend, this is a relic of the Chinese New Year in June in ancient Tibet. There is also the Tibetan calendar for the Chinese New Year in October, which comes from those ancient times. Around the 3rd century A.D./KLOC-0, when the sagar Dynasty ruled Tibet, Tibetans celebrated the New Year in the first month of the Tibetan calendar.

3. Daour ethnic group

The Daur Spring Festival is called "Agne". On the morning of New Year's Eve, every family cleaned the courtyard and made a tall crib with sundries and livestock manure in front of the gate. After the chimney is lit at night, the air is filled with faint smoke, and the festive atmosphere is everywhere. In the evening, the whole family eats hand-grabbed meat and carries out various activities to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. People plant incense in the snow on the west side of the house and bow to the west to show their memory of their ancestors.

4. Gaoshan people

During the Spring Festival, people of Gaoshan ethnic group wear gorgeous national costumes and gather in groups at the edge of the village to drink and enjoy songs and dances accompanied by musical instruments. Some villages also hold harpoon competitions and carry out sports activities, such as lifting basketball and pole ball.