What is the meaning behind the Spring Festival?

Chinese New Year is a grand event, and the whole society is very heavy.

Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere. On New Year's Eve, every family puts ten bowls of vegetables and ten glasses of wine, lights two candles, lights incense, burns paper money, sets off firecrackers and fireworks. The whole whip is a hundred small guns connected together. When it is lit, it will ring a hundred times in a minute. After the family ordered that one, one after another, showing a lively festive atmosphere. All families put sacrifices together and give them to the same ancestor. Many tables were set, many candles were lit, and the incense was full, brilliant and smoky. Children together, I don't know what to do, just follow the excitement. In the future, we will describe all happy things as "like Chinese New Year". It didn't end until late at night. Then pack up and go home and close the door for New Year's Eve dinner. Before closing the door, shoot first and tell others not to disturb. The whole family is at ease for the New Year. Usually eat more and eat less. Tonight, I can eat whatever I want. At that time, we thought it was a great enjoyment. However, you should also eat rice, even if you only take a bite, you should also hold a bowl and leave half a bowl of rice, which means that you still have more than a year. There is another thing that must be eaten, namely duck eggs and eggs. On the coast of Fujian, navigation is taboo for "waves", and eggs and waves are homophonic. Therefore, eggs are not called eggs (waves), but called "Taiping", and eating eggs means eating "Taiping". "Taiping" is of course Geely's word. There is a saying in Fujian called "eating eggs safely", which means being very particular. There is "peace" on New Year's Eve, which means to pray for peace for one year. On the first day of the first month, I got up early in the morning. When I open the door, I will set off firecrackers in front of the door to show that I have got up. The taboos on this day are: no work, no ironing, no sweeping, no taking out the garbage. Vegetarian breakfast. The children wear the latest and best clothes and play when they are full. No quarrel, no war, it seems that this day is not harmonious, which will bring bad fate to this year. Everyone thinks that we should have a good day. Holding the lucky money, I wanted to buy some fun food, but I couldn't, because the merchants also went home for the New Year, and most shops were closed. There are two places to go on this day: one is to see a play, and the other is to see wandering souls. The head of God carved in wood, the body frame made of wood, and the colorful clothes of God were carried by some young people and marched in it. In addition to the parade, some people run around playing idols, while others play idols. Do nothing but play. People who go out to work also come back to chat and tell some anecdotes from other places, which is very interesting. It seems that the whole society has a holiday, and it is also like just ending the war and entering the rest stage, relaxing for a while and preparing for a new battle. At first, children attached great importance to this festival, which can bring a lot of joy. Your mood will change as you get older. The issues to be considered are different. What children think is how to play. Adults have complicated ideas, but they all agree that this festival is of great significance and importance. Better than, but I never thought about its meaning. For decades, this festival has been celebrated every year, and I have never considered its significance.

It was not until the early 1980s that we got a two-bedroom apartment and invited our mother-in-law to Beijing for the Spring Festival. On New Year's Eve, just after midnight, gunshots rang out all around. We also bought firecrackers for tens of dollars and took them to the door of the building for about half an hour. My mother-in-law was very excited and really said that she would buy more firecrackers. We don't think it makes sense to shoot every year. Later, there was a "ban" in Beijing, and there were no guns. Beijing feels much colder. Everyone feels that there is no festive atmosphere. Some people go back to their hometown and countryside to enjoy the sound of guns. Some people call their hometown and listen to the sound of guns on the phone. One year, our college rented a car to pull employees to the suburbs and bought firecrackers there, which was also an emotional compensation. Why do you like shooting so much? This is a long-standing custom. Every year, I don't know what it means. Once filming is not allowed, it is a bit uncomfortable psychologically. Only then did we realize how important shooting is to our Chinese nation, which is closely related to the national spirit. Therefore, during the "forbidden release" period, it is always forbidden. Now it is changed to "restricted release", which naturally reflects public opinion.

What is the significance of the Spring Festival? It turns out that the Spring Festival refers to the "beginning of spring" among the 24 solar terms. Beginning of spring is the beginning of spring and the first solar term in a year. Ancient rulers attached great importance to this solar term. "On the day of beginning of spring, the son of heaven went to the eastern suburbs to welcome the spring. Also, it is to reward officials, princes and doctors in the DPRK. " (Lv Chunqiu Meng) On this day in beginning of spring, the Emperor of Heaven will lead officials to the eastern suburbs to welcome the arrival of spring. Go back to the imperial court, and then conduct awards. This should be the first meaning of the Spring Festival.

Now the Spring Festival is on the first day of the first month. The first day of the first month is the first day of the year, which used to be called "New Year's Day". A year's plan lies in spring, and the past three months in spring are January, February and March. The first month is the first month of the year, also known as the end of the month. The importance of the first day of this month was discussed in ancient times. Dong Zhongshu, a great philosopher more than 2,000 years ago, said, "What is so expensive in the Spring and Autumn Period? Yuan, the beginning is also true. " (Story of Wang Dao Chunqiu) Why do you attach importance to Yuan? Because yuan is open. Emphasizing the beginning is to correct the root. "Lu Chunqiu Meng" records: "The son of heaven prayed to the god of the valley on Yuan Day. I chose, and the son of heaven personally carried the thunder ... and led the three public and nine expensive princes and doctors to plow the emperor's land. " January is New Year's Day. On this day, the son of heaven prayed to God for a bumper harvest year. At present, the Hall of Prayer for the New Year in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing is the place where ancient emperors prayed for the Valley. The day when future generations pray for the valley is not New Year's Day (the first day of the first month), but Xin Day on the first month. There are three "Xin" days in a month, which are divided into upper, middle and lower days. The first auspicious day is Shangxin Day. Usually between the first day of the first month and the tenth day of the first month. Lu Chunqiu in the Qin Dynasty said that the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty chose the auspicious day of the first month after praying for the valley. The son of heaven personally took farm tools and led hundreds of officials to plow the fields. Qin Huang has no records of cultivated land, while Han Huang has many records of cultivated land. "Han Wen Di Ji": Zhao Yue said: "I personally lead the world to prosper the country through agriculture, and the queen personally sacrifices mulberry. This is etiquette." Etiquette is the system. In other words, it is necessary to establish a system for the emperor to plow the fields and the queen to personally manage silk as a sacrifice. Later, the day when the emperor cultivated land was set in beginning of spring. Although future emperors no longer grow their own food for sacrificial purposes, they still keep the form of plowing their homeland. That is, on the day of spring, the emperor walked around the colorful soil of the national altar with a toy-like little golden plow to show off, even if he was plowing his native land. Land to the tiller means that the emperor attached importance to agriculture and took the lead in farming, setting an example for everyone in the world. A form indicates an attitude. If the attitude remains the same, the form should be retained. Although the Temple of Heaven still exists, it has only become a historical and cultural relic. The form of grand worship to heaven is gone, but the attitude has changed. Harvest is the result of people's labor, not praying for a return from heaven.

The son of heaven welcomes spring in the eastern suburbs, which is the beginning of spring. The son of heaven prayed for the valley on the new day of the first month. For the emperor, these two days are to pray to God, which is an important way to communicate between heaven and man. It is very important, so we should be pious and grand. For these two grand ceremonies, the priest in charge of the sacrifice should tell the emperor three days in advance, so that the emperor can prepare for the sacrifice. Prepare what? All other ritual vessels, auxiliary personnel and ceremonies are arranged by the Taishi. What the emperor needs to prepare is a clean body. One is taking a bath, the other is being a vegetarian, the third is living alone, and the fourth is not dealing with government affairs. These preparations are irreplaceable by other preparations. However, these two sacred activities seem to have little to do with the people. The first day of the first month is the beginning of a year, which seems to be closely related to the fate of this year, and the people attach great importance to it. This day is what we call the Spring Festival.

There are two kinds of time: nature and humanity. Natural time is the process of passing away. However, humanistic time is very rich and wonderful. From New Year's Eve to the first day of junior high school, it is the end and the beginning of a year. Hold various ceremonies to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. The end of the year is to drive away the epidemic and send the old, and the beginning of the year is to welcome the new. Starting from unity, Vientiane will be renewed. From New Year's Eve to the first day of junior high school, natural time is nothing special, but from a humanistic point of view, it is a very special day. It symbolizes the end of the one-year cycle and the beginning of a new cycle. From this day on, everyone has grown up by one year. On such a festive day, putting on the latest and best clothes, eating delicious food, speaking auspicious language and telling auspicious stories all start from the best, which is also the hope and pursuit of happiness in life. In our hearts, the first day of the first month is a sacred day! This is the precipitation of a long history, which has a long history and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Every year, I get used to it and never consider its meaning. After the opening up, more people go abroad and live abroad, and there is no Spring Festival. In Europe and America, there is a Christian tradition, which is Jesus' "Christmas". Even in eastern countries such as Japan, there is no lunar calendar, only a solar calendar. I don't know when the first day of the first lunar month (Spring Festival) is, so I have to follow westerners to celebrate the foreign festival. Of course, the Japanese still have oriental feelings, and they have to celebrate some traditional oriental festivals, such as China Valentine's Day on July 7, Kogasawara Festival on July 15, Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, and Double Ninth Festival on September 9. All the days in the solar calendar are adopted. There is nothing wrong with other festivals, but you can't enjoy the moon and the ancient poems and songs about the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th in the solar calendar. The humanistic connotation of Mid-Autumn Festival is greatly reduced. After experiencing foreign festivals, it is found that China people celebrate the Spring Festival, which is a characteristic tradition of the Chinese nation, and this tradition is linked with the national spirit. In the places where overseas Chinese live all over the world, they will remember the Spring Festival and make full preparations. At that time, a grand celebration will be held to celebrate the annual festival to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Some set off firecrackers, some danced dragons and lions, some sang Beijing opera, and some performed acrobatics and other programs. The combination of national tradition and modern science and technology makes the festive atmosphere more enthusiastic. With the development of economy and social progress, people are full of happiness. When traditional festivals were first formed, they were generally superstitious. Later, national culture was formed. Those countries with the most advanced science are also celebrating traditional festivals, which shows that traditional festivals are not superstitious activities, but cultural activities. The cultural activities of traditional festivals of all ethnic groups are the concrete embodiment of national spirit and the expression of national cohesion. This is the emotion of the whole nation. Governments at all levels are people-oriented, respect public opinion, attach great importance to traditional festivals connected with the feelings of the masses, and do everything possible to help arrange the goods needed by mass festivals, especially holidays, so that the masses can have a better holiday. Now the Spring Festival is a long holiday, and there is enough time to celebrate this sacred day. Many people are calling for whether other traditional festivals should also have a holiday. Being in power for the people naturally has to consider the demands of the masses. The Spring Festival is still of great significance in urban civilization, and celebrating the Spring Festival is still the basic reason for many economic activities:

Chinese New Year is the biggest stimulus to China's transportation industry. What an important business opportunity it is to go home for the New Year, a huge crowd of people and a train of hundreds of millions of people! Tens of millions of migrant farmers in China, their contribution to this country is to "concentrate limited financial resources and invest in transportation". This is the first whistle that drives China economy to start every year!

Celebrating the Spring Festival is the beginning of China's commodity retail industry. Going home to visit parents during the Spring Festival, visiting relatives and friends during the Spring Festival, giving gifts during the Spring Festival, and stimulating consumption, ordinary people can spend money that they are reluctant to spend in a year. There is no "Santa Claus" who gives gifts in China. Businessmen dressed as Santa Claus "discount", "buy one get one free" and "lottery" are the most incomprehensible greetings on the "cash cow". Of course, not all advertisements are fooling people, just as not all people go home and take home the overstocked tonics from businesses. Buy a few pots of flowers and bring two baskets of fruit to increase the "healthy affection" in spring!

Chinese New Year is a reason to beg for arrears. In the past, poor Yang Bailao evaded debt, but now, rich Huang Shiren evaded debt. Migrant workers have worked under the boss for a year without getting paid. It is said that they owed 1000 billion salary last year. It's so important to go home during the Spring Festival. It is a truth that migrant workers beg for hard-earned money. This is too important. Otherwise, year after year, the rich who owe money live too well!

Going home during the Spring Festival is an accelerator to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas. Migrant workers who go home, no matter how hard and tired they are in the city, can put on new clothes and go home, bring a pack of new year's goods to their parents and tell a lot of new stories in the city. After the festival, he will catch up with one or two people or even a group of people behind him and get on the train to the city! Rural youth enter the city to receive urban civilization re-education, and no one holds a meeting to mobilize, which is more and more year by year. Earn money while working, learn about urban civilization, give guidance and help every year, and develop "new students". China's modernization, in the sweat of migrant workers, in the tears of migrant workers, and in the climax of their return to the city during the Spring Festival, has become an economic miracle in China.

Chinese New Year is a good time to reshuffle. Take this opportunity for the boss to re-select employees, and employees can also quit and fire the boss. Take this opportunity for the black-hearted boss to reopen in another place, and take this opportunity for the capable messenger to start his own business as the boss. The relocated households in the city bid farewell to the dilapidated old houses, moved to the suburbs and lived in the economic unit building. Ambitious and wealthy foreigners go to town to buy big houses-the recent Beijing News said that one third of new houses in Beijing were bought by foreigners! Four seasons cycle, feng shui flows, the Spring Festival is like a big lottery, everyone writes their wishes on it!

Celebrating the Spring Festival is a good image of China's "peaceful rise" to the world. With money in their pockets, China people go sightseeing everywhere. Foreigners all over the world are also looking at Chinese people. China people say, don't seek hegemony. China people have not built military bases everywhere, and they have no spare money to mind other people's business. China people have a permanent peace base "Chinatown" all over the world, and the Spring Festival is a good day for diplomacy in Chinatown. New york declared this day a public holiday, and there was a parade of Chinese floats on the streets of Paris. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also pays New Year greetings to Chinese people all over the world ... Alas, there is no reason not to celebrate the New Year!