Encyclopedia of festivals: the origin of filling festivals

In the Song Dynasty, Mr. Meng recorded in "Tokyo Dream": "On the 25th day of the first month, other people left their cattle and sheep to stay in Japan, so they had to leave, which was called filling the warehouse." It is said that Cang Xie Festival is the birthday of the warehouse owner. The Harvest Festival is a traditional folk festival of the Han nationality, symbolizing the harvest of grains. So what is the origin of the festival? What are the customs of Lantern Festival?

In ancient times, the filling festival was a grand festival. Whenever festivals come, people exchange food with their relatives and hold banquets. Only when they are drunk can they go home. In the Song Dynasty, Mr. Meng recorded in "Dream of China in Tokyo": "On the 25th day of the first month, other people killed cattle and sheep, and if they stayed in Japan for a long time, they would leave, which is called a replacement." On the 25th day of the first month of every year, people in the north of China will celebrate the Buyang Festival. In the rural areas of northern China, there is also a proverb; "Make up the position, millet dried rice noodle soup." On this day, we should eat delicious rice and noodle soup and celebrate the festival with smooth and tough filaments. It can be seen that people in the north live frugally.

After spring, there will be a Lantern Festival in the north. In the Song Dynasty, Meng Yuan's Dream of Tokyo recorded: "On the 25th day of the first month, the people's market was crowded with mutton. When guests came to stay, they would leave unexpectedly, which was called filling the warehouse." Another legend about this festival, it is said that a long time ago, the northern part of our country suffered from drought for years, and the land thousands of miles away was bare and the grain was not harvested. The feudal emperors, regardless of the lives of ordinary people, exacted miscellaneous taxes as in previous years, complained everywhere, and were hungry and cold.

It is said that an official guarding the granary witnessed this tragic scene and couldn't bear it anymore, so he opened the granary to help the people. He knew that this violated the king's law, and the emperor would never forgive him, so he let the people carry the food away, set fire to the warehouse and burn himself alive. It happened on the 25th of the first month. Later, in order to commemorate this kind official, people rebuilt the burned "Tiancang", which became a custom. This day became "Tiancang Festival" and later became Bencang Festival.

Customs and activities of the filling festival

1 steamed food

Jiexiu uses cake powder to knead lanterns of various shapes, such as ingots, buns, pots, chickens and dogs. , and fill them with cooking oil. Light it at night, put it indoors, and eat fried or fried food the next day. I wish you all prosperity and good harvest.

2. Handling and Filling Location

On the day of filling the warehouse, residents in all counties have to carry coal, soil and water, which means adding warehouses and expecting a bumper year. There are many activities of filling positions among the people, which are closely related to eating habits. In northern Shanxi, people are used to steaming oat noodle nests, which are shaped like grain hoards. Using buckwheat noodles as pills and putting them in the hollow of the oat noodle nest is called stuffing.

3, the ground paint warehouse hoarding

On the day when Shouyang is in the old warehouse, he should draw a grain depot on the ground, put grain on it and hold it down with stones, symbolizing that the grain is full. Folk customs should be played in the yard or in the scene. Fill plant ash with a dustpan, beat it evenly with a stick, and spread three or five rings on the ground to indicate a granary or grain depot. People who pay attention will also draw patterns such as rakes, brooms and even fans next to the ash cellar. The small full-day ash cellar symbolizes the bumper harvest of summer grain, and a little summer grain should be put in the center of the circle; The ash cellar on the big irrigation day symbolizes the harvest of autumn grain, which is placed in the circle. Then cover the grain with bricks and stones, which is called pressing the warehouse. Then firecrackers are lit and explode in the circle, making the grain abundant.

Step 4 clean the yard

On the day of Tiancang Festival, Qixian and other counties should use brooms to clean the courtyard walls, sweep insects and prevent insects, burn paper and incense as a memorial, eliminate disasters, and pray for prosperity and prosperity.

5. Lending is prohibited.

On Tianzang Festival, every household does not borrow things from other people's homes. Even if someone comes to borrow something, it has become an ancient folk custom to refuse it. Pay attention to the joy of entering and dislike of leaving. Add vegetables to the store, add water to the tank, put some coal at the door, and save the house. According to the old custom, it is taboo for farmers to sell grain on this day. Grain shops like to buy food on this day. On that day, the grain store will hold a banquet to warmly receive people who come to sell grain.

6. Light a lamp to worship the gods

In most areas, lights are lit at night to worship God. Lights should be put on all places related to diet. Commonly known as "lighting incense, every family food Man Cang."

7. Pay tribute to warehouse officials

This is an important custom of the Lantern Festival. In memory of Guan Cang, people hold memorial ceremonies every day. Some people use fine charcoal ash or firewood ash to build warehouses inside and outside the courtyard, and some people burn incense and light lamps for the portrait of Guan Cang. On the night of Tiancang Festival, Pingyao residents lit lamps and burned incense to offer sacrifices to Tiancang officials, and shouted loudly that "Tiancang will bring Man Cang, and grain ingots will fill my house" and "Black boy, drive a car, and ingots will come to my house", hoping that the crops will be abundant and the life will be rich.