Shandong Caoxian New Year's Eve customs

One of the sacrifices to Zao Wang

Every year on the 23rd day of the Lunar New Year, Zao Wang has to go up to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor on the good and bad deeds of the family, so that the Jade Emperor can reward and punish them. Therefore, when sending the stove, people in front of the Zaowang statue of the table for candy, water, beans, fodder, couplets, grass; of which, the latter three are for the Zaowang ascension of the mount prepared materials. When sacrificing to Zaobao, the candies of Guandong are also melted with fire and applied to the mouth of Zao Wang.

Two, sweeping dust

Generally from the New Year's day to kick off the curtain of the New Year, that is, "busy year". On this day of the New Year, every household is up at dawn, sweeping the room to wipe the windows, washing clothes, scrubbing pots and pans, the implementation of clean and thorough health cleaning. "Dust" and "Chen" consonant, so sweeping the dust is also the old things swept away, which refers to both the courtyard of the old dirt, but also refers to the old year in the encountered unpleasant.

Three, cut the window

Cutting and pasting window is the most popular folk activities. The content of a variety of animal and plant palms, such as magpies, lions rolling embroidered balls, three sheep (Yang) Kaitai, two dragons playing pearls, deer and crane Tongchun (six contracts spring), rhinoceros looking at the moon, Lotus (Lian) years of fish (Yuanyu), mandarin ducks playing in the water, and so on. Cut the windowpane stickers in the cleaned house, adding a lot of New Year's cheer to the family.

Four, Guandong sugar

Also known as Zao Wang sugar. During the year, it is only sold around the time of the New Year. Guandong sugar is made of malt, millet boiled sugar products, sacrifices to the God of the stove with. Milky white chunks of sugar, placed on a square plate, generally three inches long, one inch wide, flat, in the form of silk strips. When you bite into it, it is crispy and fragrant, and is a favorite delicacy for men, women and children. Today, it has come down from the sacrificial table of Lord Zao, widely enjoyed by the people.

Five, watching the "flower supply"

Cao County Peach Garden flower supply is called "the world's first supply", is a local folklore. It is understood that the "flower supply will" in the first month of the seventh day of the first month of the lunar calendar every year, in Cao County, Taoyuan town held a sacrificial ceremony, is to commemorate the ancient period of human invention of "drilling for fire" ancestor of the Suiren's, and ?i?u ?i era, guiding people to use the fire of the fire official Zhu Rong.

Flower offerings are also a unique custom of local people to pray for good weather, good harvests, prosperity, and relief of diseases.