What are the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year? For example, food, entertainment .

The folk custom is to call the Spring Festival as the New Year or Nianxia. This festival is the longest and grandest of all the festivals, and it usually starts on the evening of the 23rd day of the Lunar New Year when the stove is sacrificed, and continues until the 5th day of the first month of the lunar calendar when the Spring Festival is officially over.

The 23rd day of the Lunar New Year is the day of the sacrifice of the stove, also known as the New Year. Because of folklore, the god of the stove is the master of the family, it often secretly observe the family's good and bad, every Lunar New Year 23, will be ascending to the Jade Emperor to report to the Jade Emperor as the basis for reward and punishment. If it speaks ill of a family, it will take away 100 to 300 days of their life. Therefore, people offer sacrifices to the God of Zaos on the 23rd day of the Lunar New Year, with the intention that the God of Zaos will "say good things in heaven and bring good fortune to the lower world". In order to show the sincerity of sacrificing to the God of Stove, this day every family should clean up the stove, plate, pots and pans, and remove the old God of Stove statue and replace it with a new God of Stove statue. In front of the statue put offerings, so as to win the favor of the king of the stove, to the sky "say good things" after the world "down auspicious". Nanyang nursery rhyme says: "Twenty-three (children), burning stove La (children)". After dinner on the 23rd day of the Lunar New Year, each household will prepare a fat rooster, as the king of the stove to go to the Palace of Heaven to ride the horse, to the burnt cake (Dengzhou area folk called "burnt child") as the road food, to stove sugar paste its mouth to avoid saying bad words. In front of the chicken also put hay beans and water, as the horse's grass. At this time, the master of the house faces Zaowang, burns three columns of incense, pours three cups of wine, and kneels down to pray. The prayers are mostly "say a lot of good things when you go to the heavenly palace, don't mention bad things, and bring more grains and miscellaneous cereals to the next world", etc. At this time, firecrackers are fired outside the house to send Zaowang off to heaven. If the master of a family died early, the sacrificial stove should be the eldest son of the family line Shi, women back, because the Nanyang folk "men do not worship the moon, women do not sacrifice stove" custom. For the Lunar New Year's Eve, there is a folk song in Nanyang that says:

Year after year, there is a family busy, twenty-three days of sacrifices to the king of the stove.

Two plates of fruit are placed on both sides, and a dish of sugar is placed in the middle.

A bowl of water with black beans and hay, and a horse tied to the stove.

The incense burner and candles were lit, shining brightly on the stove master.

The head of the family knelt down and prayed for the good fortune of the Zao master.

The couplets next to the image of Zaowang are not only "good words from above, but also "good luck from below", but also "23rd day of the year, first day of the year, five nights back", "three kowtows in the morning, morning and evening, and one incense burner in the morning and evening", etc.

This is the first time I've ever seen a Zaowang in the world. "The folk honoring the God of the Stove is a great example of how to protect the God of the Stove. Folk honor the God of the stove, cover began in Han. According to the book of the Han Dynasty - Yin Zhi biography, there is a man named Yin Zifang, cooking meets the stove god manifestation, Zifang immediately worship, and their beloved yellow dog killed to sacrifice, stove god not live up to the Yin Zifang's good intentions, give rich in the Yin family, so that the Yin family overnight wealth, and their children and grandchildren are enjoying the high official pay. Since then, the world has followed suit, every Lunar New Year's twenty-third sacrificial stove, in order to get the blessing of the God of the Stove. According to the "Qing Historical Manuscripts", the Qianlong emperor is also very respect for the God of the stove, every year on the twenty-third day of the lunar month to the Kunning Palace to sacrifice the stove, 60 years as one day, never stop. In the service of the king of zaos, the emperor so, the people naturally do not need a detailed table. The behavior of the folk sacrificial stove clearly dialysis of the common people hope that the psychological desire for peace.

Lunar New Year's Eve on the night of the 30th day of the month, commonly known as New Year's Eve, families eat a reunion dinner, dumplings to prepare for the Spring Festival morning to eat, and after the meal to be "boiled" to observe the New Year. The early morning firecrackers, one to welcome the year, two to drive away evil spirits.

The custom of observing the New Year has a long history, and the earliest record of it is found in the Western Jin Dynasty's "Records of Wind and Earth": "Stay awake all night and wait for the day to dawn and say that they are observing the New Year." Legend has it that in ancient times there was a unicorn called "year", this beast is exceptionally fierce, every Lunar New Year's Eve 30, scurried to the earth to endanger the people, but it is most afraid of fire, red and sound. People in order not to "year" of harm, to this day are wearing red, red lanterns, red paper, firecrackers and fireworks, and burn incense and prayers, sleepless nights, this custom has been passed down, called "keep the year".

"One night even double year, five nights divided into two years." Nanyang folk attach great importance to this day, no matter adults and children, are not allowed to say bad luck, only say auspicious words. After the midnight vigil, but also to eat "more years of dumplings", Nanyang folk dumplings, also known as flat food, in the shape of a Yuanbao, people say that more years of age to eat the next year's prosperity.

The first day of the first month of the Spring Festival, everyone changed into new clothes, before dawn that is the first release of the door cannon, and then light incense and candles, on the offerings. Offerings are generally date mountain buns, knife-head meat, fried fish, fruit and so on. Lighting joss sticks and candles to honor the gods and ancestors. In the morning, the whole family ate dumplings, and then the elders to the elders to pay tribute to the New Year, the elders to the children pressure money, Nanyang folk known as "pressure waist money". Parents take the boys to the cemetery to pay homage to their ancestors, to pay homage to the deceased elders, neighbors and friends pay homage to each other. Since the second day of the Lunar New Year, relatives, friends and neighbors have been paying New Year's greetings to each other. People carry gifts with them, especially when a new son-in-law goes to his father-in-law's house for the first time, and the gifts are generous. Such friends and relatives to pay tribute to the festival lasted until the first four or five, some friends and relatives of the old family often to last until the first seven or eight. The first five used to be called "broken five", the old people believe that the first five, thirteen, twenty-two of each month is "Yang Gong Jealousy" day, all things are not. The fifth day of the first month is the first taboo day of the year, the folk attach great importance to, so there is a "small under the year, big broken five" proverb. Firecrackers on this day to show that the broken "five" to set up auspicious. That night, the five days within the taboo to pour the garbage outside, all poured in the yard outside the pile of manure, called "send poor soil", while pouring while reading the mantra: "poor soil to go, rich soil to come, this year must be rich."

From the beginning of the second day of the first month, Nanyang custom has been the next few days of the schedule of friends and relatives in place: the second to go to his grandmother's home to his grandparents and uncles, uncle, real estate to pay tribute to the New Year; the third to go to his aunt's home to his aunt to pay tribute to the New Year; the fourth to the in-laws to pay tribute to the New Year; the first five days of the day after the walk in the general family and friends of the old days. On the sixth day of the month, the market opens, and all businesses open.

In Nanyang traditional habits, the Spring Festival customs most bright colors are as follows:?

The first is to paste the Spring Festival couplets. The appearance of Spring Festival couplets, in China has nearly a thousand years of history. It is reported that the Spring Festival couplets by the five generations after the Shu Emperor Meng Chang first. 964 Spring Festival, Meng Chang wrote a couplet: "New Year's Day Na Yuqing, Festival No. Changchun" ("Song History" - West Shu Meng's "), the world feels novel, the world is the most important thing to do, the world is the most important thing to do, the world is the most important thing to do, the world is the most important thing to do.

Nanyang folk spring couplets, in general, its content is mostly for the celebration and eulogy praise and so on, subdivided, there are a number of ends as follows: a eulogy for the historical figures. Such as Nanyang for the Yue on the General Fan Li's hometown, the joint cloud "five lakes to send traces of Tao Zhu industry, the four seas to travel Yenzi wind"; Wolonggang for the Shu Zhuge Liang plowing place, the joint said, "the West Han article two Secretaries of Departments, the Nanyang economy a Wolong". Two for the love of hometown scenery. Nanyang City, backed by the Dushan, facing the white water, so wrote a couplet said "backed by the green mountains, dragon and tiger, the door to the green water of the Phoenix Pond"; "Luoyang peony colorful, Wancheng osmanthus" and so on.

The second is to hang New Year's paintings. The purpose of hanging New Year's paintings is to drive away ghosts. It is the same as posting the door god. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Nanyang Nieyang (now Rangdong, Dengzhou) people of the Zong Security Department wrote in their book "Jingchu Yearly Record", "The first day of the first month of the first two gods are painted and pasted on the left and right of the household, left Shentan, right Yubi, commonly known as the door god." This kind of door god, is the goblet of the popular annual painting. To the Tang, legend has it that Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty was ill and often felt his bedchamber inside and outside of a ghost, it is difficult to sleep. Li told his ministers about this and asked them about the method to drive away the ghosts. Qin Qiong reported that he was willing to wear armor and weapons with Jingde to guard the door. At night, it is true that there is no offense in the fall. Qin Qiong Jingde although strong martial arts, but after all, the flesh and blood drive, always let its night escort, a long time, too laborious, is not the best policy. So they ordered the painter will be two people like painting on the door to drive away the ghosts, after that, no ghosts and monsters sound. In addition, there will be Zhong Kui painted as a door god posted on the door. To Qin Qiong Jingde for the door god out of the two powerful, all righteousness, and Zhong Kui for the door god is out of its ugly appearance, so that people are afraid and good at catching ghosts. Over the years, generations, people will be the door god evolved into New Year's paintings, is to carry forward the cultural connotation of which the elimination of disasters and disasters, the four seasons of peace. Nanyang New Year's paintings around the central theme of New Year's festivities and auspiciousness, the subject matter of the following six aspects: First, for the myths and legends, such as the Eight Immortals across the sea, the Tang Monk scriptures, Qiuweng encounter fairy tale, etc.; Second, for the blessing of good luck, such as the immortal celebrates his birthday, the Goddess of Mercy to send his son, Goddess of the sky, Carp jumped the Dragon Gate, etc.; Third, it is the agricultural life, such as the five grains and harvests, the six animals, the spring oxen plowing the fields, farming, reading and reading, etc.; The fourth for the four seasons of the landscape, such as spring orchids, summer lotus, The fourth is the scenery of the four seasons, such as spring orchids, summer lotus, autumn chrysanthemums, winter plums, and the full moon; the fifth is historical themes, such as Guan Gong's night reading, Mulan's march in the army, Yue Fei's resistance to the Jin Dynasty, Wu Song's fight against the tiger, Taibai's drunkenness, Qi Jiguang's pacification of the Japanese and so on; and the sixth is folktales such as the Legend of the White Snake, the pairing of the Tianxian fairy, and the edge of the Liang Zhuhai. The production process of Nanyang New Year's Paintings is mostly woodcutting and watermarking, which has the artistic characteristics of simple lines, roughness and solidity, and strong and powerful force.

Third, firecrackers. "The firecrackers sound to bid farewell to the old year, and the golden rooster sings three times to welcome the new year." In Nanyang folk, whenever the year-end vigil to the night, when the rooster dawn, it will be firecrackers, one to drive away the evil spirits in addition to the epidemic, the second to increase the atmosphere of joy and warmth.

In addition to the above, there is another important activity, which is to pay homage to the New Year. The custom of paying homage to the New Year is related to the New Year's Eve celebration. People after a night of the New Year's Eve and the night of the firecrackers, thus eliminating the infestation of the New Year's beasts and the scourge of the first morning of the New Year, people open the door to congratulate each other, congratulate the safe and sound, "the first month of the first day of the first day of the first month of the ...... scholars are exchanged congratulations, the fine people of men and women are also freshly clothed to and from worship festival. " (Wu Zimu: "Dream Sorghum Records.") In the old days, folk New Year's Day worship friends and relatives, fathers and brothers, teachers, relatives, etc., to congratulate the New Year's Day, fortune, as you wish, longevity and other auspicious words to each other. Nanyang folk New Year's Eve kneeling ceremony. In the old days in Nanyang rich and powerful people, both do not care about that gift, but also smack of the New Year's Eve gifts to each other time-consuming and laborious, and then changed to use the name of the posters to congratulate each other. Name stickers, that is, the New Year's piece, the two Han Dynasty, called the "name of the prick", the Tang Dynasty, called the "door shape", the Song Dynasty, called the "door prick", the Ming and Qing Dynasties called the "red single "and popular worship basin, that is, the New Year's card into the basin to send each other, to show the solemnity. The tablets are generally written on the Happy New Year, all the best, prosperity, health and longevity and other auspicious words. Wen Zhengming, a calligrapher and painter in the Qing Dynasty, wrote a poem entitled "Paying New Year's Respect", saying: "I don't want to meet with you, but I want to pay a visit to you, and the famous paper is coming to my hut. I also cast a number of paper with people, the world is too simple not too false." With the New Year's piece of New Year's custom has been inherited to today, but in the Nanyang folk, still valued the custom of the New Year's visit.

The fifth day of the first month of the year is commonly known as the "broken five", people are in order to avoid the god of poverty is called the first five days for the "broken five". "Three days of theater, five days of the year." The general public regarded the fifth day as an important day after the Spring Festival. Because this day is the birthday of the God of Wealth, so the people often organize banquets, firecrackers, joyfully welcome the arrival of the God of Wealth. There is more than one god of wealth welcomed on this day, including the God of Wealth, the God of Partial Wealth, the God of Wealth, the God of Wealth, and the God of Wealth. The most worshipped god is Zhao Xuan Tan, the god of wealth, whose statue is kept in many stores and houses. Zhao Xuan Tan's face is as black as the bottom of a pot, holding a steel whip, riding on a black tiger, with two generals on his right and left, making him a formidable figure. Zhao Xuan Tan was made marshal after being shot by Jiang Ziya, and Chen Jiugong and Yao Shaoji, who had been killed by Nezha, were assigned to Xuan Tan as his attendants. When Zhao Xuan Tan was honored as the God of Fortune, Chen and Yao became the "God of Fortune". The five Wu brothers, the god of partial wealth, liked to kill the rich and help the poor in their lifetime, and after their death, they still begged for wealth for the poor, so people called them the "Five Apparent Immortals", worshipped them and often burned incense to worship them and prayed silently for blessings. God of Wealth, God of Wealth Star with white face and long hair, extraordinary temperament, people put his idol and "Fu", "Luk", "life", "fortune "His hand is holding a treasure bowl, reflecting the meaning of "inviting wealth and treasures". Although Guan Yunchang, the God of Wealth, did not love wealth in his life, he could help people get rich. Because Guan was rewarded by Cao Cao and accumulated a large amount of wealth, and because he did not love wealth, he was kind and charitable, giving his wealth to those who were kind and poor, so the world honored him as a god and worshipped him on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, begging him to attract wealth and bring in treasures. At noon on the fifth day of the family to eat dumplings, commonly known as "food Yuanbao", this custom and the purpose of receiving the God of Fortune, reflecting the ordinary people wish to stay away from poverty, enjoy the glory and wealth of the mood. After the "broken five", the year is considered completely finished, you can carry out a series of production activities.