What are the main features of folk customs?

The main characteristics of China folk culture

Folk culture is people's life culture, which is closely related to the specific natural and humanistic environment in which people live. The traditional society in China is a society with agricultural production as its main business, so the folk customs in China accumulated around agricultural life have the characteristics of big agriculture. China is still a multi-ethnic country, and China folk customs have a unique national temperament. The characteristics of China folk culture are as follows:

Pluralism and Compound: China folk customs are characterized by pluralism and compound because of national culture. At the beginning of its independence, China was a multi-ethnic country, forming a country where 56 ethnic groups meet today. With the continuous integration of various ethnic groups in China, national customs have been accepted into the cultural system of China, but their respective folk characteristics have been preserved to varying degrees, thus enriching the folk culture of China.

The pluralistic characteristics of China folk customs are not only reflected in the different customs of all ethnic groups, but also in the existence of folk customs in different historical stages. There are both prosperous urban folk customs and simple rural folk customs, and some areas have maintained the original folk life forms to varying degrees. In the unified regional space of China, there are different folk cultures, which reflect the pluralistic characteristics of China folk customs.

When we discuss the multiple characteristics of China folk customs, we can't forget another characteristic of China folk customs, namely complexity. Diversity is closely related to complexity. China culture is famous for its tolerant atmosphere, in which folk customs have made great contributions. The integration of national culture from ancient times to the present is first accepted at the folk level, and folk customs are subtle but far-reaching. There are many national customs in China. It can be said that there has never been a pure China custom, only when folk customs are combined. Similarly, the existing ethnic minorities are influenced by China customs to varying degrees.

Class and place look at class first, which is in terms of the vertical distribution of social folklore. In the traditional society of China, the broad masses of the middle and lower classes are the main creators and carriers of folk culture, so folk culture mainly reflects their understanding and ideological requirements, and has strong folk characteristics. Not only are the horizons of the middle and lower classes different from those of the upper class, but also the folk customs within the middle and lower classes are different. Farmers and craftsmen are the direct creators of material wealth, thus forming a simple, thrifty and hardworking folk custom. Businessmen and urban civilians belong to the middle class, and they have their own folk customs and behavior characteristics. In the competition and reward of the industry, they gradually developed the fashion of extravagance, extravagance and innovation. The leading dignitaries in society, their lifestyles are obviously different from those of the middle and lower classes of society, so their living customs are also different. Of course, in traditional society, there are still some customs with the same meaning between different classes.

Secondly, it is local, which is in terms of the regional characteristics of folk customs. In addition to the great cultural tradition of the Chinese nation, each place has formed a small cultural tradition serving the local area according to its own special habitat. The villagers' living culture is obviously local. The so-called "different winds in a hundred miles, different customs in a hundred miles" and another saying is "different habits in a hundred miles, different customs in a thousand miles", which is a rough distinction. In a word, the occurrence, development and evolution of folk culture are carried out in a certain geographical space, influenced and restricted by geographical environment, people's way of making a living and historical traditions, so folk culture shows strong local characteristics.

Mystery and practicality: Mystery and practicality are a major feature of traditional folk customs in China, which is in terms of the nature of folk customs. In traditional China society, people's practical purposes are mostly driven by mysterious folk behaviors. No matter how mysterious things are, there is only one purpose, that is, to serve people's life needs.

First, look at the mystery of China folk customs. There are a lot of ancient customs among the people, and the original concept of "animism" is still strong, and most folk customs are shrouded in mystery. The spread and popularity of Buddhism and Taoism, especially the involvement of Taoism in folk life, make the traditional folk customs in China more mysterious.

Second, practicality. Practicality is the most essential feature of China folk customs. Folk customs serve people's production and life, and people rely on folk customs to produce, reproduce and seek spiritual happiness. People create folk customs, and folk customs serve the people. The direct utility of folk belief is one of the fundamental characteristics that distinguish it from general religious belief. Of course, the practicality of China folk customs is not only manifested in the psychological aspects of belief, but more importantly, many folk activities play a role in people's real life.

Stability and Variability Due to the particularity of its inheritance, folk culture is relatively stable in daily life. However, as a basic culture, folklore is not static in the process of inheritance and dissemination. On the contrary, it constantly mutates with the change of time and space, forming the variability characteristics associated with stability. Stability is one of the outstanding manifestations of China's folk character. China has experienced thousands of years of agricultural society. Although there have been dozens of large-scale wars to change the dynasty, the foundation of the agricultural society has not wavered, and the nature of the agricultural patriarchal society that has been consistent for thousands of years has not changed much, so the large-scale agricultural folklore formed around the agricultural society has been relatively stable. This stability is mainly reflected in the following aspects: the stability of family concept, the stability of saving customs and traditions, and the stability of life etiquette and customs. However, the stability of China's folk character is only relative. When discussing its stability, we should pay more attention to its variation. Variability is one of the remarkable features of China folk customs. Folk customs change in inheritance and inherit in variation. On the whole, the variability of folk customs is related to history and region, and similar folk customs will have their own characteristics in different times and regions.

The variability of folk customs is also manifested in the horizontal regional distribution. When we discuss the local characteristics of folk customs, we have already involved the local variation of folk customs. The same folk custom will appear in different forms in different places, some because of different bases, and some because of the deformation in the process of communication. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of variability of folk customs: one is the change of folk customs; First, the variation of folk customs; The other is the demise of old customs. The variability of folk customs provides a theoretical basis for changing customs. According to the law of folk custom variation, people can "change the customs", delete the complex and simplify it, bring forth the new and serve the construction of national new culture.