What is the most important thing to know about Chinese New Year customs in Chaoshan?

Customs of the Spring Festival in Chaoshan:

The Chaoshan region has a lot of customs and activities that are both the same as and different from those of the Central Plains.

One of the first things to do at the beginning of the Spring Festival is to put up door gods and couplets. Whenever the New Year's Day 30 (or 29), families have to go out to the street to buy spring couplets, and those who have the pleasure of their own paper and ink spring, will be inside and outside of the gateway to the house decorated.

Door gods, according to legend, are the gods who can catch ghosts, Yu Shi. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ying Shao's The Book of Customs quoted the Yellow Emperor's Book as saying: "In ancient times, there were two brothers, Shentian and Yubi, who lived on Dushuo Mountain, where there was a peach tree with a canopy of shade. Every morning, they would collect all the ghosts under the tree. If there was an evil spirit that caused harm to the earth, they would tie it up and feed it to the tigers. Later, people used two pieces of peach wood to paint the portraits of Shentian and Yulei, and hung them on both sides of the door to drive away ghosts and evil spirits. In the Southern Dynasty, Liang Zong懔(宗懔), it is recorded in the "Records of the Years and Seasons of Jing Chu" (荆楚歲時記) that on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar, "Peach boards were made to be placed on the door, which is called "immortal wood", and two gods were painted on them to stick to the door on both sides of the door, the left one being Shentian (神荼), and the right one Yubi (郁垒). However, the real historical record of the door god, but not God Tantui, Yubi, but an ancient warrior called Cheng Qing. In Ban Gu's "Book of Han. In Ban Gu's "Biography of the King of Guangchuan", it is recorded that there was a portrait of the ancient warrior Cheng Qing, with a short coat, big pants and a long sword, painted on the door of the palace of the King of Guangchuan (Go Dai). In the Tang Dynasty, the position of the god of the door was replaced by Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde.

The story in Journey to the West is even more detailed: The Dragon King of the Jinghe River, who had a bet with a fortune-teller, violated the rules of the heavens and deserved to be beheaded. The Jade Emperor appointed Wei Zheng as the supervisor of the beheading. The Dragon King of the Jing River pleaded with Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty for mercy in order to save his life. When the time came to behead the dragon, he summoned Wei Zheng to play a game with him. He did not expect Wei Zheng to take a nap while he was playing, and then his spirit ascended to heaven and beheaded the king of the dragon. The Dragon King complained that Taizong's words were not honored, and he was calling for his life outside the palace day and night. Emperor Taizong told his ministers that Qin Shubao, a general, would like to wait with Yuchi Jingde outside the gate in military uniform. Emperor Taizong agreed. Nothing happened that night. As he could not bear to see the hard work of the two generals, Taizong ordered a skillful artist to paint their real faces and put them on the door. The two generals became the door guardian gods of thousands of households, and they were followed by later generations. In today's Chaoshan, some of the old-style doorway on the two doors, we can still see the God Tantui, Yubi, or two members of the gallant generals, the image seems to be the same, but a closer look, one of them holding a steel whip, the other hand holding an iron mace. The one with the whip is Yuchi Jingde, and the one with the mace is Qin Qiong.

Door couplets are also developed from peach charms. Originally, people used peach boards to draw pictures of Shentian and Yubi, and hung them on the two doors. Later, the pictures were changed to "menme", which is only writing. But the doorway on both sides of the two words written on each side, the expression of the content is limited, people do not feel addicted to, and then on both sides of the door and then hang two peach board (later changed to paper); written on the number of words, can fully reflect the wishes of the pair. According to the "Song History - Shu Shijia": Shu after the Lord Meng Xu ordered the bachelor for the title of the peach charm, to its non-worker, the pen of his own title: "New Year's Day Na Yuqing, Jiajie No. Eternal Spring." This is said to be the earliest pair of spring couplets in China. After Zhu Yuanzhang built the capital of Nanjing in the Ming Dynasty, he ordered all families to post couplets, and renamed the door couplets as spring couplets are written on red paper. Legend has it that once, Zhu Yuanzhang personally went to the folk to see, only one family did not post spring couplets. A question, it turned out that this family is castrated pigs, illiterate, so personally wrote a pen for him to write a couplet: "Hands split the road of life and death, a knife cut off the root of right and wrong." As a result of the vigorous promotion of successive generations, the Spring Festival couplets have become a special form of folk art in our country, which has been flourishing for a long time. The Chaoshan people attach even greater importance to the Spring Festival couplets, and often take a long time to ponder over a pair of couplets.

From the Spring Festival couplets posted by each family, different aesthetic interests and values can be reflected. Among them, the most common ones are those reflecting the industriousness, unity and harmony of the Chaoshan people, such as "Harmony is a blessing to the family, peace is worth a thousand words", "Diligent production of all grains is fruitful, and good management of the family is prosperous", etc. The most famous Chaoshan couplet is the one that is written by a man who has been in the family for a long time. The most famous Chaoshan couplet is the one written by Lin Daqin, a talented scholar from Chaoshan in the Ming Dynasty, which reads, "The sky increases the number of years and the life of the people, and the spring is full of blessings in the Qiankun". Legend has it that Lin Daqin was a private school teacher in his early years. One year, on the first day of the first month, the proprietor's wife celebrated her birthday, and invited Mr. Lin to write a spring couplet and a birthday couplet. Lin Daqin wrote this couplet without thinking.

In the Spring Festival couplets of Chaoshan, you can often see a big "Chun" character pasted on a single door or on a woven mat or a niche. The word "spring" here has two meanings: one layer indicates that spring has returned to the earth and everything is new; the other layer is a clever use of "spring" and "save" the harmony of the Chao sound, indicating that the good wishes of the yearly surplus. This is the same as the northern people eat fish at the wedding feast, harmonic "Yu" has the same flavor.

Two, eat New Year's dinner

Family homes dressed up a new look after New Year's Eve is approaching. The housewives are busy preparing for the most sumptuous and meaningful New Year's Eve dinner of the year.

The New Year's Eve dinner, as the name suggests, is a meal where families gather together to celebrate the New Year, not forgetting even their deceased ancestors. For this reason, the first thing that every family must do after preparing the New Year's Eve meal is to pay homage to their ancestors. At the time of ancestor worship, the incense burner representing the ancestor is brought down from the shrine and placed on the offering table, then incense is burned and prayers are offered to invite the ancestor to eat. The ancestors are then invited to eat, and the elders and children kneel down in order to pay homage to them, which fully demonstrates the traditional virtues of the Chao people of being prudent in tracing the past to the future and putting filial piety at the forefront of all good deeds. After the sacrifice, the ancestral meal reheated, set up a large table in the hall, the family into the group sitting around, this is a wonderful moment of family reunion, the family, no matter how far away from each other, or how many lumps, this time should be laughter, not to talk about sadness or noise.

After dinner, the housewife is busy cleaning up the dining table, so a big cleaning activities will begin. This time, the cleaning did not have to be very elaborate, it was purely for the sake of cleanliness, unlike the end of the year when the pine branches and sarsaparilla had to be swept and scrubbed. Then a fire was built and preparations were made for tomorrow's offerings to the gods - fast food.

There are many kinds of fasting vegetables, some made of taro, some made of sweet potatoes, some made of dates, and some made of peanuts, taro and sweet potatoes combined. All the ingredients for making the dishes should be prepared in the afternoon and allowed to dry out. When the fire is ready, put an iron pot on the stove and fill it with a lot of peanut oil. When the oil boils, the ingredients are mixed with a batter and put into the pot, where they squeak and bubble. When it is cooked, it is yellow, fragrant and very attractive. At this time, if there are guests at home, the hostess will offer a plate of freshly fried vegetables, and then brewed fragrant work tea, so that you can taste the deliciousness of the famous Chaoshan snacks.

Three, welcome the God of Wealth, firecrackers

In recent years the rise of a folkloric activity, is to worship the God of Wealth at midnight. According to say, the 24th day of the Lunar New Year gods in the sky, the earth's gods and goddesses are on the sky "report work" to go. But people prefer to believe that the God of Wealth still does not forget to benefit the earth, will be in this new year's footsteps will be sent to the earth, so every family to worship at this time. So, the night bell, firecrackers, smoke curls, as if a mass of auspicious clouds, and then that "God of Fortune to" yells, more to this night added a lot of lively. About firecrackers, a number of books have been described in detail, it was originally used to ward off evil spirits to dispel disasters. (Jing Chu chronicles) in: "the first day of the first month, is the day of the three yuan, Spring and Autumn called the end of the day, the rooster rises, first in front of the court firecrackers in order to dispel the mandrill evil spirits." The hours of service, it seems that the Western Han Dynasty Dongfang Shuo, "God's strange scripture - West Wilderness Scripture," said: someone in the mountains in the West, body length of more than a foot, bare body, catching shrimp and crabs, the nature of the people do not fear. Seeing people stopping to stay, the twilight according to its fire, in order to burn shrimp and crab. Waiting for people are not there, and steal people salt, to eat shrimp and crab. The name is Shan Shame, and its voice calls itself. People have tasted bamboo in the fire, burst out, shame are scared. The offender will make people hot and cold. This although the human form and change, but also ghosts and the like, now in the mountains are all there. Dongfang Shuo mentioned, even if there is such a thing, I am afraid that just an animal, future generations to blackmail, so the firecrackers will have the function of avoiding evil and disaster. However, with the gradual dilution of backwardness consciousness, the Chaoshan people set off firecrackers a custom, has rarely contained the ghosts of the ingredients, but only for the festival to add a joyful atmosphere. With the advent of modern civilization, many small, medium and large cities have begun to ban firecrackers during festivals.

Four, send the new year's money

Sending the new year's money is an important part of the Spring Festival customs in Chaoshan, the elders have to share the money to the younger generation, and those who can earn money also have to send money to the elders. The money can not be sent straight, but to be very carefully packed in a Li Shi package, or wrapped in a piece of red paper. This is commonly known as "pressure belly waist", meaning that the year from beginning to end, the waist bag will be full of solid, rich. Particularly interesting is that the child before going to sleep, parents will be a large-denomination banknotes in the child's belly pocket, wake up after the banknotes will be retrieved.

Five, New Year's Eve, send "Daji"

New Year's Eve, also known as "worship", the first morning, people get up and put on their new clothes, the first thing is to worship their own family, often the first generation of the blessing of the elders, and then the elders and then the elders to the elders to know the expectations. Expectations. After breakfast, each to their own friends and relatives to pay tribute to the New Year, Chaoshan proverb says: "have the heart to pay tribute to the first day of the year, two, no heart to pay tribute to the third and fourth." It says that the earlier the New Year's greetings, the more sincere they are. Therefore, some people get up and immediately to relatives and friends to pay tribute to the New Year to go, come back to eat.

New Year's greetings, no matter how many gifts, in which the big orange (Chaozhou citrus) is indispensable. The big tangerine takes its harmonic "big auspicious", it does not matter how many or how few you bring, but it cannot be an odd number. After entering the door of friends and relatives, the New Year's visitors should say different greetings to different people. To the old man, say "New Year's greetings," "longevity

than Nanshan", the old man will grin with a toothless grin; for those who have a job, say "work well", "New Year's progress! The most important thing that they want is to make progress in their studies and excel in their performance in the New Year. If you send them this kind of wish, they will be very friendly to you. After being seated, the host will make the famous Chaoshan Kung Fu Tea for the guests. Before leaving, the host will come from the gift left two large orange, and then take out their own large orange exchange, intended to give each other auspicious

Perfect. There are good banter witty new is going out to pay homage to the New Year, often only in the trouser pockets on the two big jie, one by one after the New Year, the trouser pockets are still loaded with two big orange unchanged. Therefore, the folk have good jokes called the beginning of the New Year's rituals for "change citrus movement".

Sixth, Guandan Chun (Pick Gift Box)

During the Spring Festival, another characteristic folk activity in Chaoshan is "Guandan Chun" (Chun, a kind of bamboo hamper divided into three or four layers with lids, which is usually used in pairs, and so it is also called "Tandan Chun"). "

Daichun is a traditional Chinese festival that is held on the second day of the month.)

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the mother's family has to give gifts to the married daughter. In the past, these gifts were always packed in a pair of large spring stakes, which were carried by the brother of the married daughter. Great-uncle to come, the in-laws to kill chickens and geese, hospitality, folk saying that "A uncle to come, plunder chicken", said this custom. In addition to the gifts sent by the great-uncle, there must be dozens of sections of sugar cane, which is probably an implicit wish for the daughter's life to be higher and higher. The degree of abundance and frugality of the gifts is determined by the economic situation of the mother's family, but in general: newly married daughters should be prepared to gifts a little more generous, otherwise it will be looked down upon by the in-laws; while married for a long time, or even when the mother-in-law, it is not so elaborate. When the daughter's family receives these things, they give them to their relatives and neighbors, which forms a major feature of the Spring Festival customs in Chaoshan. In the Spring Festival, the sound of firecrackers crackling, in addition to the New Year callers in a hurry, there are many old women, carrying flower baskets, holding a red tray, door to door in the door, shouting: "× × Am, under the food (Auntie, to send snacks to come)." Since every family has a daughter-in-law, every family must go out. From this custom, we can see the Chaoshan people's custom of being neighborly and friendly. In addition, if there is a brother in the family who is separated from his family, the person who sends it will do so according to the family.

However, daughters who are married off cannot go back to their mother's house on this day. Returning to the mother's home on the first day is commonly thought to be unfavorable to the mother's family.

Seven, family gambling

There are a lot of recreational activities between the Spring Festival, such as touring the gods, touring the gongs and drums, marking flags and riddles. It is worth talking about the custom of "gambling" for fun during the Spring Festival.

During the Spring Festival, everyone has a break and money in their pockets. On the streets and alleys, everywhere you can see groups of people gambling around, more "family casinos", often a family gathered around a table, by the parents as a banker, other people bet, betting on the sky and the earth, but ultimately "fat water does not flow into other fields", and thus there is a lot of There is a lot of joy, not the tension and worry that comes with real gambling. Especially the housewives who work hard for a year and rarely have a chance to have fun are more than happy to take advantage of this opportunity to have some fun. Most families stop gambling after only one night, it's just that old customs don't change. However, some people may also be caused by this gambling excitement, really gambling, so that "a few happy and a few sad".

Today, gambling is against the law, can not be used for fun, to completely change this vice.

Eight, back to his mother's home (eclipse day)

The second and third days of the first month, married out of the daughters have brought their husbands and children back to their parents' home to pay tribute to the New Year. Daughters go back to their mother's home, must do a big bag of cookies, sweets, distributed by the mother to the neighbors, as the New Year's scene. If there are more than one daughter at home, and these daughters do not return on the same day, then, we have to come to a sub once, the gift is quite thin, four cookies only. However, it reflects the sentiment is very strong, the real "gift is light and heavy", it expresses the girl to the townspeople of the cut longing. When the girl returns home, if there is a nephew in the family, the aunt must pay again, even though she has already given the New Year's money on the first day of the year, but this time it has a different significance. This is a custom that the Chaoshan people call "Eating Day Day". As the name suggests, it's just a midday meal, and the daughter must be back in her in-laws' home by dinner time.

Nine, welcome the God to receive blessings

The fourth day of the first month of the year is the "God" or "welcome the God" day. Originally, the year before the 24th day of the waxing moon is "sent to the gods" day, the lower world of the gods are in this day to the Jade Emperor to the Jade Emperor congratulations on his duties, report a year to the lower world on earth behavior of good and evil. On the fourth day of the first month, they return to the lower realm to continue to supervise people, so every household welcomes the presence of the gods on the fourth day of the first month. When welcoming the god, rich people should offer three animals - chicken, fish, pig's head, if the economy does not allow, can also be exempted, but a plate of rice, a plate of brown sugar is indispensable. Because the offering of a plate of rice, meaning that the new year is a bumper crop; a plate of brown sugar, implying a sweet life. After the incense burning ceremony, firecrackers will be set off, and then all the gods will be in their places. Interestingly, in the days of the gods on the sky of the countryside of the temple word can not forget to make offerings. Why the gods in the sky but also on the offerings? Because the sky is only a variety of gods of the "leadership", their men are still "holding down the fort" it! The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what is going on in the world and what is going on in the world.

Ten, taboos

Because the first month of the year is the beginning of the year, the Chaoshan people tend to regard it as a new year of good or bad luck sign period, so the New Year's "taboos" are especially many. In terms of language, any words like "broken", "bad", "no", "dead", "light", "death", etc. are not allowed, "light", "ghost", "kill", "disease", "pain", "loss", "pain", "pain", "pain". ", "lose", "poor" and other unlucky words, are forbidden to say. Also taboo baby crying, because crying is "no head color", signs of disease, disaster. Therefore, even if the child has caused trouble on this day, can not beat him or scold him, so as to prevent him from crying endlessly. Behavior, end cups, plates, bowls, dishes to be extra careful, can not be broken, accidentally broken, in the water a custom has been in vain form only. Prohibition of sweeping the custom is also slowly being eliminated, because during the Spring Festival firecrackers, people come and go, the ground confetti, garbage, especially more, not to clean up indeed impede the elegance. Therefore, from the point of view of hygiene, a lot of young people on these traditional taboos custom not pay attention to.

This day the debtor is not allowed to door to door debt collection, because it is believed that this day of debt collection on both sides of the borrower and lender are unlucky. It is also forbidden to take things out of other people's pockets, it is believed that the first day of the first month of the pockets of people, may lead to the danger of the year is "empty".

The taboo on death, also taboo funeral, because it will bring bad luck to the family. At the same time, avoid the day of haircut, because people in this day, day always like to haircut with the funeral associated. This day even avoid killing, killing is believed to lead to knife disaster, military disaster, blood plague and other calamities, but now people's standard of living has improved, eat something fresh, in order to fast for the mouth and stomach, there is nothing to worry about. In terms of food and drink, medicine is strictly prohibited on this day. Otherwise, it is thought to lead to a year from the beginning to the end of the disease, taking medicine constantly. The first day of the morning meal to avoid eating meat, there are several ways to say: one is this meal to eat fasting, its function is equal to a year; another is an allusion to the frugal rule, not to waste.