Traditional activities and precautions during the Grain Rain Festival

Guyu means "rain produces hundreds of grains". Every year, when the sun reaches 30° of the yellow meridian on April 20th or 21st, it is the Guyu, and the weather of Guyu is characterized by rain, which is conducive to the growth of grains. The following is the traditional activities and precautions of the Grain Rain Festival that I have organized for you, I hope it can help you.

Valley Rain Festival traditional activities

1: Sacrifice to the sea

Valley Rain season sea water warming, a hundred fish line to the shallow sea area, is a good day to go to sea fishing. As the saying goes, "Ride the valley rain on the net field." In order to be able to go out to sea safely and return home with a full load, fishermen have to hold a sea festival on the day of Guyu to pray for the blessing of the god of the sea. For this reason, the Guyu Festival is also called the "Festival of Strength" for fishermen who go out to sea to catch fish. In the old days by the sea, the village has a sea temple or Niangniang Temple, the moment of sacrifice, the fishermen will carry the offerings to the temple before the offerings, some of them will be carried to the sea, banging gongs and drums, firecrackers, the face of the sea sacrifice, the scene is very grand.

2: walk Guyu

In ancient times, there was a "walk Guyu" custom, Guyu this day young women walking village relatives, some to the field to walk around and back. This is a symbol of integration with nature, strong and healthy.

3: Worship Cangjie, the ancestor of literature

Since the Han Dynasty, Shaanxi Bayshui County, there is the custom of worshiping Cangjie, the ancestor of literature, on the day of the rain. Legend has it that Cangjie's creation of words covered the earth and sky, and the Yellow Emperor was moved by it, and took the "rain of grains from the sky" as a reward for his creation of words, and from then on there was the "Grain Rain" festival. Since then, every year, the rain festival, nearby villagers have to organize a temple fair to commemorate Cangjie.

4: banning the killing of five poisons

After the rain temperature rises, pests and diseases into the high reproduction period, in order to alleviate the damage of pests and diseases on the crops and people, farmers into the field while exterminating pests, while posting rain stickers to drive away the evil and pray for good luck. This custom is very popular in Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi area.

Grain rain stickers, belonging to a kind of New Year's paintings, on which depicted the god chicken to catch scorpions, Tianshi in addition to the image of the five poisons or Taoist talismans, and some are also accompanied by such as "Tai Shang Laojun such as the law order, grain rain in March, snakes and scorpions will never be born", "grain rain in March, the Laojun down to the sky, the hand late seven-star sword, a single cut scorpions Jing! "and other textual descriptions, to send people to check and kill pests, hoping for a good harvest, peace of mind.

5: drink Guyu tea

Legend has it that Guyu this day tea drink will clear fire, ward off evil spirits, eyesight, etc., so the South has Guyu tea picking custom, Guyu this day no matter what the weather, people will go to the tea mountain to pick some new tea back to drink, in order to pray for health.

6: fishermen's popular rain sea

Rainy season is the time of spring sea water warming, a hundred fish line to the shallow sea area, is a good day to go to sea fishing. As the saying goes, "Riding the rainy season is a good time to go fishing". In order to be able to go out to sea safe, full of return, Gu Yu this day fishermen to hold a sea festival, praying for the sea god blessing.

Therefore, the Guyu Festival is also called the "Festival of Strength" for fishermen to go out to sea to catch fish. In the old days, villages had a temple of the god of the sea or the temple of the goddess of the sea, the moment of sacrifice, the fishermen will carry offerings to the temple of the god of the sea, the temple of the goddess of the sea, some of them will be carried to the sea, banging gongs and drums, firecrackers, the face of the sea rituals, the scene is very grand.

7: rain food toon

The northern part of the rain food toon custom, before and after the rain is the toon listed season, when the toon mellow and refreshing nutritional value is high, there is a "rain before the toon tender as silk," said. Toon has to improve immunity, stomach, gas, diarrhea, emollient, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal effect.

8: Flower Appreciation

Before and after the Grain Rain is also an important time for peonies to bloom, so peonies are also called "Grain Rain Flowers". "Peony viewing has become an important recreational activity in people's leisure time. Up to now, peony festivals are held in Shandong, Henan, Sichuan and other places during the rainy season for people to have fun and gatherings.

9: Bathing to eliminate disasters and avoid calamities

In the Northwest China, in the olden days, people called the river water of Guyu "Peach Blossom Water", and it was said that bathing in it could eliminate disasters and avoid calamities. The rain festival people to "peach blossom water" bath, held a hunting, dancing and other activities to celebrate.

Grain rain season health notes

First, to prevent the "wet" injury

Medical experts said that, due to the Grain rain after the rainy season, the humidity in the air gradually increased, is the high incidence of neuralgia, so you need to prevent The "dampness" invasion injury. Pay attention to open windows and ventilation, strengthen the warmth, do not catch cold, more sunshine, appropriate exercise. If there has been a "wet" invasion, in the daily diet, you can add some water seepage of food, such as corn, Poria, winter melon, Job's tears and so on.

Second, the spleen is the key

Once the rain, the spring will be over. At this time, the liver gas ambush, the heart gradually flourish, is a good time for the body to make up, should be eaten at the right time to make up for the blood of the food, but not as big as the winter. The ancients have "four seasons do not eat spleen" said, should be based on personal constitution, eat some of the liver and kidney food, but also can eat more spleen and stomach, go to the wet food, such as parsnip, black beans, barley, yam, crucian carp, etc., for the foundation of the summer peacefully.

Third, avoid contact with allergens

Windy sand is a significant feature of this season, you should try to avoid outdoor activities in the dusty weather, go out as far as possible to choose the time of the lighter dust, and wear a mask or use a sarong over the head; drink more water, and eat more appropriate to clear the lungs, moisturize the lungs food. In addition, before and after the rain, poplar and willow flakes dance with the wind, it is easy to cause itchy nose, nasal congestion, cough and skin allergies and other symptoms. Outdoor activities, but also to do a good job of protection.

Fourth, health small movement

Cold water rubbing nose: valley rain before and after the more flotsam, morning and evening with cold water to wash the nose and rub the nose, help relieve allergies; rubbing dampness points: valley rain season humidity, rubbing is located in the inner calf, below the knee, shin in the medial depression of the yin lingquan point can strengthen the spleen to dispel dampness; tea face: drink the rest of the tea water wash your face, soothing the skin, but also make the face of the skin glossy! The most important thing to remember is that it's a good idea to have a good time.

Grain Rain Food Culture

April 20 every year, is the fishermen's festival in Rongcheng City, Shandong Province. The festival originated from the Grain Rain Festival. In China's northern coastal areas of fishermen, over the Guyu Festival has been more than two thousand years of history, to the Qing Dynasty Daoguang years (1821) changed its name to Fishermen's Festival. Because of the rain this day, the fishermen along the coast of Shandong to pray for the blessing of the sea god, safe at sea, a good harvest of fish and shrimp. Therefore, today's affluent Rongcheng fishermen, in the rain this day, held a grand "sea" activities, to the sea goddess toast, and then set sail to sea fishing.

In the old days, Linfen, Shanxi, the day of rain painted a Tianshi charm pasted on the door, called the "forbidden scorpion". Shaanxi Fengxiang area of the scorpion ban spell charm, printed on wood, visible demand is very large. It is printed with the following words: "In the middle of March of the rainy season, the scorpion shows off its power. Chicken with a mouth, poisonous insects into water ......", the picture in the center of the cock with a worm, there is a large scorpion under the paw. There is a big scorpion under its claws. The painting has a spell printed on it. The saying that the rooster cures the scorpion has been circulating in the folklore for a long time. Magic novel "Journey to the West" fifty-five, the Monkey King piggyback can not defeat the scorpion spirit, Guanyin also know that he can not be close. So she asked the Monkey King to ask the Pleiadian Stargazer, and the result was a success. The Pleiadian Stargazer is a large rooster with two crowns. The book describes that the Pleiadian Stargazer appeared as a big rooster, and the rooster called out to the scorpion spirit, and the scorpion spirit instantly appeared in its original form, which was a pipa-sized scorpion. The rooster called out again, the scorpion spirit was soft and died on the hillside. Shandong folklore also banned scorpions. Qing dynasty Qianlong six years "xiajin county" records: "rain, Zhu sand book charm ban scorpion." The folklore of "banning scorpions" reflects people's desire to drive away pests and desire for a good harvest and peace of mind.

In ancient times, there was a "go Guyu" custom, Guyu this day, young women to go to the village string of relatives, some to the field to walk around and come back.

Southern Guyu tea picking custom, legend has it that Guyu tea on this day will clear the fire, evil spirits, eyesight and so on. So no matter what the weather, people will go to the tea mountain to pick some new tea back to drink.

Northern rain food toon custom, before and after the rain is the toon listed season, when the toon mellow and refreshing high nutritional value, there is a "rain before the toon tender as silk" said. Toon has to improve immunity, stomach, gas, diarrhea, emollient, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal effect.

Shaanxi Baishui County, the rain festival worship Cangjie custom, "rain festival Cangjie", is since the Han Dynasty since the millennium folk tradition.