What customs are associated with Russian matryoshka dolls, and what are their origins?

Russian matryoshka dolls (Матрёшка) are world-famous and beloved Russian souvenirs. It usually consists of seven or eight wooden dolls, inserted in order from large to small, and can be divided or combined. It is such a simple wooden toy, but it has many beautiful legends spread.

Version 1

A long time ago, there was a Russian young man who lost his parents at a very young age and lived with his sister. However, his sister was trapped in a snowstorm while shepherding sheep and was eventually lost. . The brother missed his sister very much, so he carved a wooden doll and took it with him. Every year, the brother would carve a bigger one. In his mind, the sister had grown one year older. In this way for many years, the brother carved many wooden dolls. baby. Therefore, people say that matryoshka dolls are a symbol of family affection and represent the brother's longing for his sister.

Version 2

Once upon a time, there were two good friends, one was a carpenter and the other was a painter. One year, the painter was about to celebrate his birthday. The carpenter spent a long time using the best basswood to carve out a set of dolls, each one smaller than the other, and gave them to the painter as a birthday gift. After the painter received it, he couldn't put it down. He thought that if these wooden dolls were painted with colorful clothes, they would be more likeable. So he mixed the colors and put beautiful clothes on the wooden doll. As expected, everyone loved it.

Version 3

In the old Russian countryside, Matryona and Matriosha were very common women's names. Scholars point out that both names contain the Latin root word mater, which means mother. When people hear this name, it is easy to think of the mother in a large peasant family, usually a strong, capable, slightly obese Russian woman who has given birth to many children. And there are so many little dolls hidden in the belly of the chubby wooden doll, so matryoshka naturally became the name of the wooden dolls with exquisite carvings and bright colors.

In fact, matryoshka dolls were introduced to Russia from Japan in the early 18th century and have a history of more than 300 years. After continuous thinking and improvement by the Russians, matryoshka dolls now come in various shapes and are exquisitely made, becoming Russia's unique national handicrafts and tourist souvenirs. The first Russian matryoshka doll appeared in the late 19th century. At that time, Russia's economy and culture were developing at an unprecedented pace, national consciousness was greatly improved, and Russian society was increasingly interested in its own culture and art. At this time, the emergence of matryoshka dolls gained unprecedented recognition and became a symbol of Russian folk art.