On the etiquette and customs of Zhou Dynasty

On the etiquette and customs of Zhou Dynasty

Grasping the Zhou Dynasty, a custom in East Asian countries, originated in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties in China, and it is a custom to predict the baby's future when the child is one year old. The following are the anecdotes I collected about grasping the customs of Zhou for your reference, hoping to help friends in need.

Interesting talk about grasping Zhou etiquette and customs;

First, grasp the origin of Zhou

The custom of "grasping the week" at the age of one has been circulating among the people for a long time. It originates from primitive people's belief in symbols, and it is a etiquette to predict children's future and career. "Catch the Week" is to show all kinds of toys and daily necessities to children and supervise them to catch them, so as to predict their future, aspirations and interests.

According to legend, Biography of Zhou originated from Sun Quan's Selection of Heirs in Soochow of the Three Kingdoms. Soon after the rise of Sun, Prince Sun Deng died of illness, and other sons, with the support of matriarchal families, made friends with powerful ministers and competed for the throne. Sun Quan is very worried about this.

Some people suggested that it is not enough for princes to have virtue, but also depends on the performance of emperors and grandchildren, and then offered a plan.

So on an auspicious day, the giver took out a small plate filled with pearls, ivory, rhinoceros horn, jade, pamphlets, ribbons and so on, and let the princes hold their sons to grab it. Among them, only Sun Hao, the son of Sun He, holds the simple book in one hand and the ribbon in the other, while the others hold the treasure. Sun Quan was overjoyed, so he made Sun He a prince. Other princes were unconvinced and forced Sun Quan to change his mind and made Sun Liang a prince. Three years after Sun Liang succeeded Fang, he was overthrown by a coup and Sun Xiu became emperor. After Sun Xiu's death, ministers embraced Sun Hao's succession, reflecting the predicted results at that time.

Since then, this method has spread, and grasping the Zhou Dynasty has gradually become a trend, which is still prevalent in various places. Although there are few superstitious elements in divination, as a special folk activity, it still has a certain commemorative nature.

Second, in ancient times, I grasped the things around me.

The ceremony of "grasping Zhou" is usually held before eating "longevity noodles" at noon.

A wealthy family: the main cases should be displayed in front of the bed (kang), including: seals, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, pens, ink, paper, inkstones, abacus, coins, account books, jewelry, flowers, rouge, food and toys; If girls "grab the week", they should also put shovels, spoons (cookers), scissors, rulers (sewing equipment), embroidery thread, patterns (embroidery equipment) and so on.

Ordinary people: limited by economic conditions, it is often simplified. Only a copper tea tray was used, which contained a private school enlightenment textbook: three-character classics or thousand-character scripts, a brush, an abacus and a set of sesame nuts. The girl added a shovel, scissors and ruler. Adults will take the child to sit up without any inducement, let him choose and see what he catches first and then what he catches.

In this way, we can predict his interests, future and future career.

Third, the ceremony of grasping the week

1 Worship ancestors, tell them that the baby is one year old and pray for the healthy growth of the baby.

After the worship, prepare a rice sieve in front of the altar, and put 12 ~ 14 items into the rice sieve.

Then, let the baby sit in the center of the rice screen and grab at will, and guess the child's future career or hobby with what he holds tightly.

Fourth, master this week's items and their symbolic meanings.

The activity of grasping the week is only to pray for good luck and fun between parents and children, and there is no strict regulation on the types of items. Parents can also add some new era products, such as mice and calculators. The following are the occupations and meanings represented by each item:

1 pen and ink: able to engage in artistic creation.

2 Seal: Holding power and holding official positions.

3 abacus: have a concept of numbers and finance, and have great development in the business world in the future.

4 coins: it means that there will be money in the future, representing wealth.

Onion: born smart.

Garlic: It means that you have talent in mathematics and physics.

Celery: It means that you are hardworking and not afraid of hardship.

8 Straw: It means that you may be engaged in agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry.

Recipient: Engaged in medical work in the future.

10 Jian: There may be a general's life in the future.

1 1 drumsticks and pork: It means that you will have a good life in the future and you will not worry about food and clothing.

12 microphone: may be engaged in performing arts.

Magnifier 13: Represents interest in future inventions and research.

14 feet: engaged in design work, such as architects, civil engineers, tailors or fashion designers.

15 books: engaged in clerical and literary work, or may become a scholar and engage in research work.

16 kitchenware: It means that you may be engaged in cooking-related work in the future, or you may be particularly interested in cooking.

In fact, these are just a statement. The real growth direction of children still depends on the correct guidance of parents and their own efforts to create.

The custom of grasping Zhou:

draw lots

When the newborn is one year old, all kinds of things are placed in front of the child and let him grab them. Traditionally, commonly used items are pens, ink, paper, inkstones, abacus, coins, books and so on. In modern times, some will put modern items such as mice and toothbrushes, or use video cards instead of physical objects for babies to grab.

brief introduction

Grasping the week is also called wiping, taking an exam, drawing and taking an exam. English is drawing lots. This custom has been circulating among the people for a long time. It is a ceremony to predict the future and temperament when a child is one year old, and it is also a way to celebrate the first birthday anniversary. It is related to giving birth to children, washing children in three dynasties, full moon ceremony, centennial celebration, etc.

Similarly, the traditional' birth etiquette', the core of which is the wish for the continuation, smoothness and prosperity of life, embodies the deep feelings of parents for their children, has the nature of family games, is a belief custom with human relations and the pursuit of parenting, and objectively tests how mothers lead and how to carry out enlightenment education. With the improvement of living standards, the custom of grasping the week is paid more and more attention by many families, and organized collective activities are also held in many places to celebrate the baby's birthday.

The ceremony of "grasping Tuesday" is usually held before eating "longevity noodles" at noon. Rich people who pay attention to some things should display major cases in front of the bed (kang), and put them on: seals, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism classics, pens, ink, paper, inkstones, abacus, coins, account books, jewelry, flowers, rouge, food, toys, and shovels and spoons (cookers) used by girls to catch Tuesdays. The average family, limited by economic conditions, often simplifies it, using only a copper tea tray, which contains a private school textbook "III" or "Qian", a writing brush, an abacus and a set of sesame nuts. Girls plus pendulum: a shovel, scissors, ruler. Adults will take the child to sit up without any inducement, let him choose and see what he catches first and then what he catches. In this way, we can predict his interests, future and future career.

If the child catches the seal first, it means that when he grows up, he will take advantage of God's grace and prosper in his career. Grasping stationery first means that when you grow up, you will be eager to learn, and there will be splendid articles, which will eventually be ternary harmony; If a child grasps the abacus first, it means that he will be good at managing money when he grows up, and will become the career of Tao Zhu. If a girl first masters sewing utensils such as scissors and rulers or cooking utensils such as shovels and spoons, it shows that she is good at housework when she grows up. On the contrary, children should not be dismissed as "delicious" or "playful" on the spot when they grab food and toys for the first time. They should also say that "children will have a good mouth and be good at eating, drinking and having fun when they grow up". In a word, the elders have high hopes for their children's future, so it's good to bless them when they are one year old.

Based on the grasp of children's week, this paper objectively tests how birth mothers, nannies and wet nurses lead children and how to carry out enlightenment education. Therefore, some parents are not superstitious, but they still advocate that children should pay attention to their ears, which is one of the reasons why this custom has been circulating among the people for a long time.

Historical status quo

The record of "grasping Zhou" in the literature can be traced back to the folk custom of "grasping Zhou" at the earliest.

Southern and Northern Dynasties. There is a clear record in Yan Zhitui's Yan Family Instructions in the Northern Qi Dynasty: "It is a custom in the south of the Yangtze River that children are born (that is, one year old). For making new clothes, washing clothes and bathing, men use bows and arrows, paper and pens, while women use knives, rulers, needles and wisps, and add food and treasure to play. Before leaving them, observe what they are going to take away. Many writings, when discussing the history of the custom of grasping Zhou, say that this custom was popular in Jiangnan area at least in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and gradually spread to all parts of the country in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

In the Tang and Song Dynasties, this custom spread all over China from the south of the Yangtze River, and gradually prevailed throughout the country, and was called "Shen" or "Zhou". In the Song Dynasty, Meng Yuan-shen recorded in "Dream of China in Tokyo" that after the folk gave birth, "things put on the ground, such as big fruit trees, grain, official letters, pens and inkstones, scales, etc., were listed as gifts for children for sewing and sewing. Those who look at them first think this is a sign and call it a' test'. "

In the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, this custom became more popular and was called "Celebration Period". It was not until the Qing Dynasty that it was called "grasping the week" and "trying the week". In Chapter 19 of Heroes of Children, an interesting story about grasping Zhou was recorded in detail: "This year is your first birthday, and I'm going to congratulate your parents. On that day, your parents put many things such as needle and thread rulers, pink hairpin rings, pen and ink books, abacus, gold and silver money on the kang, and bought many tricks in the temple, inviting me in to watch you catch Tuesday together. "

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, this kind of children's "Catch Tuesday" ceremony was still popular in Beijing. Although children don't put up tents to hold banquets or invite guests, all close relatives congratulate and get together. Generally speaking, we don't give big gifts (such as wedding gifts and gold and silver jewelry) but just buy some cakes, food or toys for children. In addition, it is customary for all elders to use a white thread, tie a coin and put it around their necks, which is called "hanging the thread" (this ceremony is also applicable at ordinary times).

Nowadays, in many places, when children reach the age of one, there is a custom of "grasping the week", but there is no superstitious content, which is purely a fun game to help children be happy at the age of one. And this can also be said to be a "heritage" of our ancient folk culture.

The customs of all ethnic groups

Korean nation

Among the parenting customs, there are some rituals such as "being alive", celebrating "March 7th Day", "one hundred days" and "grasping the week", among which "grasping the week" is the most solemn.

The baby's first birthday means that he has passed the first spring, summer, autumn and winter safely on the road of life. Therefore, a banquet should be held to celebrate the healthy growth of children and the good expectations of adults for children.

Celebrating one-year-old birthday mainly includes offering sincerity to the "three gods" (also known as "birthday gods"), putting on a new shroud for the baby, grasping the week, sharing birthday cakes and other customs.

On the day before the child's first birthday, we must first be sincere to the "Three Gods". Put a bowl of rice, seaweed soup and "clear water" on a small table, which is called "Three Gods Table". There is also a bowl of steamed rice cake on the table, and the child's mother or grandmother will kowtow devoutly while praying to the three gods table.

On the first birthday, children should put on gorgeous new birthday clothes. Boys' clothes are usually pink pants, colorful sleeve coats, blue shawls and socks with country flowers. The girl is wearing a colorful sleeve coat, a long red dress and country socks. Both men and women should wear a "purse" symbolizing longevity, with peony, chrysanthemum and "purse" with the words "longevity" and "happiness" written on the back. On the rope of the "bag", various accessories such as silver makeup knife, silver axe and silver fence should be tied.

Grasping the week is the main etiquette to celebrate the first birthday. First, put knives, scissors, bows, pens, books, threads, money, abacus and several kinds of cakes and fruits on a kang table, which is called setting the table. The cakes placed on the dining table mainly include white ice cream (steamed rice cake), red sorghum cake, cakes, rice noodles and jiaozi. White ice cream represents a white heart, red sorghum cake represents exorcism, making cakes symbolizes perseverance, jiaozi (without stuffing) symbolizes economy and generosity, and rainbow symbolizes a bright future. After setting the table, put a foot-long cotton noodle or blanket in front of the table, and then the child's father or grandmother will hold the child on it and let him grab whatever is on the table and sweep it around the table several times to judge his future interests by what he catches first. If the first thing you grab is a knife and a bow, it indicates that you can have martial arts in the future; If it is a book and a pen, it indicates that there will be literary talent in the future; If it is a cake or something, it indicates a bad future.

After the "Catch the Week", give the cake to friends and relatives. Anyone who gets the cake will give back some gifts as a thank you.

Koreans give their children a first birthday with only one content: "Catch the Week". When the child grabbed something on the table, relatives praised the child in different words and showed some coins on the table to congratulate him.

the Huis

The ceremony of grasping the Zhou Dynasty is also called the New Year's Ceremony, and the Hui people commonly call it the New Year's Ceremony. This is a common etiquette among Hui people, especially for the first-born Hui people, or people who are infertile to bring other people's children.

The age-catching ceremony for Hui children is relatively simple. When the child is one year old, parents, grandfathers, grandmothers, etc. The children are very happy. They were busy preparing the New Year cake the night before or in the morning. Hui people are very particular about rice cakes, and choose superior flour, red dates, bean powder, sesame oil and other raw materials. The rice cake must be round, about three or four inches thick and about one foot in diameter, and steamed in a steamer. Pay attention to kindness and generosity. The pattern should be novel and beautiful, generally consisting of six to eight triangles. The pattern on each triangle must be peony, plum blossom, lotus flower and other flowers made of flour. Animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits and sheep are prohibited. Put a big red date in the center of each flower. The cake is white and soft, and tastes sweet and fragrant. People who cut cakes should choose elders or elderly people. Conditional Hui people will also slaughter chickens and sheep, make bean jelly and stew spiced lai. Because Hui people are distributed all over the country, the custom of making rice cakes is not exactly the same. In some places, Muslims only need to eat rice cakes, noodles and other staple foods on the day of catching up with the New Year.

On the day of New Year's Eve, relatives, friends and neighbors will be invited to have dinner at home. Guests usually bring toys and other small gifts to their children to celebrate. When holding a New Year's Eve ceremony, the host will set a red table. On the table, he likes to put pens, brushes, notebooks and women's toys made of paper such as small planes, boats, knives and swords. Later, the mother or father will hold the child on the table and let the child grab it at will. The guests and the whole family look around the child together, hoping that the child can catch an ideal thing.

According to Hui custom, if a child catches a pen and a notebook, it means that he will be a talented person who can write and draw in the future. If you pick up the sword, say that this child must be a warrior who plays sword dancing in the future. If you grab a pen and a sword, you think this child will become a general with both civil and military skills. If you want to catch small toys, you think it is a "elm knot in one's heart" that you eat, drink and be merry, love ease and can't become a talent. If a child catches nothing, he or she is called an idiot, a mediocre person and so on. When children catch pens, notebooks and other things, parents are happy and relaxed, holding their children high to celebrate their laughter, and the onlookers applaud!

After the ceremony, the host will bring out rice cakes and scalding pot-stewed vegetables and have dinner with the guests to congratulate the children on their safe and healthy growth every year. Conditional Hui families steam a rice cake every year on their children's birthdays, and celebrate and commemorate it within their own families without inviting guests. This custom continues until girls reach the age of 9 and boys reach the age of 12.

Ba jun nationality

A naming method similar to China's "grasping the week" is popular among Ba Jun people in East Africa, that is, many names selected in advance are written on the leaves, so that the 7-day-old baby can grasp them by himself, and whichever name he catches will be used; Because the peoples in the Great Rift Valley in Central Africa are located at the crossroads of Africa, wars have been frequent since ancient times, and it is often sad to name their children. For example, people in Rujibala often name their children, saying that they are lazy, annoying, stingy and have no Han Niu. This is often a shortcoming of parents or a family dilemma, which is self-mockery. Banyolo people often name their children "poor" and "homeless", which is a vivid record of tribal disputes, diseases and plagues.

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