Traditional customs of the Spring Festival

Spring Festival is the most important traditional folk festival in China. No matter its grand etiquette, rich activities, heavy cultural connotation and great influence, it is incomparable to other traditional festivals. Let me briefly introduce the traditional customs of the Spring Festival and get to know them together.

1, hang lanterns

Hanging lanterns in the Spring Festival is a custom, which is to "celebrate the New Year" and create a festive atmosphere, which can set off the atmosphere of the New Year. Generally, red lanterns are hung and Spring Festival couplets are posted on New Year's Eve. This is the custom of welcoming the Spring Festival. In some areas, lanterns are hung during the Spring Festival, while in others, lanterns are hung during the Lantern Festival.

There is a legend about hanging lanterns during the Spring Festival. On New Year's Eve, all the gods returned to their places, except Jiang Ziya, who had nowhere to go. Seeing that he was pitiful, the people lit a lamp at the head of the Gaoshe and let him spend the night under the lamp. Over time, the custom of lighting lamps has been formed.

In addition, hanging lanterns is also a legend to drive away the "nian" beast. According to legend, there was a monster named Nian in ancient China, which was very fierce and even hurt people's lives. Later, it was discovered that Nian animals are afraid of red things, so on New Year's Eve, everyone hangs red lanterns, sticks red couplets and sets off firecrackers.

2. New Year's Eve, also known as New Year's Eve, reunion dinner, reunion dinner, etc. Especially the New Year's Eve dinner. Reunion dinner is the highlight of the year ago, which is not only colorful, but also very meaningful. There are usually chickens (indicating a plan) and fish (more than enough every year) for good luck. China people's New Year's Eve dinner is a family reunion dinner, which is the most abundant and important dinner in a year.

Dancing dragon and lion is a traditional New Year custom. Generally, on the second day of New Year's Day, people's square will be crowded with people, ringing festive gongs and drums, and golden dragons and colorful lions will dance together to stage the annual dragon and lion dance. At the performance site, lions danced and gongs and drums roared. Actors will wear colorful costumes, dance, shuttle forward, travel around the world and soar in the sky. It's not that a real dragon is better than a real dragon. The golden dragon sometimes leaps and turns, and sometimes turns in circles. The two lions also shuttled back and forth under the guidance of the lion beads. The dragon and lion jump complement each other, expressing people's wishes for the Spring Festival and their yearning for a better life.

4, send lucky money lucky money, also known as lucky money ("special" is unlucky. The ancients used this custom to show that nothing unlucky should happen in the coming year. After dinner in 2008, the elders should distribute the lucky money prepared in advance to the younger generation. It is said that lucky money can kill evil spirits, and the younger generation can spend a year safely with it. Lucky money has the meaning of exorcising evil spirits and keeping peace in folk culture. The original intention of lucky money is to suppress evil and drive away evil. Because people think that children are easy to be invisible, they use lucky money to suppress evil spirits.

On the morning of the first day of the first month, the younger generation will pay New Year greetings to the elders, and the elders will give them lucky money. Usually on New Year's Eve, mothers put lucky money sealed with red paper under their children's pillows. When giving lucky money, the mother will say something similar to wishing the children a safe and healthy growth.

In China, the custom of paying New Year greetings has been going on for quite a long time. In ancient times, there were differences between New Year greetings and New Year greetings: New Year greetings were deducted from elders; The New Year is a time for peers to congratulate each other. Now, some organs, organizations, enterprises and schools get together to congratulate each other, which is called "group worship".

Nowadays, New Year greetings usually begin at home. On the morning of the first day, after getting up, the younger generation should first pay a New Year call to their elders, wishing them a long and healthy life and all the best. After the elders worship, they should distribute the "lucky money" prepared in advance to the younger generation. After greeting the elders at home, when they go out to meet each other, people greet the New Year with a smile and exchange auspicious words such as "Congratulations on getting rich", "Good luck in all seasons" and "Happy New Year". Neighbors, relatives and friends will also visit each other or invite them to drink and entertain.

These are five customs I know about the Spring Festival. What else do you know, my friend? Please leave a message in the comments section.