Forestry custom

Shaanxi is rich in forestry resources and widely distributed; In addition to natural forests, there are introduced tree species forests and traditional tree species forests developed and cultivated after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

People all over Shaanxi have many interesting customs in planting trees and using materials, but due to the differences in regional environment, the customs are not the same. These customs have been widely circulated among the masses so far.

There are some jingles and proverbs for planting trees in southern Shaanxi:

"Song Qing climbed the mountain and walked along the Liushu River." This means that planting pine trees is suitable for growing on steep mountains and slopes, while planting weeping willows on wet rivers (ditches) is easy to survive.

"The apricot blossoms are in front of the door, and the ginkgo trees are planted behind the house." Because "apricot" and "luck" are homophonic, "white" and "hundred" are homophonic; It means "Happy bloom" in front and "Hundred Years Fruit" in the back.

"cypress trees cover graves, and in the Dangui Temple, pears are not planted when they are newly married, and many kinds of paulownia are old." It is said that people like to plant cypress trees in graves because cypress trees have a long growth period and are evergreen all the year round, which means "evergreen for thousands of years, descendants of Fuze". Because "pear" and "Li" are homophonic, newlyweds don't want to hear the word "Li", which is also considered an unlucky word. "There are many kinds of tung trees for the elderly." Because of its high economic value, tung trees can bear fruit in three years. People think that it is better to plant more tung trees than to leave some family property (money) to future generations. Phrases and proverbs used in wood are:

"Zamu rafters are hemlock beams, and pine boards are used for doors and windows."

"The boxwood yoke is a mulberry plow (plow head), and the shaft is best made of elm (that is, elm)."

"Peaches are shipped in cedar barrels, and camphor boxes are not afraid of insects."

"jar bangzi jujube hammer (percussion instrument), walking on stilts to make wicker legs."

"Chestnut legs and pear surfaces, walnut chairs are as stable as Mount Tai."

"Nanmu chopsticks, brown wooden bowls (in the past, rural people were afraid that their children would break the porcelain bowls and bought wooden bowls for their children to eat), and chicken bone wooden crutches were' hard legs'."

"Treating hemorrhoids with Sophora japonica (there is a Chinese medicine for treating hemorrhoids, mainly Sophora japonica), mulberry benefits the liver, and orange peel can drive away the cold."

"Toona sinensis's board is not rotten, Liu Ma's meat pier is not rotten, Cyclobalanopsis glauca's teeth are constantly grinding, and birch trees are constantly bending."

Proverbs like this are endless, from production and life to entertainment and medicine, from building furniture to transportation; The uses and properties of various kinds of wood are described. This is a summary of the knowledge and experience that people have mastered through practice and understanding in the long-term production and life process. For a long time, many traditional taboo customs have spread among people in forest areas (including state-owned forest farms and individuals).

People are afraid to plant willows in front of and behind their houses. As the saying goes, "No mulberry is planted in front of the door, no willow is planted behind the house, and no ghosts clap their hands in the courtyard". Because mulberry and mourning are homophonic, and "willow" and "lock" are in the same room, which will bring disaster and theft. Poplar leaves are big, and when the wind blows, it will make a "snapping" sound, especially at night, which will disturb people's sleep, so it is not suitable for planting poplars in the yard.

"Taboo" is a traditional custom of people in forest areas (including professional forest rangers). This language is very interesting when people talk to each other. When you meet a snake, you can't say "snake", but call it "vine"; Because "snake" is homophonic with "credit", which is an unlucky word. For example, fire is called Liangzi, smoke is called Yunzi, burning fire is called lighting, axe is called cutting the mountain, and chopping down the tree is called putting the tree down, which means the direction in which the tree is going to fall.

Prohibition of customs is a fine traditional custom handed down from generation to generation by people in forest areas. For example, in Bashan forest area, people used not to burn paper in the cemetery when they were buried or when Tomb-Sweeping Day went to the grave to worship his ancestors. Instead, take a clay pot at home, burn the paper in the pot, sprinkle ash on the graveyard, and hang some paper on the branches and vines around the graveyard, which is called "hanging paper" (not to mention burning paper).

People who go up the mountain into the forest are not allowed to bring matches (flammable materials) but only "fire sickles". When using fire, you can strike the flint with a sickle to make a fire. The iron lighter "fire sickle" is shaped like "half moon". Supporting materials are "grass" and "flint". Cotton is soaked in alkaline water to dry, which is flammable in case of fire. This is the so-called "planting grass". A hard black oilstone is called flint. When taking fire, press the grass under the flint and knead it into a ball; Hit the flint with a sickle, and the spark generated by generate will fall on the grass. Blow it with your mouth to light the grass, and then put it on your pipe to smoke.

Also, people in forest areas do not "burn wasteland" or "burn fat", but use retting method. Whether it is grass or fallen leaves, collect them and pile them together, and cover them with soil, or dig a pit and pile them in, put a little water in, and then cover them with soil. This is the so-called "composting".