Chinese New Year Customs in Different Regions of Chaoshan

The Spring Festival, the first big festival of the year, is also the most emphasized festival. It is also the New Year's Day of the lunar calendar, which is the beginning of a new year. Whenever the end of the year is approaching, people will make preparations for the New Year. The Chaoshan region has many customs that are both the same and different from those of other places!

1. Guandan Chun

During the Spring Festival, the most characteristic folklore activity in Chaoshan is "Guandan Chun". "Guandan Chun" is a kind of bamboo gift basket divided into three or four layers with lids, which is usually used in pairs when paying respect, and is therefore also known as "Tandan Chun". The main reason for guandanchun is that when there is a married daughter in the family, the brothers of the mother's family have to prepare gifts and put them in the guandanchun on the first day of the Lunar New Year and send them to the daughter's house. When the daughter receives the gifts, she has to distribute them to her relatives and neighbors. This custom is usually found in newly married families, but is rarely practiced in families that have been married for many years.

2. Receiving the God of Fortune

The fourth day of the first month of the lunar calendar in the Chaoshan region is the day of "welcoming the god", while the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month, which is the year before, is the day of "sending the god". According to legend, all the gods and goddesses will report their duties to the Jade Emperor on this day, and report the good and bad behaviors of the earth during the year. Therefore, every household welcomes the gods on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, usually offering chickens, fish, pig's head and other food, or, if the family is not rich, a plate of rice and brown sugar. A plate of rice is offered, meaning that the New Year will be full of grains; a plate of brown sugar implies that life is sweet.

3, eat seven treasures soup

Eat seven treasures soup is the old custom of the Chaoshan region, according to legend, in the seventh day of the first month of the year to eat seven treasures soup can be expelled from the year's evil, cure disease. Seven Treasures Soup mainly used mustard, kale, spring vegetables, leeks, celery, garlic and thick petals and other seven kinds of vegetables made of soup, to take the auspicious omen. Among them, celery and green onion signify cleverness, garlic signifies calculating, and mustard makes people live longer.

4, around the stove

The last day of the lunar year is called New Year's Eve, the night called New Year's Eve, the Chaoshan is considered "New Year's Eve". Therefore, all the family members who have been away from home have to rush back to their homes for a reunion on this day. In the evening, the whole family will have a reunion dinner with a hot pot, i.e. "around the stove". After the meal is not allowed to leave the table first, meaning that the reunion; meal must also have leftovers, and can not be poured, meaning that year after year; wait until the whole family have finished eating, adults to children, children to their parents' elders, distribution of "New Year's Eve money"; and must be sent at the table.

5. Worshipping the Master

"Worshipping the Master" is a traditional folk custom in the Chaoshan region, in the Chaoshan region, the god who resides in the family and blesses the family with peace and health is called the "Master". In the Chaoshan area, the god who always resides in the family and blesses the family with peace and health is called "Laozi", and the 24th day of the Lunar New Year is the day when the god goes to heaven to report his duties. Therefore, on this day, the Chaoshan people will pay homage to the "Old Master" and pray for all the best in the coming year. After that, they will clean up, cut their hair and take a bath, which means to get rid of the old and welcome the new, and to get rid of disasters and illnesses.

The above are the Chinese New Year customs in Chaoshan, the regional differences lead to cultural differences, once the New Year, each place will follow the local traditions to go to the Spring Festival.