Han nationality is the largest ancient nation in the world. Because of its long history and developed culture, its customs are colorful and rich.
respecting agriculture
the Han nationality is an ancient agricultural nation, and the agricultural population has accounted for more than 8% of the total population since ancient times, and the custom of respecting agriculture has a long history. Since ancient times, the Han people have regarded agriculture as their profession. As early as the Warring States period, Han Fei put forward the idea of "taking agriculture as the foundation". He said: "The reason why Cang Bing is real is also the business of farming." "Everything is done wrong, treacherous articles". Under the influence of Shang Nong's thought, the Han society formed "Men plow and eat, women weave and dress" and "Shang Jun Shu Hua Ce Pian". "Men plow and women weave" can be said to be a typical painting of the social customs of the Han nationality. Only in modern times, especially after liberation, have there been great changes.
the twenty-four solar terms are an important part of the Han Chinese lunar calendar, and their formation and establishment are closely related to the agricultural production customs of the ancient working people of the Han nationality. With the change of climate throughout the year, the content of farming and farm work also changes. The meaning of the names of the twenty-four solar terms clearly reflects this point. Up to now, Han farmers are still used to farming and arranging farm work according to solar terms.
What is related to the custom of respecting agriculture is the worship of the land god by the Han people. "White Tiger Tongyi" says: "He who carries all things in the earth gets the reason from God when he releases the earth." The form of worship of the land god is "social worship", and the land god is called the social god or the owner, and the place where the land god is worshipped is called the society. The Book of Rites, Special Sacrifice in the Suburb, says: "Strong, offering sacrifices to the earth, and the main yin is also ... strong, so the way of God is also." Later, there were social sacrifices at all levels in Han society. Folk belief in the land god is very extensive, and before liberation, land temples were almost everywhere.
Respecting ancestors and respecting the elderly
Respecting ancestors and respecting the elderly is the eternal legacy of the Han nationality. Respecting ancestors is the worship of ancestors. In Shang Dynasty, they believed in the monism of the unity of God and ancestors, while in Zhou Dynasty, they believed in the dualism of the separation of God and ancestors, and ancestor worship was a more important tradition. The ancestor worship of the Han nationality is mainly to offer sacrifices to the distant ancestors who have made achievements and the close relatives who are closely related by blood.
ancestor worship has been practiced until recently. The folk ancestor worship activities are still very grand. Sometimes, there are sacrifices, such as hall sacrifices, festival sacrifices, New Year's sacrifices, house sacrifices, shrine sacrifices, etc. On holidays, some people have to pay tribute to the faces of their ancestors to show that they will not forget their ancestors, and enjoy the festival with their ancestors or ask them to bless them. The place where the Han people worship their ancestors is called ancestral temple or ancestral temple, and ancestral temples and ancestral halls are all over the country.
related to the custom of respecting ancestors, under the long-term influence of the feudal patriarchal clan system, the Han people like to live in groups and compile genealogies regularly. As a result of living together, the Han nationality has lived under the same roof for three generations since ancient times, and even lived under the same roof for five generations. Some of them have lived together for hundreds of years. It is really "the young and the old are gathered together, and the wind and ceremony are heard." This clan, which has lived together for generations, is commonly known as "Yiju" or "Yimen". In the Ming Dynasty, the Zheng family in Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province even lived together with the IX, and Ming Taizu once ordered the construction of Zhengyimen to give an example. Nowadays, although family forms tend to be small, families in it runs in the family are more common.
The custom of respecting the elderly, which extends from respecting ancestors, is deeply rooted in the Han nationality. "The Book of Songs, Elegance, Being Drunk" says: "Filial piety is not lacking, and you will always be kind." It means that the filial piety of filial sons to respect the elderly is endless, which is bound to influence the whole family and even the whole nation. The folk custom of respecting the elderly in Han nationality is a fine tradition worth carrying forward.
surnames and first names
At first, there was a difference between surnames and surnames of Han people. The original surname is the clan number of the matriarchal clan commune. The word "surname" is a combination of the words "female" and "born". Many ancient surnames have "female" beside them, such as Jiang, Yao and Ji. Shi is a branch of surname. Due to the reproduction of descendants, the family is divided into several branches, scattered around the country, and each branch has a special symbol as a symbol, which is the surname. Later, there was not much difference between surnames and surnames.
The origins of surnames are as follows:
① Taking official positions as surnames, such as Sima, Shangguan, Hou, Shuai and Wei;
② Take occupation and skill as surnames, such as Tao who makes pottery, Cang who manages warehouses and Jia who deals in business;
③ Take ancestors' names and titles as surnames, such as Meng Sun, Uncle Sun, Wang Sun, Gong Sun, etc.
④ Taking the country and fief as surnames, such as Qi, Lu, Wu and Chu;
⑤ Take the original worship objects as surnames, such as horses, cows, sheep, dragons, etc.
⑥ take the characteristics of the place of residence as the surname, such as Dongguo, Ximen, Yang, Liu, Li, etc.
⑦ Take numbers as surnames, such as Wu, Lu and Wan.
In addition, some compound surnames, such as Changsun, Helan and Huyan, are translated from minority phonetics.
There are 48 single surnames and 76 compound surnames in Hundred Surnames compiled by people in Song Dynasty. The China Dictionary of Personal Names published in modern times has included 4129 single and compound surnames. There are only about 2 common surnames, the most common single surnames are only 1, and people with surnames of Li, Wang, Zhang, Liu, Chen, Yang, Zhao, Huang, Zhou, Wu, Xu, Sun, Hu, Zhu, Gao, Lin, Wu, Guo and Ma account for more than half of the national population.
The names of the ancient people in China are more complicated than those of the modern people, and there are generally four items: surname, first name, word and number. The first name was taken by the father after the baby was born. The word was taken when a man was crowned at the age of 2 and a woman was given a gift at the age of 15. It is the official title of a person. No, is a person with a certain reputation and culture, in order to express their own ideological interests. Such as Tao Qian, Mr. Wuliu; Ouyang xiu, no.1 drunkard, and no.61 layman in his later years; Lu you, the number is set free.
Modern people are not so particular about naming as ancient people. Except for a few people who have characters and numbers, ordinary people generally have only one name,
and most of them are one or two words. Names reflect the cultural and psychological characteristics of the Han nationality. If some use the words "rich, expensive, rich, and rich", they hope to make a fortune; Some use the words "health, health, relaxation and longevity" to hope for health and longevity; Some use the words "Dong, Jie, Jun, Cai", hoping to develop into a useful person. When men name animals, they often use the words "Peng, Dragon, Tiger and Leopard" to symbolize bravery, power and luck, while when they name plants, they use the words "pine, locust, tung and cypress" to symbolize grandeur and vitality. Women use the words "phoenix, warbler, phoenix and swallow" and "orchid, chrysanthemum, plum and apricot" accordingly, hoping to be beautiful, gentle and virtuous.
Address custom
In China, the traditional concept of generations of the Han nationality has existed for a long time, which is centered on itself, with four generations of elders and four generations of younger generations, forming a blood relationship of "great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather, father, son, grandson, great-grandson and great-grandson", which is nine levels. If collateral consanguinity and in-laws are linked, a huge kinship system will be formed. Only some of them are selected here to show their hierarchical relationship.
the first floor: grandfather, grandmother, grandfather, grandmother (elder generation)
the second floor: father, mother, uncle, aunt, aunt, uncle, aunt, uncle, aunt, father-in-law and mother-in-law (elder generation)
the third floor. Nephew, nephew, nephew, and nephew-in-law (one generation later)
The fifth floor: grandson, granddaughter, grandchild, grandchild, granddaughter-in-law, and grandchild-in-law (two generations later)
The kinship terms are divided according to generations, regardless of age, and the elder brother is several years older than the younger brother, and the elder brother's children are several years older than the younger brother's children. Therefore, the Han people often say that "the door turns to the younger generation."
kinship terms are also used between neighbors or strangers in society to show kindness and respect. For example, peers in the neighborhood are often referred to as brothers, brothers, sisters and younger sisters. Young people refer to their parents as uncles, aunts, aunts, aunts, etc., and grandparents as grandfathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. Generally speaking, it is very important to pay attention to the level and grasp the angle in the use of appellation. Different age levels have different appellations, especially on envelopes. If a son writes to his parents, he should be called "parents" or "parents" in the letter, but there is a problem with the address on the envelope. It is appropriate to call Mr. X or his post.
in life, in order to show respect for people, there are also special phenomena of not paying attention to hierarchy. For example, there is a respected elder in a family, and the younger generation in the family calls him Grandpa, Grandma, Grandfather, Grandma, etc. Neighborhood, regardless of men, women and children, may call him Grandpa, Grandma, Grandfather and Grandma, but they are often preceded by their names. Such as Granny Liu in A Dream of Red Mansions and Grandpa Si Liu in Camel Xiangzi. Sometimes the word "he (she)" is added before the title, such as: his uncle, her second aunt, his grandmother, her second brother Li and so on. Similar appellations are still widely used today.
cultural psychology
the cultural psychology of the Han nationality is gradually formed after thousands of years of accumulation. Although the import of various modern cultural thoughts in the past hundred years has greatly impacted this traditional cultural psychology, its influence is still deeply rooted. This forms the unique pragmatic features of Chinese in the process of people's verbal communication.
First of all, the feudal society based on agricultural natural economy has ruled China for thousands of years. This feudal patriarchal society has created two characteristics in national psychology: first, it attaches great importance to blood relationship, and second, it emphasizes class differences. Therefore, a prominent feature in verbal communication is to pay attention to the use of kinship terms and the strict distinction between the old and the young.
In the west, it can be seen that the younger generation calls their elders by their first names, which is not allowed in the communication of China people. When talking to the elders among relatives, they must use appellations, which is a polite and educated performance. Moreover, kinship terms, as a kind of honorific terms, are widely used in non-relative speakers, such as uncles, grandmothers and aunts. They are considered as respect for each other and show intimacy.
the patriarchal concept of attaching importance to the young and the old is transferred to the interpersonal relationship in society and becomes a hierarchical concept. For thousands of years, the feudal society has always advocated the order of the young and the old, and the order of respect and inferiority. Therefore, people have always had the habit of being commensurate with their positions when talking to people with official positions, which was considered as honorific in ancient times. In communication, in order to raise each other's status, we often lower ourselves, so we have a number of modest names relative to honorifics, such as your surname-my surname, your family-my humble home, my good brother-my foolish brother, my masterpiece-my humble work, my humble opinion-my humble opinion.
Secondly, it emphasizes the harmony of interpersonal relationships, the sociality of people, the constraints of society and groups on individuals, and the emphasis on groups instead of individuals and personalities. This is also connected with the patriarchal clan system in feudal society, which is in sharp contrast with the western self-centered, emphasizing independent personality and individuality, and praising personal achievements and honors. Because of this, in order to emphasize the intimacy of interpersonal relationship, China people often use kinship terms to address non-relative speakers; China people often greet each other's private life after meeting, such as "Have you eaten?" It's not that I'm really worried that you'll go hungry. It's just that I'm concerned and affectionate.
As for asking about your salary, how old you are, whether you have a partner or how many children you have, in China, it is also a manifestation of close interpersonal relationships and feelings, which is the so-called oriental human touch, while in the West, it seems to be suspected of interfering with others' "privacy".
The conservative tradition of the Han nationality on sex and gender issues has also caused the differences in language between men and women in verbal communication. Generally speaking, male language is straightforward and casual, while female language is subtle and solemn. Swearing with sex-related words is far more common among men than women. Because the traditional concept also thinks that men's use of these words is uncivilized, but it seems to be universally understood, while women's use is very indecent, and it seems natural to be criticized by public opinion.
Marriage
The wedding customs of the Han nationality have a long history and are full of ethnic colors. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, a complete set of etiquette has been formed, namely, "accepting lottery", "asking names", "Naji", "accepting a levy", "inviting guests" and "welcoming relatives", which are called "six rituals".
"winning lottery" means that the male family asks the matchmaker to propose marriage to the female family, and later generations call it "matchmaking"; "Asking the name" means that the two sides change their ages, which is called "changing dragon and phoenix posts" in modern times, and then divining "marriage"; "Najib" means "engagement"; "Nazheng" is a betrothal gift from the male family to the female family, commonly known as "bride price"; "Inviting a date" means choosing a good wedding date and asking the woman for advice; "Kissing" means marrying the bride.
From ancient times to the present, although the marriage customs are different because of the changes of the times or the differences between the rich and the poor, the basic ritual procedures are similar. Even in modern times, with the rise of free love and the simplification of etiquette, there are still some reservations about the customs of the matchmaker (introducer) such as communication, blind date, engagement and marriage.
among the "Six Rites", the content of "welcoming the bride" is the most colorful, and the main customs include paving the house, crying for marriage, spreading corn beans, raising a fire, splashing water, covering the face, wearing red clothes, the bride's feet not touching the ground, sitting in a sedan chair, crossing the saddle, paying homage to the bride, spreading accounts, making cups, and making trouble. For more than 2, years, these "pro-welcoming" customs have been enduring for a long time. Although they have been innovated and evolved with the progress of society in modern times, their basic aspects have not changed much.
In terms of marriage system, although monogamy was common in ancient Han people, concubinage was common. In modern times, it was commonly called "begging for a little wife" or "marrying a concubine", but widows were generally not allowed to remarry. Especially in the late feudal society, Neo-Confucianism rose, and the rules were very strict. Some of them basically had to wear plain clothes for life.
In terms of marriage forms, in the old days, there were other marriage forms, such as buying and selling marriage, cousin marriage, exchange marriage, transfer marriage, adoption marriage (commonly known as "adoption by adoption"), standard marriage, child adoption marriage, finger marriage, filial marriage and ghost marriage.
When a woman is pregnant, it is commonly called "Youxi" in Han nationality.
The second day after a child is born, he will be a "three dynasties". After a child is born, most of them close their eyes, and they will not open them until three dynasties (that is, three days) or after three dynasties. According to the old custom, children should see their father first, then their mother, and then their other relatives and friends to show their filial piety to their parents forever. At this time, relatives and friends who come to visit often give eggs, brown sugar, children's clothes and other gifts to congratulate. Among them, the egg dyed red is called "red egg", which is also called "happy egg" because it is a happy occasion.
The full moon is called the "Miyue". The old custom is to give children a haircut, commonly known as "shaving their heads", and hold a banquet to celebrate. In some places, the eighth day of the fourth lunar month is designated as the "shaving" day for newborns. Modern Han people regard the full moon of children as a common occurrence, but in some places, rural areas still pay more attention to it, and they often invite full moon wine.
One year old is the most solemn day for a child since birth. It is an ancient custom to test the future of a child when he is one year old. The method is to put a bow and arrow pen for men, a knife, ruler and needle basket for women, and all kinds of food and clothes on the table, so that children can help themselves, and the one who wins is a sign of their future. Modern Han people generally pay more attention to children's first birthday. Whether in urban or rural areas, they usually take pictures of children, make new clothes and eat eggs and noodles to congratulate them. Some families with better economic conditions also hold birthday drinks to entertain relatives and friends. There is also the custom of making dumplings for one year in rural areas in the south of the Yangtze River. This kind of zongzi is wrapped longer than ordinary zongzi, which means that children will grow up quickly.
When the ancient Han men reached the age of 2, they chose auspicious days, invited guests and were crowned by their fathers in the ancestral temple. The Book of Rites Guan Yi