The fourth day of the first lunar month is also called the Year of the Sheep. This is the day when China people meet God. In the old imperial calendar, sheep were occupied, so it is often said that the opening of three sheep (yang) is a symbol of good luck and a day to welcome the kitchen god Hui people. On the fourth day of lunar new year's eve, the whole family get together for a discount. The so-called discount is a hodgepodge of rice left over from cleaning up the new year's goods in a few days. Cleaning the room and putting the garbage in one place is also called "throwing the poor" in China folklore.
origin
The fourth day of the first month is the sheep day of Nu Wa's creation myth. Dong Xun, a native of A Jin, wrote in Ask Customs: On the first day of the first month, he is a chicken; on the second day, he is a dog; on the third day, he is a pig; on the fourth day, he is a sheep; on the fifth day, he is a cow; on the sixth day, he is a horse; on the seventh day, he is a human being. On the seventh day, Zheng Dan drew a chicken on the door and posted a person on the account. On the fourth day of the first month, sheep were occupied in the old imperial calendar, so people often say that the opening of Sanyang (Yang) is a symbol of good luck and a day to welcome Kitchen God back to the people.
The fourth day of the fourth lunar month is also a day to worship the god of wealth. In the gauntlet, it is said that the fourth day of the first month is the day when Nu Wa makes sheep, so it is called sheep day. On this day, people cannot kill sheep. If the weather is good, it means that sheep will be raised well and sheep farmers will have a good harvest this year.
custom
As one of the ancient customs in China. On this day, the whole family got a discount. The so-called folding basket is a hodgepodge of food left over from cleaning up the new year's goods for a few days. Dust indoors, sweep the floor indoors, and throw away the garbage in the yard. On this day, the cattle and sheep butcher's shop will burn incense in Ma Temple, because the sheep king, the cow king and the horse king are all enshrined in Ma Temple, and the statue of the sheep king in Ma Temple in the southern suburbs is the most famous. Generally speaking, shops should entertain large and small guys and give out red envelopes on the fourth night of the fourth day. # What day is it today?
There used to be an old saying in Beijing: Heaven is not afraid, and the earth is not afraid. I'm afraid the shopkeeper will speak Mandarin on the fourth night. There is wine and food at the banquet, and the custom after drinking is to eat steamed buns. The shopkeeper then raised his glass to congratulate everyone and thank them for their hard work. This is called Mandarin. After Mandarin is finished, the steamed stuffed bun is served, and the shopkeeper personally puts the steamed stuffed bun in the bowl. Whoever puts it in the bowl implies who is fired. People who are fired automatically pack their bags and leave after dinner, so this informal dinner is commonly known as eating steamed buns.
The fourth day of the fourth lunar month is the time when immortals return from heaven to earth. It is said that sending God early and receiving God late. The so-called sending of God should start early in the morning, and it is not too late to receive God in the afternoon. In terms of offerings, three animals, fruits and dining tables should be prepared, and incense sticks should be lit to burn gold clothes. From grade one to grade four, shops are closed and women don't need to sew.