Spring Festival
The Spring Festival, the traditional names are New Year, New Year, and New Year. It is also known verbally as celebrating the New Year, celebrating the New Year, and celebrating the New Year. In ancient times, the Spring Festival once specifically referred to the beginning of spring in solar terms, and was also regarded as the beginning of the year. Later, it was changed to the first day of the first lunar month as the New Year.
The Spring Festival means that spring is coming, everything is revived, vegetation is renewed, and a new round of sowing and harvesting seasons is about to begin. People have just passed through the long cold winter of ice and snow, and the vegetation has withered, and they have long been looking forward to the days when spring will bring flowers and flowers to life. When the New Year arrives, they will naturally welcome this festival with joy, singing and dancing.
The Spring Festival is also called the lunar year, the lunar new year, the lunar year, and the old calendar year. It is commonly known as "Chinese New Year, New Year, and New Year." The lunar calendar is based on the moon's waxing and waning patterns, while the solar calendar is based on the Earth's rotation around the sun. The Spring Festival has a long history. It originated from the activities of worshiping gods and ancestors at the beginning and end of the year during the Yin and Shang Dynasties. In ancient times, the Spring Festival once specifically referred to the beginning of spring among the 24 solar terms. Later, it was changed to the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar (i.e. the first day of the first lunar month), which was regarded as the beginning of the lunar year, that is, the beginning of the year. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the first day of the first lunar month was anciently called Yuanri, Yuanchen, Yuanzheng, Yuanshuo, New Year's Day, etc., and was commonly known as the first day of the lunar month. This is the most solemn and lively traditional festival in our country. In the traditional sense, the Spring Festival starts from the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month or the stove sacrifices on the 23rd and 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, until the end of the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. In some places, it even extends to the entire first month of the first lunar month, with New Year's Eve and the first day of the first lunar month as the climax.
The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival of the Han people. During the Spring Festival, a traditional festival, people hold various celebration activities, most of which focus on offering sacrifices to gods and Buddhas, paying homage to ancestors, removing the old and bringing in the new, welcoming the new year, welcoming good fortune, and praying for a good harvest. More than a dozen ethnic minorities, including the Yao, Zhuang, Bai, Gaoshan, Hezhe, Hani, Daur, Dong, Li, Manchu, and Mongolia, also have the custom of celebrating the Spring Festival, but each has its own national characteristics in the form of the festival.
The Spring Festival is a major festival celebrated in many countries and regions in East Asia. It’s called “T?t Nguyên ?án” (New Year’s Day) in Vietnamese, and “New Year’s Day” in Japanese (Note: The Japanese festival “New Year’s Day” is similar to China’s New Year’s Day, which is January 1st.) (After the Meiji Restoration, it was renamed the Old Moon Festival. (the first month of the year), it is called "?" in Korean (this is an inherent word, which means New Year). Now, in addition to China, the Korean Peninsula, Vietnam, Japan and other places, the Spring Festival is also one of the most important festivals in Mongolia, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and other places.
The Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival are also known as the four traditional festivals of the Chinese Han people. The term "Spring Festival" has been selected as the largest festival in China by the China World Records Association, ranking first among the four major traditional festivals in China. On May 20, 2006, the "Spring Festival" folk customs were approved by the State Council and included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists.
According to "Erya" records, the year was called "Zai" in the Yao and Shun Dynasty, "Sui" in the Xia Dynasty, "Si" in the Shang Dynasty, and it was not called "Nian" until the Zhou Dynasty.
As for the origin of the "Spring Festival", there is a legend: In ancient China, there was a beast called "Xi" (also known as "Nian"), which had long tentacles on its head and was extremely ferocious. "Xi" lives deep on the bottom of the sea for many years, and only climbs ashore on a specific day (now called New Year's Eve) to devour livestock and harm human lives. Therefore, every New Year's Eve, people in villages and villages help the elderly and children flee to the mountains to avoid the harm of the "Xi" beast. One New Year's Eve, an old man came begging from outside the village. The villagers were in a hurry and panic. Only an old woman in the east of the village gave the old man some food and advised him to go up the mountain quickly to avoid the "Xi" beast. The old man lifted up his beard and said with a smile: "If my mother-in-law lets me stay at home all night, I will We must drive away the Xi beast." The old woman continued to persuade, but the beggar man smiled and said nothing.
At midnight, the "Xi" beast broke into the village. It found that the atmosphere in the village was different from previous years: at the east end of the village, the old woman lived in her husband's house, with red paper on the door and brightly lit candles in the house. "Xi" beast trembled all over and screamed strangely. When approaching the door, there was a sudden "bang bang bang bang" explosion sound in the courtyard. "Xi" trembled all over and did not dare to move forward. It turns out that "Xi" is most afraid of red, fire and explosions. At this time, the door of my mother-in-law's house opened, and I saw an old man in a red robe laughing in the yard. "Xi" turned pale with fright and ran away in embarrassment.
The next day was also the first day of the first lunar month. People who had returned from the refuge were surprised to see that the village was safe and sound. At this time, the old woman suddenly realized and hurriedly told the villagers about the beggar's promise to the old man. This incident quickly spread in the surrounding villages, and people all knew how to drive away the "Xi" beast. From then on, every New Year's Eve, every family puts up red couplets and sets off firecrackers; every household lights up candles and watches the New Year's Eve. Early in the morning on the first day of the Lunar New Year, we also visit relatives and friends to say hello. This custom spreads widely and has become the most solemn traditional festival among Chinese people.
It is said that the "Spring Festival" originated from the activities of worshiping gods and ancestors (December Festival) at the beginning and end of the year during the Yin and Shang Dynasties in China. In the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, there was an annual custom of celebrating the harvest and worshiping ancestors at the turn of the old and new years, which can be considered the prototype of the "year". However, the name "Nian" appeared later. The name of Nian started from the Zhou Dynasty. In order to show the authority of the "Emperor" when ancient emperors succeeded to the throne, they often established their own calendar. The year was not officially fixed until the Western Han Dynasty and continued until today. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (140 BC to 87 BC) succeeded to the throne and decided to restructure the calendar to unify it. Sima Qian suggested the creation of the Taichu calendar and set the Spring Festival in the first month of Mengchun.
The calendar we use today was revised by many dynasties after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. However, the New Year's Day, which falls on the first day of the first lunar month, is the most solemn festival of the Chinese nation and has been inherited on a fixed date.
The Spring Festival customs of the Han people generally include eating rice cakes, dumplings, glutinous rice cakes, glutinous rice balls, poached eggs, large meatballs, whole fish, wine, oranges, apples, peanuts, melon seeds, candies, fragrant tea and delicacies. ; accompanied by dusting, washing bedding, preparing New Year's goods, pasting Spring Festival couplets, pasting New Year pictures, pasting paper cuttings, pasting window grilles, pasting blessing characters, lighting candles, lighting fires, setting off firecrackers, keeping up with the New Year, giving New Year's money, paying New Year greetings, visiting relatives, and There are many activities such as visiting ancestral graves, visiting the flower market, and having a social fire, which are the ultimate family fun. Chinese people also have the habit of hanging Chinese knots during the Spring Festival. Before New Year's Eve, Tianjin people have the custom of going to Qiaoxiang Pavilion on Ancient Culture Street to ask for Chinese knots, which means Qiaoxiang receives blessings; Wenzhou people go to their own religious places to pray sincerely, hoping to be able to get good luck with their families in the new year. happiness.
For thousands of years, people have made New Year celebrations extremely colorful. Every year from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month to the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, this period of time is called "Spring Welcome Day" by the folks. It is called "Dust Sweeping Day", and it is a traditional habit of our people to sweep dust and maintain hygiene before the Spring Festival.
Then every household prepares New Year's goods. About ten days before the festival, people start to busy purchasing items. New Year's goods include chicken, duck, fish, tea, wine, oil sauce, north and south roasted seeds and nuts, candies, bait and fruits. They must buy enough. It is necessary to prepare some gifts for visiting relatives and friends during the New Year. Children should buy new clothes and hats to wear during the New Year.
Before the festival, New Year messages written in red paper and yellow letters should be pasted on the door of the house, that is, Spring Festival couplets written on red paper. Brightly colored New Year pictures with auspicious meanings are posted in the house. Ingenious girls cut out beautiful window grilles and paste them on the windows. In front of the door, hang red lanterns or paste the word "Fu" and the statues of the God of Wealth and the Door God. The word "Fu" can also be pasted upside down, so passers-by can say blessing If it falls, it means blessing has arrived. All these activities are to add enough festive atmosphere to the festival.
Another name for the Spring Festival is the New Year. In past legends, Nian is an imaginary animal that brings bad luck to people. The year comes. The trees are withered and the grass is barren; as the year passes, everything grows and flowers are everywhere. How can the year pass? Firecrackers are needed to blast, so there is a custom of burning firecrackers. This is actually another way to heighten the lively scene.
The Spring Festival is a happy and peaceful festival, and it is also a day for family reunions. Children who are away from home have to go home to celebrate the Spring Festival. The night before the New Year is the 30th night of the twelfth lunar month of the old year, also called New Year's Eve, also called Reunion Eve. At this time of transition between the old and the new, staying up late is one of the most important annual activities. On New Year's Eve, the whole family stays up together. Staying up on New Year's Eve, gathering together to drink and enjoy family happiness. In northern areas, there is a custom of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve. The method of making dumplings is to mix the noodles first, and the word "harmony" means "he"; the word "jiaohe" in dumplings is a homophonic sound, and "he" and "jiao" mean "get together". Meaning, also takes the meaning of "Gengsui Jiaozi". In the south, it is customary to eat rice cakes during the New Year. The sweet and sticky rice cakes symbolize the sweetness and prosperity of life in the new year.
When the first rooster crows or the New Year's bell rings, firecrackers blast off in the street, and every family is filled with joy. The new year has begun, and men, women, old and young are all dressed in festive costumes. First, we pay New Year's greetings to the elders in the family. During the festival, we also give New Year's money to the children and have a New Year's dinner. On the second and third day of the Lunar New Year, we start visiting relatives and friends, paying New Year greetings to each other, congratulating each other, saying congratulations on the new year, congratulations on getting rich, congratulations, It is a good time to celebrate the New Year and hold activities such as worshiping ancestors. The warm atmosphere of the festival not only permeates every household, but also fills the streets and alleys everywhere. In some local markets, there are lion dances, dragon lanterns, fire performances, flower markets, temple fairs and other customs. During this period, the city is full of lanterns and the streets are full of tourists. It is very lively and unprecedented. The Spring Festival is not really over until after the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
There is a Chinese folk saying of "opening the door with firecrackers". It is recorded that when the new year arrives, the first thing every household does when they open the door is to set off firecrackers to drive away the old and welcome the new with the beeping sound of firecrackers. Firecrackers are a specialty of China, also known as "firecrackers", "firecrackers" and "firecrackers". It originated very early and has a history of more than 2,000 years. Setting off firecrackers can create a festive and lively atmosphere. It is a festive entertainment activity that can bring joy and luck to people.
Wang Anshi's poem "Yuan Ri":
One year passes with the sound of firecrackers, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu.
Thousands of households are as bright as the sun. Always replace old talismans with new ones.
Describes the festive scene of the Chinese people celebrating the Spring Festival. The sound of firecrackers is a symbol of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, and an expression of festive mood.
It is the custom to stick to door gods during the New Year in various parts of China. The original door god was carved into a human form of mahogany wood and hung next to the person. Later, the door god was painted as a portrait and posted on the door. The legendary brothers Shen Tu and Yu Lei specialize in controlling ghosts. With them guarding the door, evil spirits big and small dare not come in to cause harm.
However, what is really recorded in history books is not Shencha and Yulong, but an ancient warrior named Chengqing. It is recorded in Ban Gu's "Book of Han - Biography of the King of Guangchuan": On the door of the palace of King Guangchuan (Quji) there was a portrait of the ancient warrior Cheng Qing, wearing short clothes, large trousers and a long sword. In the Tang Dynasty, the position of door god was replaced by Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde.
Spring couplets are also called door couplets, spring posts, couplets, couplets, peach charms, etc. They describe the background of the times and express good wishes with neat, dual, concise and exquisite words. They are a unique literary form in my country.
Every Spring Festival, every household, whether in urban or rural areas, selects a red Spring Festival couplet and pastes it on the door to add a festive atmosphere to the festival. This custom originated in the Song Dynasty and became popular in the Ming Dynasty. By the Qing Dynasty, the ideological and artistic quality of Spring Festival couplets had been greatly improved. Liang Zhangju’s Spring Festival Couplets monograph "Cong Hua on the Threshold Couplets" explains the origin of the couplets and the characteristics of various works. All discussed.
There are many types of Spring Festival couplets. According to the place of use, they can be divided into door centers, frame pairs, horizontal drapes, spring strips, bucket squares, etc. The "door center" is affixed to the upper center of the door panel; the "frame pair" is affixed to the left and right door frames; the "horizontal stripe" is affixed to the crossbar of the door; the "spring strips" are affixed to the corresponding places according to different contents; "Dojin" is also called "door leaf", which is square and diamond-shaped, and is often attached to furniture and screen walls.
At the same time as pasting Spring Festival couplets, some families have to paste large and small "福" characters on their doors, walls, and lintels. Posting the word "福" during the Spring Festival is a long-standing folk custom in my country. The word "福" refers to blessing and luck, expressing people's yearning for a happy life and their wishes for a better future. In order to more fully reflect this yearning and wish, some people simply paste the word "福" upside down to express "happiness has arrived" and "blessing has arrived". Folks also use the word "Fu" to elaborately create various patterns, such as longevity stars, longevity peaches, carps jumping over dragon gates, good harvests, dragons and phoenixes, etc.
In the folk, people also like to paste various paper-cuts - window grilles - on their windows. Window grilles not only enhance the festive atmosphere, but also integrate decoration, appreciation and practicality. Paper-cutting is a very popular folk art in my country and has been loved by people for thousands of years. Because it is mostly pasted on windows, it is also called "window flower". With its unique summary and exaggeration techniques, window grilles vividly express auspicious symbols and good wishes, decorating the festival with prosperity and splendor.
Hanging Qian is to use auspicious words engraved on red paper with a long ruler and stick it in front of the door to complement the peach charms. Those with figures of the Eight Immortals on them are hung in front of the Buddha; hangings with thousands are mostly used by civilian households; those used less by wealthy families; the yellow paper is three inches long and the red paper is more than an inch long, which is the "small hanging Qian" and is used by shops. The earliest hanging Qiandang was made of coins (copper coins). Like New Year's money, it has the effect of suppressing victory.
In the north, some families also provide a bowl of rice, which is cooked years ago and served during the New Year. It is called "every other year's meal". There is leftover rice every year, and they can't finish it all year round. They still have to eat it this year. It means to eat the food of the past year. This pot of rice and millet is usually cooked with a mixture of rice and millet. As the saying goes in Beijing, it is called "two rice rice" because it has yellow and white. This is called "gold and silver, and the pot is full of gold and silver".
Eating New Year’s Eve dinner is the most lively and happy time for every household during the Spring Festival. New Year's Eve. The table is filled with sumptuous New Year dishes, and the whole family is reunited, sitting around the table and having the reunion dinner. The sense of fulfillment in my heart is really indescribable. People not only enjoy the table full of delicacies, but also enjoy the happy atmosphere. There are big dishes, cold basins, hot stir-fries, and snacks on the table. Generally, two things are indispensable, one is hot pot. One is fish. The hot pot is boiling, steaming, warm and sultry, indicating that it is prosperous; "fish" and "yu" are homophonic, symbolizing "abundance in auspicious celebrations" and "abundance every year". There are also radish, commonly known as cabbage, which is used to wish good luck; lobster, fried fish and other fried foods are used to wish prosperity for the family, just like "fire cooking oil". The last part is usually a sweet dish, wishing you a sweet life in the future. On this day, even if you don’t know how to drink, you should drink a little bit.
There are many famous New Year’s Eve dinners, which vary from north to south, including dumplings, wontons, long noodles, yuanxiao, etc., and each has its own specialties. Northerners are accustomed to eating dumplings during the Chinese New Year, which means "Geng Sui Jiao Zi" (Geng Sui Jiao Zi), the transition between the old and the new. And because the white flour dumplings are shaped like silver ingots, serving them on the table symbolizes "making a fortune in the new year, and the ingots rolling in". When making dumplings, some people also wrap a few coins that have been sterilized in boiling water, saying whoever eats them first will make more money. The custom of eating dumplings was passed down from the Han Dynasty. According to legend, the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing saw that the ears of the poor were rotten by the frost during the twelfth lunar month of winter, so he made a "Quhan Jiao Er Decoction" to treat frostbite for the poor. He used mutton, chili peppers and some cold-repelling and warming medicinal materials, wrapped them in dough to make ear-shaped "Jiao Er", cooked them in a pot, and distributed them to the poor. After eating, people felt their whole bodies warm and their ears warm. Later, people followed suit and it has been passed down to this day. Eating wontons during the New Year means taking the beginning of the new year. Legend has it that the world was in a state of chaos before it was created, and that the four directions of the universe were created only after Pangu created the world. Long noodles are also called longevity noodles. Eating noodles in the New Year is a wish for a hundred years of longevity.