The First Young Master of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 377 Customs
On the first day of the Yuan Dynasty, there was going to be a grand court meeting, so when everyone in the Hou Mansion was watching the new year, Wang asked Xiao Huan to take out Xuan Shijing's court clothes and put them aside for preparation. Qiming, the drums that usually sound like street drums in Chang'an City are now being used to ring the first hammer to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new. Immediately afterwards, the four big bells on the four corner bell towers of the city wall of Chang'an City also rang. Mixed with the sound of drums, it resounded through Chang'an.

The servants in the Hou's house began to put down the wine glasses in their hands, walked to Wang Shi and Xuan Shijing one by one, kowtowed and saluted, and said some auspicious words, most of which were "Fu Yan Ji Day, celebrating birthday without bounds", "Fu Qing Chuxin, Life extension" and the like.

As for the Wang family, he accepted Xuan Shijing's kneeling worship first with a smile, and then accepted the kneeling worship of everyone in the house. This is the custom of the Tang Dynasty. The younger generation saluted the elders, the servant saluted the master, and the Wang family also asked Xiao Huan and Long'er to take the bonuses that had been prepared aside and distribute them to everyone.

In the middle of the night, Wang asked Xuan Shijing to lie down on the blanket and sleep soundly. Anyway, there was a charcoal basin burning in the room, and there were people around, so he would definitely take good care of her.

Naturally, the servants in the mansion won’t rest so early. Everyone in the Hou’s mansion gathers once a year, which is hard-won. There is no such a lively atmosphere in previous years. Even if there is no such a lively atmosphere, they will play until dawn and then rest in their respective rooms. Two hours, let alone now.

There is almost no movement between the various prefectures in Chang'an City on the first day, because the officials and lords of each prefecture will go to the Grand Court Meeting, and moreover, they will watch the year all night. During the day, they all have to rest at home, even ordinary people Relatives and neighbors will not go out in the morning, either.

Therefore, the officials of the high-ranking families in Chang’an City usually don’t stay awake all night long to watch the new year. It’s normal to sleep for an hour or two occasionally. After all, the next day’s court meeting will last a whole morning, followed by a banquet , Participating in the Great Court Meeting or the subsequent banquets has always been sloppy, and if you don't cultivate enough energy, how can you cope with it.

However, although it is said that the whole night is spent watching the year, if you go back to the cage, it will only take about an hour before you get up again to prepare a sumptuous banquet for the first day. A sumptuous banquet, neighbors paying New Year's greetings to each other, and eating at whoever's house is a special item called "passing seats".

When the sky was slightly bright, Mrs. Wang woke up Xuan Shijing who was sleeping next to her. At this time, the servants in the mansion were also preparing to leave their seats one after another and go back to rest. Shi Jing dressed properly.

Putting on the court clothes in a daze, and then washing his face with warm water, Xuan Shijing woke up.

It was almost dawn.
I combed my hair under Xiao Huan's service, and I will go to the gate of the mansion to set off explosives with everyone in a while, which means saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. When the people arrived at the gate of the mansion, a servant had already prepared the explosive rod and handed the torch to Xuan Shijing.

Xuan Shijing stepped forward and lit the explosive rod with the torch in his hand, and the crackling sound was endless.

Shi Hu and Gao Jun carried a wooden pole, while the housekeeper Zhong Zishuo also carried a hammer himself, dug a small hole in the yard, put the wooden stake in the hole, and stood it in the yard. Xuan Shijing took a closer look. , Only then did I realize that there was still a long strip of flag hanging on the top of the pole. Once the pole was erected, the flag trembled in the cold wind of this winter morning.

"What is this?" Xuan Shijing looked at Long'er beside him and asked.

"Young Lord, this thing is called a 'flank'. Every year on the morning of the first day, each household will put up such a flag in the middle of their yard to attract good luck." Long'er explained.

It turned out to be this thing, or how do you say it looks familiar, I remember seeing this thing in a certain country, but the flag on the top has become a carp, and the name has changed to "Carp Floating".

Or how to say that a certain country in later generations has a Tang system, and the feelings are all learned from the ancestors.

Although it was still early, the entire Chang'an city was still brightly lit. On the first day of the first day, the middle gate of the Hou's Mansion would be wide open, not only to welcome people who came and went, but also to open the door to welcome blessings and Najib.

After the explosion was fired, everyone began to return to the room where they had a gathering yesterday to prepare breakfast. Hot porridge, steamed buns, pancakes and other food were placed on the table. The leftovers from last night Leng Zhi had just been cleaned up by the servant girl in the mansion.

During breakfast, drinks were also prepared on the table, but they were not ordinary wines, they were special drinks for Chinese New Year, one was "Tusu wine" and the other was "Jiaobai wine".

This Tusu wine is made from a mixture of seven kinds of medicinal materials. It is said that after drinking it, it can exorcise evil spirits, detoxify and prolong life.

Xuan Shijing smiled, considering her actual situation, the so-called detoxification is useless.However, there is also a special point about drinking this wine, that is, the youngest person in the banquet should drink first, the reason is that "the younger ones get old, drink first to congratulate them, and the old ones lose their old age, so drink later".It is a happy thing for a child to grow up, so he drinks first to celebrate, but the old man loses another year of his life, so he drinks last.

Among the people present, Xuan Shijing was the youngest, so Xuan Shijing did his part to drink the "Tu Su Wine".

After drinking "Tusu Wine", the servants of the Hou's Mansion brought out the "Five Spicy Plate" according to the custom. The five spicy plate was green and spicy, and there were five kinds of vegetables respectively. Vegetables are scarce, and those who can eat five-spicy dishes are mostly high-ranking and wealthy families, while ordinary people from small families find other items to replace them. The purpose of eating these five-spicy dishes is to disperse the depression of the five internal organs and prevent epidemics. Not sick.

The customs of the Chinese New Year in the Tang Dynasty are better than those of later generations. Xuan Shijing can be regarded as a serious experience. In the past ten years in Khotan, the conditions are limited. It's just a matter of cooking a sumptuous meal, drinking and having fun, not to mention the land of the Western Regions in Khotan, where dragons and snakes are mixed, and the serious Chinese New Year customs have long since merged with some customs of the Western Regions. It's not a bad taste anymore.

After finishing the meal, the servants of the mansion once again bowed their hands to Xuan Shijing and the Wang family to pay New Year's greetings. No one would think too little of auspicious words for the New Year's Eve.

Zhong Zishuo stood behind Xuan Shijing's mother and son, Xiao Huan and Xiao Ji helped clean up the things on the table together. Seeing the beaming faces of everyone, he couldn't help feeling: "This is the happiest year in our family."

(End of this chapter)