The most interesting folklore

Chapter 33 The Most Interesting Folk Appellation (3)
Before the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the wife's father was called uncle or wife.And father-in-law is a respectful title for older men.Chen Shou's "Three Kingdoms Shu Zhi Biography of the First Master" mentioned: "Uncle Xiandi's chariot and cavalry general Dong Cheng." Dong Cheng is the cousin of Emperor Xian Liu Xie, and his daughter made Liu Xie a "noble person".Pei Songzhi, a historian during the Liu and Song Dynasties of the Southern Dynasties, wrote in annotating the above sentence: "(Dong Cheng) Yu Xiandi is the father-in-law, and there is no name for the father-in-law in ancient times, so he is called uncle."

Liu Zongyuan, a writer of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in "Sacrifice to Yang Pingzhan Shiwen": "In the year and month, the son-in-law would like to sacrifice to the spirit of the father-in-law with a drink of shame." According to the evidence, it is believed that calling the wife's father as the father-in-law started from this time.

It seems that referring to a wife's father as her father-in-law started at the latest during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.Calling in-laws as "in-laws" began to call when in-laws were called "in-laws" first appeared in "Book of the Later Han Dynasty Etiquette": "There used to be Shangling in the western capital. The rituals of the eastern capital, hundreds of officials, four-surnamed in-laws, princesses, and kings Doctors, servants of foreign dynasties, county and state officials Huiling." Also "Book of the Later Han Dynasty The Tenth Queen's Chronicle": Emperor Guangwu, Empress Guo, was named Shengtong, and her brother was named Kuang.In the 20th year of Jianwu (AD 44), Guo Kuang was promoted to Dahonghe. "The number of emperors is fortunate, and the relatives of the princes and princes will drink swallows, reward money and silk, and the wealth will be more than that. The capital's title is 'Golden Cave'." the name of his in-laws.

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, respectful titles such as "father-in-law", "father-in-law" and "mother-in-law" gradually appeared.Probably until the Tang Dynasty, this title was still mainly used for the marriage of royal relatives and relatives.For example, "New Book of Tang Xiao Song Biography" contains: "Ziheng, Princess Shang Xinchang, Song's wife, the emperor (Xuanzong) calls them relatives." weighed.There are poems to prove it: Lu Lun, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, said in "The Poem of the King's Concubine Flower Candle", "The master and minister are in-laws."

During the Five Dynasties, this title gradually became popular. According to the "History of the Five Dynasties: Biography of Liu Shuang", Liu Sang and Feng Dao were in-laws, and they both served as the head of the house.Later Feng Dao was dismissed from office and Li Yu replaced him.Li Yu hated Feng Dao's behavior, and whenever he found out Feng Dao's fault, he would laugh at Feng Dao in front of Liu Suo and say, "This is a good thing your in-laws did."

Later, the title of in-laws became popular among the people and is still used today.Ordinary people also began to use this - appellation.

28. Why are the husbands of sisters called brother-in-law?

In our country, most people call sisters' husbands brother-in-law, and some areas call them Lianqiao, Chengdan, Yidancha.It is said that the word brother-in-law first appeared in Du Fu's works.

The person who transferred the word "brother-in-law" to the appellation between sisters and husbands was Hong Mai, a famous poet in the late Northern Song Dynasty.Hong Mai has a cousin who works as a guest in Quanzhou, and he is not very proud.Hong Mai's wife's brother-in-law was a Jiedu envoy in the Jianghuai area, and wrote a letter of recommendation to recommend this cousin to work in the capital.Hong Mai's cousin was very grateful, and asked Hong Mai to write a letter of thanks on his behalf, in which there are a few sentences: "The breasts and sleeves are connected, and the loneliness of the last relative is ashamed; the clouds and mud hang over, and there is no pity for the noble." The "connected breasts and sleeves" here is used to describe the close relationship between sisters and husbands.Later, people simplified "brother-in-law" to "brother-in-law", which became a special appellation for sisters and husbands.

29. "Hair-tying couple" is derived from the hair-tying ceremony
In literary works and folk sayings, there is often the saying of "married couples", which is generally believed to come from the ceremony of "marriage" in ancient marriage customs.The specific practices of the "hair tie" ceremony in the wedding customs are different. Some of them tie the hair of the groom and the bride together according to the male left and the female right; In some cases, the hair of the groom and the bride is cut off, tied into a concentric knot, and then burnt to ashes and mixed together.

This hair-tying ceremony in marriage customs is actually a kind of love witchcraft in ancient China.We know that the ancients believed that human hair, nails, teeth and other things, after leaving the body, still maintain a certain connection with the human body.Hair is a part of the body, and there is also a person's soul in it. If a spell is cast on the hair, it will have a direct impact on the owner of the hair, making him (or her) act according to his own wishes.There is an ancient book that introduces the secret of how to make a woman suffer from lovesickness. It says that five acacia beans, five coins for women's hair, and five coins for breast milk are made into pills and placed under the shrine. In this way, the woman will miss the person who takes the medicine more than ever, and love her deeply.

Now, married couples are often used to refer to the first couple, that is, the original couple.

31. Why do husbands and wives use "Qingqing" as their pet name?

When describing the close relationship between a man and a woman, people often use "Qingqingwowo", and sometimes "Qingqing" is used as the title of intimacy between husband and wife.Then why do husbands and wives use "Qingqing" as their pet name?

Wang Rong of the Western Jin Dynasty was one of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove", and he had a very good relationship with his wife.His wife often called him "Qing". Wang Rong persuaded his wife because of the noble husband and wife at that time: "A woman's son-in-law is disrespectful in etiquette, so don't come back later." It means: "Women call their husbands Qing, according to the law of etiquette, it is disrespectful behavior, so don't call it that again." Wang's wife replied, "My relatives love you, so you should be Qingqing. If I am not Qingqing, who will be Qingqing?"

This passage says: "I am close to you and like you, that's why I call you Qing. I don't call you Qing, who else can call you Qing?" In the end, Wang Rong had no choice but to let his wife call himself "Qing". Qing".The idiom "Qingqingwowo" also comes from this allusion.Therefore, later generations used "Qingqing" as a pet name between husband and wife, and it became popular in society.

31. Is "Gege" in the Qing Dynasty a synonym for a princess?
"Gege" was originally a transliteration of Manchu, and translated into Chinese means Miss and Sister.The title of the daughter of a noble family in the Qing Dynasty, that is, the title of a woman.

In the early years of the Later Jin Dynasty, the daughters of Dahan and Baylor (and sometimes unmarried women) were called "Gege" without custom.

After Qing Taizong Huang Taiji succeeded to the throne, in the first year of Chongde (1636), he began to imitate the Ming system. The emperor's daughter began to be called "Princess", and it was stipulated that the daughter born to the queen (that is, the middle palace) was called "Princess Gulun" , the daughter of the concubine and the adopted daughter of the queen, is called "Princess Heshuo". "Gege" then refers specifically to the daughter of princes and nobles.

In the 17th year of Shunzhi (1660), the "Gege" was divided into five classes, namely: the daughter of the prince, called "Heshuo Gege", and the Chinese name "Junzhu"; Luogege", the Chinese name is "County Lord"; the daughter of Dorobeile is also called "Duoluogege", the Chinese name is "Junjun"; the daughter of Beizi is called "Gushangege", the Chinese name is " County Lord"; the daughter of Zhen Guogong and Fu Guogong, called "Gege" and "Xiangjun" in Chinese.

In addition, the daughters below the "gong" are all called "zongnu". The name "Gege" has been used until the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, and then it gradually ceased.

32. Why does "Sangzi" become synonymous with hometown?

Sangzi is the collective name of mulberry and catalpa. They are good trees with great practical value. In the eyes of the ancients, mulberry with strong branch regeneration ability and catalpa with fast growth and good material are the trees of life. People regard them as spirit wood.The ancients often planted these two kinds of trees around the courtyard.Over time, mulberry trees and catalpa trees have become symbols of hometown, and "Sangzi" has become synonymous with hometown.

The earliest record is in "The Book of Songs Xiaoya Xiaobian". The main idea of ​​the poem is: When I saw mulberry trees and catalpa trees, I remembered that my parents had planted them around my home. SI reminded me of my parents, so I respected them respect them.What I respect is my father, and what I am attached to is my mother.Zhang Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty's "Nandu Fu": "Forever friends and filial piety, cherish the hometown; real people tour the south, and see the return." Here, the hometown is used to refer to the hometown.

33. What are the sayings about "first"

In the imperial examination system implemented in our country, the results are announced to the public in the form of a list.The first is at the top of the gold list, which is called "top of the list", so "top of the list" has become synonymous with "first".

In ancient Chinese, "kui" means "first", and "赛楚" means "winning the first place".

After the imperial examination, the champions had to stand on the steps of the Golden Luan Hall to meet the ranking.The position of this honor is exactly the head of the giant turtle carved in relief on the stone steps in front of the palace gate, so people call the "number one scholar" "the champion".Therefore, the "first" is called "Aotou".

We also heard at the Olympic Games that "a player won the crown", and "laurel" also means "first", which comes from ancient Greece.The ancient Greeks often used laurel leaves to weave into hats and awarded them to the winners of athletic competitions.Therefore, later generations borrowed "laurel crown" to mean "first".

In addition, "Zhi Niu Er" also means "first".When the ancient princes made a covenant, the covenants had to personally slaughter the cow's ears to get blood, and let everyone taste a mouthful. Later generations used "holding the cow's ears" to indicate that a certain party was in a leading position.

34. When did the county magistrate start and what are the names
As early as the Spring and Autumn Period in my country, there was a "county" as a political area. After Qin Shihuang implemented the system of prefectures and counties, "county" became the grassroots government of successive imperial courts, and the chief executive of the county was therefore fixed.In the classics, literary works and film and television dramas of the past dynasties, in addition to the well-known names such as county magistrate, county magistrate, and county magistrate, magistrates also have the reputation of Qipin Huangtang, Qipinqintang, and Xianling. Jun, County Parents, County Honor, Guixian, Zaigong, Tang Weng, Tang Zun, Da Ling, Yi Zai, Mao Zai, Ming Ting, Zai Jun, etc., common names such as County Taiye, Parents Officer, and Qipin Zhima Official jokingly called.

The magistrate's assistants include the county magistrate, the master book and so on.The county magistrate assists the county magistrate in managing county government affairs, while the master book manages the county's two taxes, household registration and other registration work.

35. What do the old man and the official mean?

"Master" has a long history as a respectful title for gentry and dignitaries.It probably originated in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and was finalized in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.The first to be seen in the official history is "Yuan Shi Biography of Dong Boxiao".

During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the court did not expressly stipulate the titles of "Master" and "Grandpa", but they were just arbitrary honorific titles.It was different in Ming and Qing Dynasties.According to the "Shannan Essays" written by Wang Yingkui of the Qing Dynasty, in the former Ming Dynasty, only the nine ministers of the imperial court and officials above the level of the minister were qualified to be called "lords", and the rest of the small officials were only called "lords".In the Qing Dynasty, the imperial court stipulated more clearly.Officials above Sijing are called "adults", and officials below Wujing are called "lords".In spoken language, "official lord" is often used to refer to "lord", which not only indicates the status of the person being called, but sometimes also has an ironic meaning.

Calling officials "lords" is a reflection of the feudal hierarchy. "Official Lord" indicates that feudal officials are high above the society and the people and enjoy generous privileges.Nowadays, the title of "Master" has gradually disappeared, and it can still be heard occasionally in dramas.And "Master Guan" has become a familiar term as a drama term or satire, and is sometimes used to refer to bureaucrats, large and small.

36. Is "Dean" just an honorific title for writers?
Tai Dou refers to a writer who is famous, influential and admired by people. "Tai Dou" is the abbreviation of "Taishan, Beidou".According to the "New Book of Tang Han Yu Biography" records: Han Yu, a litterateur in the Tang Dynasty, was good at writing ancient prose, and his articles were widely circulated after his death.

At first, people compared Han Yu to "Mount Tai and Beidou" to express their admiration and admiration for this writer.Later, people used to use the abbreviation of "Taishan and Beidou" to refer to the leaders of the literary world. For example, Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi among the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties were called "literary masters" or "literary leaders" at that time.Tagore of India is a famous writer, poet and social activist. His creation has an important influence on the development of modern Indian literature, so people often call him the "literary master" of modern India.

The word "Tai Dou" has gradually expanded its meaning in the process of use, and is often borrowed to describe a person who has made outstanding achievements in a certain area and is famous and influential in society.For example, Li Shizhen, a medical scientist in the Ming Dynasty, was honored as the "master of medicine", and Newton and Einstein were called "masters of physics".

37. In ancient times, "buddy" refers to a partner or an employee

Guys, in the ancient military system, ten people are one fire, that is, they eat a pot of rice, and they are called partners in the same fire, and they also have meals. "Mulan Song" said: "When you see your partner, they are all in a hurry." And the man, in the old days, refers to the clerk or long-term worker.Chinese has a lot of words in this aspect, such as "shop", "xiaoer", "man", "waiter" and so on.Only the word "man" was inherited.In many areas, customers still refer to male waiters as "guys" in restaurants.The owner of a service industry or a small business may also refer to an employee as a "buddy".

"Partner" also sometimes refers to someone who works together in partnership.In the fifth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1577), Wang Shixing, a Jinshi, served as an official in Beijing, Nanjing, Henan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shandong and other places. In his spare time, he wrote a book based on his personal experience on the spot. Geography Notes "Guang Zhi Yi".In the third volume of the book, Wang Shixing's textual research on the word "buddy" said: "The folks in Jinzhong are simple and simple, and the left is said to have the style of Tang, Yu, and Xia." One hundred thousand is not called rich, but the way of living in it is good. Its people are distinguished by their conduct and behavior, and those who work in partnership and business are called buddies." This usage is still used today.

In some parts of the north, "buddy" is still a nickname among male acquaintances, and it can be said to be another name for "friend".However, there is no such usage in Cantonese dialect areas, and it is limited to addressing male waiters in small restaurants or food stalls.

39. How did the name of the shop boy come from?

In ancient times, "Dianxiaoer" was a unified name for waiters in restaurants or teahouses.Why is there such a name?This is because from the Song and Yuan Dynasties until the early years of the Republic of China, common people had no names.famous.The people who wrote the words either went to school or were officials.If you don't go to school or become an official, you won't know many words, and your name won't be very formal.Therefore, ordinary people often use a number symbol based on the age of their elders or parents as a title.For example, Chang Yuchun's great-grandfather was called "Sisan", his grandfather was called "Chongwu", and his father was called "Liuliu".Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang's father was called "May Fourth", the second brother was called "Chongliu", the third brother was called "Chongqi", and he himself was called "Chongba".

In the service industry similar to restaurants in ancient times, the status of the owner was always incomparable to others. Of course, he was the boss in this small shop. The waiters in the shop were hired by the owner and could only be the second child, so it is called "Shop Xiaoer".

39. Why are those who sell tea and wine called "Tea Doctor" and "Wine Doctor"

In the Tang and Song Dynasties, due to the establishment of professional schools, people who were proficient in a certain profession were called "doctors", such as doctors of medicine, doctors of mathematics, doctors of calligraphy, and doctors of law.Therefore, before the Sui and Tang Dynasties, doctors had to be scholars who were knowledgeable or proficient in one subject. Although the official position was not high, their social status was relatively high.

However, after the Song Dynasty, the status of doctors gradually declined, and service personnel in the service industry were also called "doctors".For example, the person who sells wine or the waiter of the restaurant is called "Dr. Liquor"; the chef who can make pasta is called "Dr. Grinding"; Originally refers to people who know how to fry tea and are proficient in tea art.

In fact, after the Five Dynasties, officials under the feudal system not only accepted bribes, but even sold their titles to collect property.However, folks are often used to addressing people from low to high, and adding false titles to show respect and praise, so as to please the other party.Over time, the title of doctor with specialized skills was taken up by traffickers and pawns who specialized in one kind of work.

40. What kind of people were usually called "every man" in ancient times?

The meaning of the word "Piv" in ancient times is quite complicated.

① refers to the men among the common people, and generally refers to the common people. "Mencius Wanzhang [-]": "Thinking of the people of the world, every man and woman who is not blessed by Yao and Shun, if they are pushed into the ditch." It means that, in his opinion, if there is a man and a woman in the world If you can't get the favor of Yao and Shun, it's like pushing them into a deep ditch yourself.

②Mostly refer to people who are brave and foolhardy, with a contemptuous meaning. "Mencius · King Hui of Liang": "The husband stroked his sword and looked at him quickly, saying: 'That evil dare to take me!' The bravery of this man is the enemy of one person."

③ refers to ordinary people.Song Sushi's "Records of Repairing Hanwengong Temple in Chaozhou": "Every man is a teacher for a hundred generations, and a word is the law of the world."

④ still say guy, thing.Often used to criticize ignorant people.More common in early vernacular.Yuan Liu Shizhong's "Duanzheng Shang Gaojiansi" divertimento: "It's ridiculous that this man who has no experience in the market is so good at beating that naughty partner in the rivers and lakes." "Shuo Tang" No. 16: "This old man is suitable to die, wait I went out and beheaded him." Why do stupid people call him "fool".

42. Why are stupid people called "fools"?
"Fool" is a derogatory term, often used to scold the honest and inflexible.But why do people call stupid people fools instead of other things, such as "stupid vegetables", "stupid fruits", "stupid beans"?

Mr. Gu Jiegang, a famous historian in our country, has done research on this, and believes that its origin is closely related to the "melon seeds".

(End of this chapter)