The most interesting folklore

Chapter 5 The most interesting festival culture (5)
During the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperors would go to the suburbs to hold a ceremony to worship heaven on this day, and listed it as one of the national religious sacrificial activities.The sacrificial activities are grand, and because they are held in the suburbs, they are also called "suburban sacrifices".

It was only after the Song Dynasty that the gods of heaven were combined with the Jade Emperor and other gods in Taoism, and it was believed that offering sacrifices to heaven meant offering sacrifices to Xuantian—God, the Jade Emperor, and of course a series of gods.

In some areas, there is also a primitive custom of offering sacrifices to the gods among the people.For example, in the Leizhou Peninsula of Guangdong, the god of thunder is called the god of heaven, and the worship is very pious.The Manchus in the north also had the custom of offering sacrifices to heaven during the winter solstice.On the night of the winter solstice, mats are spread in the courtyard, altars are set up, gods of heaven and earth are hung, and pigs are sacrificed.

up to.Also known as the Long Zhi Festival.This is another name based on natural phenomena.From the summer solstice, the days get shorter and shorter, reaching the peak at the winter solstice, and then the days get longer. Therefore, the winter solstice is also called "long solstice", which means that the length of the day will (has) come.

as short as.Also called short to section.This is also another name based on natural phenomena, but it is explained from a different angle.The long-term interpretation focuses on the "future", while the short-term is the opposite, explaining the winter solstice from the perspective of "present tense".The winter solstice is short and reaches the short solstice, so it is called "short solstice".Focusing on the perspective of "present tense", it is said that the long solstice should be the summer solstice, not the winter solstice.

fat winter.The winter solstice is earlier than the new year's festival, and the diet is rich, and there is a custom of giving wine and meat to relatives and friends, so it is called fat winter.

hi winter.It has the same focus and intention as Fei Dong.On the Winter Solstice Festival, relatives and friends congratulate each other and are full of joy, so it is called Xidong.

Long day.This is to understand the winter solstice from the perspectives of nature and custom, because there are two interpretations of the meaning of "walking long".The explanation from the natural point of view is that when the time reaches the winter solstice, the sun is the South Pole, and the shadow is the shortest, and the rhythm is the yellow bell, and the tube is the longest.

Tofu Festival.This is also another name from the perspective of customs, which is only popular in certain areas.Shanxi "Yuxiang County New Records": "The schools in each village worshiped their ancestors on 6th. Students prepare tofu to offer, and after offering to drink, it is commonly known as the 'Tofu Festival'."

sub-year-old.This is another name that was born in comparison with New Year's Day.It means the Winter Solstice Yasai Festival, which is exactly the same as the proverb "Winter Solstice is as big as the New Year".

In the Han Dynasty, the winter solstice was regarded as the "Winter Festival", which was called "He Dong".The winter solstice also has other names such as "Ruzheng", "Xinzheng", "Jiaodong", "Hedong", "Yiyang Festival" and "Xinhan Festival".

42. What happened to the winter solstice worship
The winter solstice is the biggest festival before the Spring Festival, and there is a folk saying that "the winter solstice is a big New Year's Eve".On this day, people gather with their families and eat dumplings, wontons or glutinous rice balls.In particular places, people will also prepare sacrifices to worship ancestors, and neighbors and friends will congratulate each other, which is called "worshiping winter".

The winter solstice has become a festival from a solar term in the lunar calendar, starting in the Han Dynasty.During the winter solstice in the Han Dynasty, there is also the custom of giving away shoes and socks.On this day, female members will present shoes and socks made by themselves to the elders in the family to fulfill the meaning of the festival, and it also means that a year of female workers begins.Of course, donating shoes and socks is not limited to women.During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Zhi presented shoes and socks to his father Cao Cao, and wrote a "Winter Solstice Socks and Shoe List": "Fu sees the old rituals, the national winter solstice, and presents shoes and socks, so we welcome blessings and practice growth."

The emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties performed sacrifices to heaven every winter solstice.The families of the gentry and gentry will also pay respects to their elders and send blessings on the winter solstice, and the peers will visit each other to congratulate each other, and use the festival to draw closer to each other.Even Kusano people will wear new clothes, bow and bow to each other, and congratulate each other to fulfill the etiquette of "worshiping winter".

Up to now, the Winter Solstice Festival is still prevalent among the folks in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, and Guangdong. During this festival, customs such as worshiping ancestors, eating glutinous rice products, and gathering banquets are held.Among them are quite a few meaningful eating activities.

For example, in Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas, eat more winter solstice meat, winter solstice fish, chicken and duck.Winter solstice meat is cooked with pork and sauce. It is said that eating winter solstice meat can strengthen the body.Winter solstice fish is to divide the fish and leave the head and tail, and put it in a rice bucket in a bowl, which is called "eat leftover", which means food abundance, which is similar to eating fish on New Year's Eve, which means "surplus every year".

43. Are the winter solstice songs all over the place the same?
As far back as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period BC, Jiujiuge has been widely used by people.In many works at that time, there are records about Jiujiuge.Ben Xiange was already very popular in Tang and Song Dynasties.Due to the different climates in different places, people have different focus when creating, so there are some differences in Jiujiu songs in different places.

For example, the "Nine Nine Songs" in the north say: "Ninety-nine and ninety-nine do not come out; three, nine, four, nine, walk up; five, nine, and sixty-nine, look at willows along the river; seven or nine, when the river opens, and nine geese come; nine, nine, 81, Cook at home and eat in the field." "Five or nine and a half, the lingering dissipates. Spring hits six or nine heads and nine of them don't plow the land, but in three or five days, nine of them bloom, and passers-by take their clothes."

Hunan's "Nine Nine Songs" recorded in "Jingchu Sui Shi Ji" said: "The winter solstice is the first nine, and the cuffs are hidden in both hands; on the 27th and 36th, the mouth seems to eat spicy food; on the 45th, 54th, seeing the fire is like honey; Four nine 63, close the door of the house and guard the stove; five nine 72, open the door to find a warm place; six nine 81, green ribbons grow on the willow tree; seven nine [-], pedestrians take off their clothes; eight nine [-], catkins fly all over the ground; nine nine [-], put on the coir raincoat and the bamboo hat."

Yuxian County on the dam said: "[-], the dumb door (described as opening mouth) called a dog (described as belching); If the river does not open, the geese will come every now and then; the river will freeze heavily, and the rice noodles will burst.”

44. When did the custom of Laba begin?

The history of eating Laba porridge in China has been more than 1000 years.According to records, this custom first began in the Song Dynasty.Every Laba day, whether it is the imperial court, the government, temples, or the common people’s homes, they all make Laba porridge to worship their ancestors.

There are many varieties of wax porridge all over China.Among them, the one in Beijing is the most exquisite, and there are more items mixed into the rice, such as red dates, lotus seeds, walnuts, chestnuts, almonds, longan, grapes, peanuts, etc., no less than 20 kinds in total.

There is also a saying that the custom of "Laba" was passed down from India.The founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni, was originally the son of King Jingfan of ancient India. He saw that all beings were suffering from birth, old age, sickness and death, and was dissatisfied with the theocratic rule of Brahmans at that time, so he gave up his throne and became a monk to practice Taoism.At first there was no harvest, but after six years of hard work, he became enlightened and became a Buddha under the bodhi tree on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.During these six years of asceticism, Sakyamuni only ate a little rice every day, using light substances to sharpen his will to seek Tao.Later generations do not forget his sufferings, and eat porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month every year to commemorate.

Therefore, "Laba" became "the anniversary of Buddha's enlightenment", which is a grand festival of Buddhism.Buddhist temples around the world hold Buddha bathing meetings, hold chanting activities, cook porridge with fragrant valleys and fruits for Buddha, which is called "Laba porridge", and present Laba porridge to disciples and faithful men and women.Legend has it that after eating it, you can get the blessing of the Buddha, so people also call it "Buddha porridge", and in some places it is also called "Fushou porridge" and "Fufu porridge", which means that after eating it, you can increase your blessings and longevity.

45. Is it the custom of Laba Festival to eat ice and store ice?

In some places, on the seventh night of the twelfth lunar month, water is frozen in a steel basin, and the ice is taken out of the basin and smashed into pieces on the Laba Festival.It is said that the ice on this day is miraculous, and after eating it, you will not have a stomachache for a year.

Others have to "freeze ice" for the children.In a bowl of clear water, the adults carved red and white radishes into various flowers, and used coriander as green leaves, and placed them on the outdoor windowsill.Early the next morning, if lumps form on the ice surface in the bowl, it indicates a good wheat harvest in the coming year.Then pour the ice cubes out of the bowl, colorful, crystal clear, really beautiful.The children play together and suck while playing.

In the past in Beijing, there was another kind of work on Laba Day, that is, to store ice.In Laba, the rivers in the capital began to ice, and the ice from the Yuhe River in the inner city was stored in the "inner cellar".The ice from Taiye Pool is stored in the "Snow Pool Ice Cellar" outside the west gate of Jingshan Mountain.Fuyou Street ice cellar stores ice from the South China Sea.The ice of each moat is stored in the crypt near the river and sold in summer.There are three types of old Beijing ice cellars: official ice cellars, mansion ice cellars and resident ice cellars.In the late Qing Dynasty, ice-making was not limited to Laba, but generally the winter solstice "March [-]".This custom has been followed until the appearance of refrigerators and ice makers.

46. ​​Which ethnic minorities celebrate the "Spring Festival" of the lunar calendar like the Han people

Like the Han people, many ethnic minorities also celebrate the "Spring Festival" of the Lunar New Year, such as the Zhuang, Buyi, Manchu, Bai, Naxi, Korean, Daur, Dong, Yao, Li, She, Maonan, Jing, The Gelao and Tujia people all pay attention to the "Spring Festival" of the lunar calendar, but each ethnic group has its own characteristics, with different content in terms of diet, clothing, hospitality customs and related taboos.

During the Spring Festival, the Zhuang people will kill pigs to worship their ancestors and buy special meals. On the evening of the New Year's Eve, each family will set up an altar in front of the ancestral tablet in the main room, and place offering crystals to worship the ancestors. A large hardwood is burned in the firepit at home.In the early morning of the first day of the lunar new year, the girls go to the springs and rivers to "draw new water", and then there is a New Year's party and a stage performance.

From the [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month to the [-]th day of the first month of the following year, the Buyi people, regardless of gender, have to rest, drink spring wine, visit relatives and friends, and talk to each other with songs, which is called "playing year" or "playing spring".

On the night of New Year's Eve, the Manchu people will go to the grave to burn paper, offer big meat and rice to pay homage to their ancestors.Every household also hangs its own color flag in front of the door, or red or yellow or blue or white, which are exquisitely made and colorful.

The Bai people will erect two green pine trees in the courtyard of their house, and lay green pine hairs on the ground to show that they are clean for the New Year. The rooster crows all over the place, and each household goes to the river to "drain spring water" and set off firecrackers. , outing together.

During the New Year's Eve, the Dong people drink a bowl of porridge, respect the Empress Dharma with camellia tea on the first day of the new year, welcome guests, sing and dance to promote peace, and gather together for dinner.

The Naxi people have to eat vegetarian food and pay homage to their ancestors' tombs on the first day of junior high school, pay New Year's greetings to each other on the second day of junior high school, and offer sacrifices to heaven after the third day of junior high school.

The Li people worship their ancestors on New Year's Eve and have a reunion dinner. The whole family does not go out on the first day of the new year, and worships the sky after the third day.On the fourth day of the lunar new year, go out for an outing, hunt and fish, and visit relatives and friends.

The Tujia people want to "celebrate the new year". Although they celebrate the new year according to the lunar calendar, they have to be one day earlier, so there is a custom of celebrating the "reunion year" twice. Eat cooked rice and chicken.On New Year's Eve, a large piece of firewood had to be burned in the fire pond, and a vigil was held around the fire.Which ethnic minorities celebrate their own New Year.

47. Which ethnic minorities celebrate their own New Year
In addition to celebrating the Lunar New Year, some ethnic groups also celebrate their own New Year depending on the situation.The Qiang people in Sichuan, the Dulong and Lisu people in northwest Yunnan, the Wa and Hani people in southwestern Yunnan, as well as Tibetans, Moinbas, Mongolians, Dais, Yis, Kirgizs, Miaos and Shuis all celebrate their own festivals.

In addition to celebrating the Spring Festival, the Qiang people also celebrate the Qiang New Year on the first day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar if no adults died that year.

The annual festival of the Dulong people is called the Kaquewa Festival, which is held between the first month and the second month of the lunar calendar. It is the most solemn festival of the year for the Dulong people.

The annual festival of the Lisu people is called "Kuoshi" festival. Due to different customs in different places, there is no uniform time, and it is roughly between the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month and the tenth day of the first month of the following year.

The annual festival of the Wa people is called "Bengnanni", which is based on the Guihai day in the last month of the phenological calendar of the Wa people.

The Lhoba people in southeastern Tibet usually celebrate the New Year in February of the Lhoba calendar in the west of Luoyu, which is called "Xu Dulong"; in the east, they celebrate the New Year on December [-] in the Tibetan calendar, called "Donggen Shea".

The Jinuo people in Yunnan refer to the sixth month of the Gregorian calendar as the "New Year Month", and the specific date is determined by the Zhaifu, Zhaimu and priests of each village.

The Hani people regard the first Dragon Day in October of the lunar calendar as New Year’s Eve, and the next Snake Day as New Year’s Day. The festival lasts for more than ten days.

Tibetans celebrate the Tibetan calendar year according to their own calendar, usually around the Spring Festival, some on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, some on November [-]st, and some on December [-]st.

The Moinba people in the Menyu area of ​​Tibet also celebrate the beginning of the first lunar month in the Tibetan calendar.

The Moinba people in Medog County have three New Years on December [-]st and [-]nd in the Tibetan calendar. - To celebrate the New Year on the [-]th, it is called "Luosha".

The annual festival of the Dai nationality is mostly held between June [-]th and July [-]th of the Dai calendar, that is, the Water-Splashing Festival.

According to their own calendar, the Kyrgyz celebrate the Nuolaoz Festival, which is the New Year, and the date is around the vernal equinox of the lunar calendar.The Miao people in Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan and Guangxi celebrate the New Year on Mao or Chou Day in September, October or November of the lunar calendar.

The Shui people in the south of Guizhou celebrate the day of Hai, the afternoon and the end of the year from the end of December to the first ten days of February of the following year, and each village in each region takes turns to celebrate the festival, which is called "Duanjie". .

Every October in the lunar calendar is the New Year Festival for the Yi people.During festivals, cattle, sheep and pigs are generally slaughtered to worship ancestors.In the past in Liangshan, subordinates had to send half a pig's head to their masters to show their belonging.The Yi people drink and sing to each other during the New Year's Eve.On the night of the festival, young men and women gather in the pine forest or in the empty field to "jump to the moon".Men play the big sanxian or accompanied by yueqin and flute, and women dance in pairs.The dance moves include running three steps, stopping two beats, raising the feet forward, jumping and clapping in place, etc., with clear rhythm and cheerful mood.

(End of this chapter)