There are many activities about the dragon on this day, so it is called Dragon Heads Up Day. February 2 dragon head custom, as early as in the Ming Liu Dong, Yu Yizheng "Emperor Beijing Scenery? Volume II spring field ":" February 2, said the dragon raised its head, put the New Year's Day festival Yu cake, Kaori bed bed, said Kaori bugs, said the lead dragon, bugs do not come out." Qing dynasty still follow its custom. Fuchsia Dunsun "Yanjing yearly record": "February 2, the ancient Chinese and the Festival. People call for the dragon to carry the head. This is the day to eat the cake is called the dragon scale cake, food noodles is called the dragon beard noodles. Boudoir stop sewing, fear of injury to the eyes of the dragon." The dragon is the ancient Chinese culture in the status of a prominent deity, is auspicious, but also the master of the wind and rain. Common saying "the dragon does not raise his head day does not rain", the dragon raises his head means that the clouds Xing rain for, and heaven and earth, the clouds Xing rain for is the condition of all things fertility. Also, the ancient thought that the dragon is the essence of scale insects, the long of the insects, the dragon out of the insects hidden. The beginning of February is worth the spring, the beginning of agriculture, and is a hundred insects out of the sting, the time of the stupidity, so the folk have to support the dragon, cited the green dragon, shaving the dragon's head, but also have to eat the dragon skin, the dragon's beard, the dragon, dragon, the dragon scale cake of the custom, and stopping the needle, taboo, such as grinding.
"February 2nd Dragon Heads Up" origin
The folk proverb says: "February 2nd, the dragon heads up." Around the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar is one of the sixty-four solar terms of hibernation. It is said that after the winter eyes of the dragon, to this day, was rumbling spring thunder awakening, they raised their heads. So the ancients called the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar for the Spring Dragon Festival, also known as the Dragon Head Festival or Green Dragon Festival. Therefore, on this day, people go to the river to worship the Dragon God. The Chinese National Customs Zhi-Shou Chun yearly record of the cloud: "the second day of the second month, burning incense on the banks of the water, in order to sacrifice to the Dragon God."
People **** know that the dragon is the Chinese nation since ancient times, belief in the totem. That's why we proudly proclaim that the children of the Yellow Emperor are the heirs of the dragon. For thousands of years, people regarded the dragon as an auspicious object with a mysterious color. "February 2" is the day of the dragon's head, naturally become an important folk festival, many customs are also related to the dragon. In fact, "February 2, the dragon raised its head" and ancient astronomy. Ancient China used twenty-eight lodges to indicate the position of the sun, moon and stars in the sky and to judge the seasons. Twenty-eight hosts in the corner, hyper, 氐, room, heart, tail, Kei seven hosts to form a complete dragon-shaped constellation, the corner of the hosts is similar to the dragon's horns. Every February after the spring breeze, dusk when the Dragon Horn star from the eastern horizon, so called "dragon head".
February 2 Spring Dragon Festival has a long history. Leaving many customs. Ming Shen Bung's "Wan Department Miscellany" in the cloud: "February lead dragon, smoked hundreds of insects. ...... Villagers from the door of the civil gray euphemistic cloth into the house kitchen, circling the water tank, called the lead dragon back. Use the noodles to make pancakes. Smoke the beds and kangs to keep insects at bay." The Ming Palace History: "the second day of ...... each family with millet noodles date cake, fried in oil, or face and thin, spread as pancakes, called smoked insects." Qing Fucha Guo Chong in the "Yanjing Years and Years" also said: "February 2, ...... nowadays called the dragon head. It is the day of the food cake is called the dragon scale, food noodle is called the dragon beard face. Boudoir to stop the needle and thread, fear of injury to the eyes of the dragon." One of this custom has been inherited to the present day. 80's, in the north of Henan area still retains the custom of eating millet. On the morning of February 2, every family has to fry corn cake, which is called rice cake by the public, and there is also a song like this: "February 2, fry rice cake, fine fire, burn slowly, don't burn the old man's beard." At noon, all eat "old dragon cloth eggs". That is, corn molt commonly known as corn rice with noodles.
In fact, people are concerned about the "dragon's head" in various forms to commemorate the fundamental reason is related to agricultural production. As the ballad says: "February 2, dragon head, big warehouse full, small warehouse flow." Because February is the season of sowing crops. In the era of underdeveloped science, the people through a variety of commemorative activities, sent a strong desire to pray for the dragon to give blessings, blessing the wind and rain, a good harvest. In folklore, there is also such a limerick: "February 2, the dragon raises its head, the son of heaven plowed the land and the minister drove the ox; the Queen of the Palace to send food, the minister of the dynasty to throw the seed. Spring plowing and summer plowing rate of the world, the five grains of peace and prosperity in the fall." The court rate of the old man full of ministers to participate in the spring plowing production, see the importance of spring plowing does not miss the agricultural time. In the north, February 2, also known as the Dragon Heads Day, also known as the Spring Dragon Festival. In the south, it is called Treading Green Festival, which is also known as Pick Vegetable Festival. Since the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people have had the custom of "February 2nd". According to the data, the origin of this phrase and ancient astronomy on the operation of the stars and the understanding of agricultural festivals.
Why "February 2" before the dragon head? Because the lunar February has entered the mid-spring season, when the Yang Qi rise, the earth recovery, grass and trees sprouting, farmers will be spring plowing, sowing, very much in need of soil wet, retaining water. At this time if the God of rain, really valuable, so there is "spring rain is as expensive as oil" said. From the festival, the beginning of February is in the "rain", "hibernation", "spring equinox" between, this is a need for rain, but also the possibility of rainfall period, how people hope that through the act of praying to the dragon to realize the rain! How much did people want to realize the rainfall through the act of praying to the dragon.
Why is the dragon "raising its head"? Because the beginning of February is around the startling pads, hibernating winter animals have regained vitality, it is time for some activities. The dragon's head is raised, meaning that the dragon also acted, to fulfill its responsibility of rainfall. However, this is the usual explanation for the "February 2nd Dragon Head Raising", which is easy to understand. However, for the "dragon head" there are ancient astronomical interpretation, which is often ignored.
The ancients thought that the earth is not moving, is the sun in motion. As early as the Spring and Autumn period or even earlier, people regarded the Sun's annual trajectory between the stars as a circle, called the ecliptic. Then use certain stars to divide this circle into 28 equal parts, forming 28 zones, called the twenty-eight lodges. The word "lodging" denotes residence. If you observe the orbit of the moon, it basically stays in one night a day, and when the 28 nights have finished taking turns, it will be about a month, so it is called "lodging". The 28 lodges are divided equally according to the four directions of southeast, west, north and west, and there are seven lodges in each direction. For these 28 lodges, they are given names. In the east of the seven hosts are called: horn, hyper, dibi, room, heart, tail, Kei, they form a group, called the East Dragon. Among them, the horn is a symbol of the dragon's horns, hyper is the dragon's neck, on the board is the dragon's chest, the room is the dragon's belly, the heart is the dragon's heart, tail, Kei is the dragon's tail. In winter, these seven constellations of the dragon are hidden under the horizon, and they cannot be seen after dusk. By the beginning of February, when dusk comes, the Horned Host emerges from the eastern horizon. At this time the whole body of the dragon is still hidden below the horizon, just the first reveal of the horns, so it is called the dragon head. Shuo Wen Jie Zi" in the explanation of the word "dragon" said: "dragon, scale insects of long. Can be dark and bright, can be fine and huge, can be short and long. It ascends to the sky at the spring equinox and dives into the abyss at the fall equinox." All of them refer to the hidden changes of this Canglong 7 hosts in the sky, not that there is really an animal dragon transforming. The "Spring Equinox and Ascend to Heaven" refers to the Spring Equinox period, when the Horned Dragon begins to appear in the sky, and the Eastern Dragon reveals itself, i.e. the Dragon's head is lifted up.
Development of "February 2nd Dragon Heads Up"
China's ancient belief in the worship of the dragon has been continued, the dragon as the animal god of the rain more and more clear, so the "Zuo Zhuan" Huan Gong five years, "the dragon appeared and the summer rain," is to say that The dragon would appear after the hibernation, and sacrifices for rain would be held at that time. During the Warring States period of geography, mythological works, "Classic of Mountains and Seas", also said, should be in the south of the dragon in the south, "so the south of the rain", and the candle dragon "do not eat, do not sleep, do not rest, the wind and rain is to pay a visit to", that is, often invites the wind and rain. Because of the imaginary dragon can fly in the clouds, so the superstitious dragon can bring people auspicious, come to earth can be incarnated as the emperor son of heaven, so that the emperor called the real dragon son of heaven.
The earliest record of the rain event held directly with the image of the dragon is found in the Western Han Dynasty, Dong Zhongshu's "Spring and Autumn Dew". The book mentions the activity of dancing dragons for rain. In the Han Dynasty, there are also engraved on the statues and stones of the dance scene of "playing with dragons". These can be regarded as the later generations of dragon lanterns.
The Tang Dynasty people have the second day of February as a special day, said it is "welcome the rich and powerful" day, in this day to eat "welcome the rich and powerful fruit", is to eat some snacks and food. Song dynasty court in this day also have specialized activities. Song Zhou Mi in the "Old Wulin" described the Southern Song Dynasty, the second day of February in the palace, "picking vegetables" imperial banquet activities. Banquet, in some small dendrobium (mouth small bottom large measuring vessel) in the planting of lettuce and other fresh vegetables, write their names on silk, pressed on the dendrobium, let everyone guess. The names were written on silk and pressed under the dendro for everyone to guess. This activity is not only "fresh children", but also entertainment, so at that time, "the royal palace and noble residence is also more effective". However, the Tang and Song dynasties, these "February 2" activities are not linked to the "dragon head".
By the Yuan Dynasty, February 2 was clearly "Dragon Head Raising". Analyzing the Jin Zhi, in describing the customs of the Yuan capital, mentioned, "February 2, called the dragon carries the head". On this day, it was popular to eat noodles, called "dragon's beard noodles"; but also pancakes, called "dragon scale"; if the dumplings are wrapped, it is called "dragon's teeth". In short, all to the dragon body parts named.
"February 2 dragon head" folk
After the Yuan Dynasty on the "February 2 dragon head" a variety of folklore activities have been recorded more. People also called this day the Dragon Head Festival, Spring Dragon Festival or Green Dragon Festival. The end of the Qing Dynasty, "Yanjing Years and Years" said: "February 2 ...... people today call for the Dragon Heads Up. Is the day of food cake is called the dragon scale cake, food noodles is called the dragon beard noodles. Boudoir to stop the needle and thread, fear of injury to the eyes of the dragon also." At this time not only eat cakes and noodles, women can not do needlework, for fear of hurting the eyes of the dragon. Liaozhong County Records" recorded the Republic of China, the local February 2 folklore, said: "February 2, commonly known as the dragon carries the head. Wake up in the morning to rod knocking beams, called knocking the dragon head, meaning that the dragon stings from the land, cover the period near the hibernation. Farmers salty to coarse rice flour for cakes and buns for breakfast. Women shaved their heads for children on this day, taking the meaning of the dragon's head." This is a folk custom in Liaoning area, early in the morning to use a long pole to knock the beams, to wake up the dragon. At the same time also make some noodles to eat.
In addition to eating pasta, there are activities to draw water into the house. Qing people "Wan Department of miscellaneous folk" said: "all people call February 2 for the dragon head, the townspeople from the door of the ash from outside the cloth into the house of the kitchen, Shi around the water tank, called for the lead dragon back." This activity is in the early morning of the festival, people put grass ash, grain chaff, etc. from the river, wells all the way to the side of the water tank until the home, in order to wind and rain. Rainfall alone is not assured, must be introduced into the home, so that the rain falls on their own fields, only then as desired. This is a reflection of the economic consciousness of small farmers. Some places also play dragon lantern activities, is also the meaning of rain. Speaking of shaving the head on this day, is the custom of many places.
Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, in February 2 also added "smoked insects", "fried beans" activities. Ming's "Emperor Beijing Scenery" said: "February 2 is Dragon Head ...... smoked bed bed, said smoked insects, for the attraction of the dragon bugs are not out." Qing Kangxi, "Daxing County Zhi" records, "February 2, the family for meat and vegetable cakes, cooked in oil and eat, said smoked insects."
Why smoke insects? Early February of the lunar calendar, the weather is warming up, insects began to move, some bugs are harmful to human health, so this day there are more and more people frying food in oil, pancakes, etc., by virtue of the smoke smoked bugs, which is a health-conscious concept. In the north, such as Hebei, Shandong, Shaanxi and other places there is also the practice of eating fried beans used to drive away insects. People soak soybeans in salt water for a period of time, and then take them out and fry them in a pot, and soon the soybeans pop in the pot, thus startling the insects and scorpions and driving them away. As for some articles mentioned Beijing has "February 2 to pick up aunt" and other folklore, here do not need to repeat.
"February 2nd Dragon Heads Up" food customs
Ordinary people in this day to eat noodles, spring cakes, popcorn, pork, etc., different regions have different food, but most of them are related to the dragon, and the name of the food is generally added to the title of the "dragon", such as eating dumplings. The title of the food, such as eating dumplings called to eat "dragon ear"; eating spring pancakes called to eat "dragon scale"; eating noodles called to eat "dragon beard"; eating rice called to eat "dragon child
To eat the spring pancake is called to eat "dragon scale"; to eat noodles is called to eat "dragon beard"; to eat rice is called to eat "dragon son"; to eat wontons is called to eat "dragon eyes".
Eating spring pancakes called "eating dragon scales" is a very good image, a spring pancake larger than the palm of the hand is like a piece of dragon scales. Spring cake has toughness, rolled inside many dishes. Such as soy sauce meat, elbow, smoked chicken, soy sauce duck, etc., cut into thin shreds with a knife, with several kinds of home-style fried vegetables such as shredded meat fried leeks and sprouts, shredded meat fried spinach, mung bean sprouts cooked in vinegar, veggie fried vermicelli, spreading eggs, etc., rolled into the spring pancake, dipped in thinly shredded green onions and drizzled with sesame oil to eat the noodle sauce, it is really fresh and refreshing. When eating spring pancakes, the whole family sits together, puts the branded spring pancakes in the steamer, and takes them as they are eaten, hot and happy.
The second day of February to eat popcorn has a legend. According to legend, Wu Zetian became emperor, the Jade Emperor ordered three years to the earth is not allowed to rain. However, the Jade Dragon in charge of the Heavenly River could not bear to see the people suffer from starvation, and secretly sent a heavy rain, the Jade Emperor was informed that the Jade Dragon in charge of the Heavenly River was knocked down from the Palace of Heaven, and pressed under a big mountain. A monument was erected under the mountain, which reads: "The Dragon King violated the rules of heaven by sending down rain, and was subjected to a thousand sins on earth. If you want to climb back up to the heavenly palace, unless when the golden bean blossoms." In order to save the Dragon King, people searched everywhere for the blossoming golden beans. To the second day of February of the next year, people are turning the golden corn seeds, suddenly remembered, this corn is like gold beans, fried flowers, is not the golden bean blossom? So every family popcorn, and set up in the yard burning incense, for the "blossom of the golden beans", specifically for the Dragon King and the Jade Emperor to see. The dragon king knew that this is the people in the rescue it, shouted to the Jade Emperor: "Golden beans bloom, let me out!" The Jade Emperor took a look at the golden bean blossoms opening in every yard on earth, and had to summon the Dragon King to return to heaven and continue to give rain to the earth. Since then, the folk formed a custom, every February 2 this day, people will pop corn flower, there are also fried soybean.
The second day of February to eat pig's head meat also has a saying. Since ancient times, offerings to the gods always use pigs, cows and sheep three animals, and later simplified for the head of the three animals, the pig's head is one of them. According to the Song Dynasty's "Qiu Chi notes" recorded a story: Wang Zhongling after the pacification of Sichuan, very hungry, so broke into a small temple in the countryside, but met a drunken monk, Wang Zhongling angry, want to behead, but know that the monk is not afraid of the color, Wang Zhongling is very strange, and turn to him to ask for food, not long after the monk offered a plate of "steamed pig's head", the monk said, "the head of the pig is one of them. "Steamed pig's head" and wrote a poem about it: "The mouth is long and hairy and shallow with fat, long to the mountains to eat medicine seedlings. Steam has been wrapped in banana leaves, cooked with apricot paddle water. Red and fresh is elegantly called gold plate Ting, ripe and soft can really be jade chopsticks pick. If there is no hairy root to compare, the felt root is the same as the vine." Wang Zhongling ate steamed pig's head, listening to the funny and chic "pig's head poem" is very happy, so, the monk was named "Purple Venerable Master". It seems that the pig's head is really a delicacy it, but also is the turn of the tide for the auspicious sign of peace and prosperity. Today there is a famous dish called "grilled pig face", after the selection of materials, cleaning, spray roasting, washing and soaking, soy sauce and other twelve steps, after more than ten hours of cooking, to be served on the table. There are three kinds of "grilled pig's face", one is eaten in its original flavor; the second is dipped in sauce; the third is rolled pancakes to eat. Each way of eating has a different flavor. "Pork face" is fat but not greasy, meat and bones are separated, sticky and delicious, and it brings beauty and brain-health effects to modern people. "On February 2, we eat modern "pig face", recalling the ancient history of food and drink, which is really a perfect experience of contemporary and historical integration.
As a festival of ancient folklore, the February 2nd Dragon Rising Festival has largely faded from the modern life of Chinese people. However, we should also recognize that some of the cultural connotations of the February 2nd Dragon Rising Festival, such as the ancient worship of dragons and the materialistic interpretation of the Dragon Rising Festival in ancient astronomy, are still of value for research.
The second day of the second month of the lunar calendar is one of the traditional festivals in Huai'an, which is called "Dragon Head Raising", also known as "Dragon Head Festival". "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, and all the men in the family shave their heads. In the old days, there was a saying in Huaian that "if you have money or not, you should shave your head to celebrate the New Year". Before the Spring Festival shaving and haircut to February 2, has been more than a month, it is the need to shave and haircut time. February 2, the dragon raises its head, is an auspicious day, over time, the formation of the February 2 shaved head custom. "February 2 dragon raised its head, family children shaving hair" is also the reason for this, in order to take advantage of the good luck in the middle of shaving the head plus "dragon" word, called shaving the "dragon" head, in order to distinguish between other times of shaving the head, but also Some girls choose this day to get their ears pierced. In addition, parents choose this day to send their children to study.
"February 2, the family home to pick up the daughter". In the old days, the bride does not return to the door in the first month, the daughter-in-law does not go to her mother's home, the first month is not empty. At the same time, there is "married daughters in the first month can not look at the lamp of the mother's home, look at the lamp of the mother's home death of the father-in-law," the superstition, and therefore the first month of the daughter is not allowed to go back to her mother's home. More than a month, the girl wants to mother, mother wants to daughter, so to February 2, not only has been out of the first month, but also auspicious days, so the families are picking up their daughters back to their families.
"February 2, shine the beams, scorpions, entertainment clams nowhere to hide". On this day, candles left over from the New Year's rituals are lit to shine on the beams and walls to drive out pests. In addition, on this day, children use chopsticks to knock on the dried dipper, saying while knocking: "February 2nd, knock on the dipper, nine out of ten rats will be blind." They use chopsticks to knock on the wine cup and say: "February 2nd, knock on the wine cup, ten nests of rats, nine nests are empty", so as to drive away rats and mice. Use white paper to write "February 2, all insects and ants straight into the ground" of the "cricket list", which "all insects and ants straight into the ground" to reverse the book, and then stick it on the table leg or bed foot to avoid insects and ants.
"The book should be poured, and then stick it on the table leg or bed foot to avoid insects.
"February 2, the dragon raised its head, the big hoard full, small hoard flow", with the green ash painting grain hoard or granary, or in front of the door with the green ash painting the size of the circle, symbolizing the big circle to take the small circle, praying for a good harvest, which is another folk custom.
February 2, some also have to eat food Eve potpourri and women avoid the custom of needle and thread. It is said that the dragon head when moving needle and thread, will hurt the eyes of the dragon.
February 2, according to legend, is the birthday of the Land God, called "land birth", in order to give the land God "warm life", some places have organized the "land will" custom: family Money for the land god birthday congratulations, to the land temple incense burning rituals, drums and gongs, firecrackers, after the founding of the country this custom gradually faded.