Ninghai Customs

Spring Festival

The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, commonly known as the New Year. Getting up early in the morning to set off firecrackers is called "opening the door." On this day, people wear new clothes and set up incense tables in the central hall or courtyard to offer offerings, mostly pure tea, new rice, rice dumplings, five-color fruits, etc. The whole family, old and young, bows to the sky, which is called "worshiping heaven and earth". Vegetarian meals such as pure rice and tofu are used for breakfast. When they meet, they say "New Year's greetings" to each other and say "good luck" and "good luck" and other good words. Do not go to work, do not sweep the floor, do not ask for debts, and do not allow crying, swearing, beating, killing and other ominous behaviors. Go to the temple to worship during the day and pray for good luck throughout the year. There is a saying that "birds stay together at the beginning of the first month of the first lunar month" if you don't light a lamp at night and go to bed early. Starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, relatives bring candies, white rice cakes, etc. to each other to "wish each other New Year greetings." The party receiving the greetings will entertain them with wine and give "New Year's money" to the young children among the guests. After liberation, the custom of paying New Year greetings gradually declined. In recent years, it has become more and more popular, and gifts have become increasingly important, with high-end bottles of wine and tonics instead.

Don’t sweep the floor on the first day of the first lunar month

It is said that a long time ago, there was a young man doing business in Ningbo named Ouyang. Every time he goes out to do business, he has to pass by a place called Pengze Lake. I don’t know what he thinks, but when the boat reaches the middle of the lake, he always throws a few of his things into the lake. When people see him, they think he is stupid. What about him? He is very happy every time he throws away.

Once, he crossed the lake again, holding something in his hand. When he was about to throw it into the middle of the lake, he saw a man emerging from the lake in the blink of an eye, saying that he was worshiping the lake god Chunhu. It is your will to specially invite Ouyang to be a guest. He also said to Ouyang: "Mr. Chunhu thanks you for giving him gifts every time you go to the lake. If you go back to see him this time, he will definitely give you many gifts in return. I advise you not to ask for anything else, just one named Ruyuan Girl, you will be blessed." Ouyang nodded after hearing this.

The visitor separated the waterway, and Ouyang followed him to where Chunhu Jun lived. Mr. Chunhu was very polite and asked people to bring many pearls, agates and ambers for Ouyang to choose from. Ouyang shook his head and said to Chunhu Jun: "I don't want anything, just Ru Yuan."

Chun Hu Jun agreed to him, called Ru Yuan, and told her to serve Ouyang well. When Ouyang saw that he was as beautiful as a fairy as he wished, he was very pleased and thanked Mr. Chunhu repeatedly. On the 14th night of the first lunar month, drinking spicy soup in the bombing world began with the "killing of Tatars" in the late Yuan Dynasty.

The Hu people fought from the north to the south and called the southerners "southern people". After the Hu people killed the southerners until they were bloody and messy, they organized the remaining southerners into five companies. Each company set up a site boundary and assigned a Hu person to take charge. The Hu people were afraid of the rebellion of the Southerners, so they limited the number of people to ten households and used a kitchen knife. The Hu people who are in charge of the affairs have to be supported by the Southern people. During the festivals, the Hu people are asked to "try new things" first. The southerners had nowhere to redress their grievances and complain about their sufferings. They all wanted to kill all these barbarians in one night, but unfortunately they lacked a leader.

A scholar came up with a plan and made many mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Each mooncake had a note inside, which read: "Eat mooncakes on August 16th this year. On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month next year, the Hu people will be killed. "Because we must first honor the Hu people during the festival, the scholar arranged the day for eating moon cakes after the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the day for killing the Hu people before the Lantern Festival. In this way, the barbarians don't know anything about it, and only the southerners know.

As soon as the night of the fourteenth day of the first lunar month arrives, every family starts to kill "Tarts", and all the barbarians in every community are killed overnight.

After killing the Hu people, the southerners became angry. Every household took action. Everyone gathered camphor branches, put them on the "site boundary", and burned them all. The boundaries of the site are burned out, and the "connections" are connected, so people can communicate with each other.

The scene is good, every family cooks spicy soup, and everyone drinks a bowl. Hu spicy soup is made from starch and vegetables. "Hu" refers to the Hu people. Cooking Hu spicy soup is like boiling the Hu people into soup. After eating it, you will no longer be oppressed.

From then on, on the 14th night, the community was bombed, and the spicy soup was drunk after bombing the site, and it has been passed down.

The Beginning of Summer

Commonly known as "Summer". Eat tea eggs, green plums, fresh bamboo shoots, fresh broad beans and other foods on this day.

At the beginning of summer, sea clams are eaten on the bones of the feet.

At the beginning of summer, every household along the coast enjoys eating sea clams and leaning on the bones of the feet. Why?

According to legend, in ancient times, there lived a mother and her son at the foot of Daliang Mountain. There was a drought one year, and there was no harvest. Even the seeds for the second year were cut off.

The brave son went out to search for seeds across mountains and seas. Day after day, he still hadn’t come back. His mother looked forward to it day after day and night after night. One day, in Suoyang Port, I saw my son passed out on the beach, holding a bag of seeds in his hand and chanting: "It's sour, it's sour." The mother carried her son back to the house with tears in her eyes.

At night, the mother dreamed of an old man with gray hair and a childish face, holding a whip in his hand, floating up to her and saying: "Your son is weak and weak, his hands and feet are sore. He will be better after eating sea clams."

Haiyou, the meat is fresh and tastes great. My son ate two big bowls of food, and his energy was restored and his limbs became stronger.

This day happens to be the beginning of summer. Beginning of summer is the beginning of summer, and people always have weak hands and feet. Everyone heard that eating sea clams can make the limbs light and strong, so they all learned to eat it. Since then, in the coastal areas, every year at the beginning of summer, there has been a custom of eating sea clams and leaning on the bones of the feet.

Dragon Boat Festival

The fifth day of May is the Dragon Boat Festival.

Every family collects calamus or mugwort leaves and hangs them beside the door, and hangs a statue of Zhongkui in the hall to "suppress evil and eliminate demons". At noon, spray white wine mixed with realgar, smear realgar on the child's eyebrows, ears, and forehead, and draw a broadsword or sword on the door to demonstrate. Women use fragrant powder and mothballs as cores and use colorful threads or colored cloth to make sachets, hang them in front of their tents, or give them to sisters or children to wear. On this day, every family eats wheat cakes or rice dumplings. Son-in-laws often give yellow croakers to their in-laws' families, and newlyweds' in-laws' families give them chicks, banana fans, tents, summer clothes, etc. in return.

Calamus hanging on the Dragon Boat Festival

Huang Chao rebelled and fought all the way. At dawn, a large group of people rushed into Ninghai from Guanzhuang. For a moment, the city of Ninghai was abuzz with blood and blood.

Two brothers live in a tunnel at the small north gate of the city. The eldest brother Nuozi is three years old, and the little brother Nuozi is still in his arms. This time, my brother and sister-in-law were killed by Huang Chao before they could escape, leaving only a three-year-old child. Fortunately, the little brother's insider had quick eyesight and quickly grabbed him and ran away.

She came out from the back door, carrying her uncle's baby on her back and holding her own baby in her hand, and ran, ran, ran, until she reached the small south gate. When Huang Chaobing saw him from behind, he chased him, chased, chased, chased, all the way to the small south gate. The guest fled out of the south gate, and Huang Chaobing chased her closer and closer. Seeing that she was about to be caught, she dropped the small baby in her hand and fled with a large baby on her shoulders. When she fled to Xinan Bridge, she was out of breath and couldn't escape, so Huang Chaobing grabbed her. Huang Chao ran over, his eyes bulged and he asked fiercely: "You have a bad conscience, why did you abandon the small one and run away with the big one on your back?" After speaking, he took the big country from the back of the guest, picked up the knife and chopped it. The guest hurriedly knelt down and begged for mercy: "Xiu Xiu, Xiu Xiu. Your Majesty, please don't have a bad conscience. What I carry on my back is my uncle's baby, and what I throw away in my hand is my own baby. My uncle and my uncle are being raped by you." Kill him and keep him as a seed. My husband is away from home as a burden, so he will be fine in the future."

As the old saying goes, the truth is true. After Huang Chao heard this, his heart softened, and he asked his guest to go home and stop killing him. The guest said: "Your Majesty, please let me go. Your Majesty's men will kill me later." Huang Chao thought the same thing. He lowered his head and saw a large fluff of water calamus growing at the foot of the bridge, so he picked out a few with the tip of a knife and gave them to her. : "If you hang it at the door of your house, the people below me will not kill you.

The guests brought back the calamus and hung it at the door. Sure enough, Huang Chao's soldiers and horses came and went, but they did not come in. When the neighbors next door saw it, they followed suit. When Huang Chao came back, he saw that there were calamus hanging on the doors in the front and back alleys. He couldn't tell which house was the guest's house and which was not, so he had to put away his troops. Let's go. Every village said that if they hung up calamus leaves, Huang Chao wouldn't come to kill them. So, before Huang Chao's soldiers and horses came into the village, the calamus leaves were hung on the doors of every house. Huang Chao couldn't kill him even if he looked around. Don't kill him there, just throw away your swords and guns, scatter your troops and horses, and go to heaven to become a Buddha.

Because the day of hanging the calamus is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, so every time in the future, Every family hangs Fupu to ward off disasters. This custom has been followed to this day.

Other customs

April 8th

is commonly known as "Ox Birthday". Farmers make "black rice" mochi, as the saying goes, "On April 8th, the mochi is black." On this day, the cattle stop plowing and feed the cattle mochi, wine, and eggs to show respect and prepare for spring plowing.

June 6th

It is commonly known as "Dog Bathing Day". In the old days, some fishing villages still held ancestor worship activities, thinking that their ancestors were "dogs", which is actually an evolution of ancient totem customs. There are also elders who bathe children in the hope that they will be as strong as animals. Women often dry their clothes to prevent moisture and mildew, and scholars also dry their books. There is a saying: "On June 6th, the sun is red and green." ”

Mid-Autumn Festival

Ninghai celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 16th. Relatives and friends give each other moon cakes before the festival, and the family reunites in the evening to drink, taste moon cakes and admire the moon.

Double Ninth Festival

The ninth day of September is the Double Ninth Festival. Folks pound glutinous rice and mochi to sacrifice to "Tian Gong Tian Mu" and then eat it. This day is now designated as the Elderly Day in Zhejiang Province. Climbing activities are popular.

Winter Solstice

In ancient times, it was said that after the winter solstice, people would be one year older. Food. Folk tomb making and repairing are mostly done on the two seasonal festivals of Winter Solstice and Qingming Festival, which are considered to be auspicious and have no taboos.

New Year's Eve

It is commonly known as the Chinese New Year. , is the most solemn and busy festival of the year. Before New Year's Eve, every household dusts off things, buys new year's goods, kills chickens and ducks, makes rice sugar, makes tofu, makes rice cakes, and wraps rice dumplings. Fish and meat must be sent to Yue's family, which is called "Send New Year's Eve". On the evening of the third day, the "Kitchen God" will be sent to heaven, and each household will hold a sacrifice ceremony in the hall to thank the gods and ancestors, which is called "Thanksgiving New Year". " or " send off the New Year. " On New Year's Eve, the family reunites to have a "New Year's Eve dinner" and enjoy family happiness. The elders give "New Year's money" to their children and grandchildren. On New Year's Eve, the lights in the room are brightly lit, which is called "Jianjianliang". Some people stay up all night Staying awake is called "staying up late on New Year's Eve". Setting off firecrackers late at night is called "closed firecrackers". In the old days, poor families often hid in other places on New Year's Eve to avoid being asked for debts and did not dare to return home, so this day was called "New Year's Eve". Nowadays, life has improved; families gather together more, watch TV and movies, and have a happy New Year. Ninghai Customs

Spring Festival

The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, commonly known as getting up early in the morning to set off firecrackers during the New Year. , known as "opening the door."

On this day, people wear new clothes and set up incense tables in the central hall or courtyard to offer offerings, mostly pure tea, new rice, rice dumplings, five-color fruits, etc. The whole family, young and old, bows to the sky, which is called "worshiping heaven and earth". Vegetarian meals such as pure rice and tofu are used for breakfast. When they meet, they say "New Year's greetings" to each other and say "good luck" and "good luck" and other good words. Do not go to work, do not sweep the floor, do not ask for debts, and do not allow crying, swearing, beating, killing and other ominous behaviors. Go to the temple to worship during the day and pray for good luck throughout the year. There is a saying that "birds stay together at the beginning of the first month of the first lunar month" if you don't light a lamp at night and go to bed early. Starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, relatives bring candies, white rice cakes, etc. to each other to "wish each other new year's greetings." The party receiving the greetings will entertain them with wine and give "new year's money" to the young children among the guests. After liberation, the custom of paying New Year greetings gradually declined. In recent years, it has become more and more popular, and gifts have become increasingly important, with high-end bottles of wine and tonics instead.

Don’t sweep the floor on the first day of the first lunar month

It is said that a long time ago, there was a young man doing business in Ningbo named Ouyang. Every time he goes out to do business, he has to pass by a place called Pengze Lake. I don’t know what he thinks, but when the boat reaches the middle of the lake, he always throws a few of his things into the lake. When people see him, they think he is stupid. What about him? He is very happy every time he throws away.

Once, he crossed the lake again, holding something in his hand. When he was about to throw it into the middle of the lake, he saw a man emerging from the lake in the blink of an eye, saying that he was worshiping the lake god Chunhu. It is your will to specially invite Ouyang to be a guest. He also said to Ouyang: "Mr. Chunhu thanks you for giving him gifts every time you go to the lake. If you go back to see him this time, he will definitely give you many gifts in return. I advise you not to ask for anything else, just one named Ruyuan Girl, you will be blessed." Ouyang nodded after hearing this.

The visitor separated the waterway, and Ouyang followed him to where Chunhu Jun lived. Mr. Chunhu was very polite and asked people to bring many pearls, agates and ambers for Ouyang to choose from. Ouyang shook his head and said to Chunhu Jun: "I don't want anything, just Ru Yuan."

Chun Hu Jun agreed to him, called Ru Yuan, and told her to serve Ouyang well. When Ouyang saw that he was as beautiful as a fairy as he wished, he was very pleased and thanked Mr. Chunhu repeatedly.

Ouyang brought the wishful girl back to Ninghai and married her. From this moment on, whatever Ouyang wants can be done for him. As expected, Ouyang is smart and smart, and Ouyang is frugal and hardworking.

The couple lives a very comfortable life. Within a few years, Ouyang became a well-known tycoon.

One year on the first day of the first lunar month, Ouyang was so happy that he drank a few more glasses of wine. In a daze, he went crazy with alcohol and hit Ru Yuan with his fists. As soon as Ru Yuan saw that something was wrong, he hurriedly hid in a broom behind the corner of the door. After Ouyang woke up, he felt extremely regretful and guarded the broom day and night, fearing to disturb Zhi Yuan, but Zhi Yuan never came out since then.

Getting your wish, getting your wish, is everyone’s wish. Sweeping the floor on the first day of the first lunar month may drive away your wish. Therefore, not sweeping the floor on the first day of the first lunar month has gradually become a custom in Ninghai.

Lantern Festival

In Ninghai, the fourteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival. Commonly known as "Fourteen Nights". On that day, each family breaks camphor branches and inserts them at the door to "ward off evil spirits"; at night, camphor branches are burned and the leaves crackle, which is called "bomb site boundary" to get rid of "bad luck" and bring good luck. It is customary to eat soup dumplings, dumplings, spicy soup, rice dumplings, etc. for dinner. The Lantern Festival is also known as the Festival of Lanterns. Every family makes and hangs lanterns; children carry string lanterns through the streets, and there are activities such as dragon dancing, lion dancing, boat lantern walking, and stilt walking. The gongs and drums are noisy, and it is only midnight. In the city and in major village ancestral temples, on the 13th or 14th day of the first lunar month, there are activities to worship criminals and perform plays to worship gods. After the 17th and 18th lunar months, various activities gradually come to an end. There is a common saying: "seven pigs and sheep fall, eight lanterns fall, and nine fall performers" words. Today, the superstitious habits have been changed, but other activities still exist.