I blushed.
To be honest, I really don't know. I haven't studied it, nor have I read any ancient books on it.
As the saying goes, it's early dawn and half darkness. I only know that 75% of Jiangyin people are going to give 75% of their ancestors a holiday to eat New Year's Eve. From the first day of July to the first half of July, every family worships their ancestors, commonly known as "Sacrifice Festival", and Jiangyin people call it "Zhu Yi".
Of course, the hostess of the family is responsible for the preparation of sacrificial festivals, such as Buddhist scriptures and tin foil ingots for the deceased ancestors, such as utensils for the wishing banquet (small handles, chopsticks, spoons, incense sticks and incense burners), and of course, dishes (including snacks and fruits).
But the real test of skill is the cooking process. In the process of cooking, you can't taste the side dishes. It all depends on your experience. Moreover, the cooked dishes can't put onions, ginger and garlic, which are naturally fragrant.
When I was a child, when my mother was busy in the kitchen, my father was outside directing our children to clean tables and stools. As soon as the window was clear, my dad began to put three small handles with numbers on both sides, and chopsticks were neatly placed on the right hand side of the small handles. Then when serving, the number of dishes must be three meats and three vegetables, respectively. Then the first dish on the right hand side, the meat dish, must be a complete flat fish, with a head and a tail, and there should be no damage during the burning process.
There are rules for serving food in my house. You can go to the kitchen to help bring it to the living room, but it must be a man or a master when it is served.
When I started pouring wine, the first glass of wine was also poured by my father, the man. Sprinkle yellow wine one by one with a special small flagon. It must be yellow rice wine, as if other wines are not allowed.
Then, he respectfully walked to the open door, held high three fragrant flowers, and shouted loudly that the late ancestor would go home for dinner in July and a half, and he had to wait for the elders of past dynasties, and called three times in a row.
Every time a toast is made, the family kowtows in turn. When I was a child, I heard my grandmother always kowtow and say, bless us, and the whole family is frugal.
At this time, I am probably dazzled.
After three rounds of wine, hot soup and rice were served, and when the candles were almost fragrant, the silver foil ingots were incinerated under the eaves at the door so that the ancestors could take them away when they left.
I remember there was soup in my house, but my colleagues at work said they didn't serve soup there. Therefore, the customs of various towns and villages in Jiangyin seem to be different.
Yes, ten miles is different.
During the whole toast, don't touch the tables and chairs, otherwise, it's really disrespectful.
Dinner in July usually starts at two or three o'clock in the afternoon, and the whole process of celebrating the festival takes about one or two hours, which is equivalent to a meal.
As the tinfoil burns until the smoke goes out and the red candle on the table goes out, you can shake the tables and chairs and bring the dishes into the kitchen.
When I was a child, my grandmother told me that the food I wished for must be brought into the kitchen, or reprocessed, or not returned to the pot before it can be served. Eating the food used by ancestors directly will make people stupid.
Of course, none of us want to do anything stupid.
In the era of lack of materials, we are looking forward to the festival, because three meats and three vegetables are a big meal for us, and our children take the opportunity to have a big meal.
Nowadays, living conditions have improved. First, the quality of the dishes has improved, and second, the quantity has definitely increased. My family has also begun to have no fixed number, far more than three meats and three vegetables. Moreover, I heard that in some families, these dishes are all dumped and not eaten. I asked the reason and said they were tasteless.
This year is July and a half again. My grandmother and my father are gone. In a blink of an eye, my father left us for almost ten years.
Family members toast, and the host is replaced by a younger brother. He was at the gate, holding incense, and invited our ancestors back for dinner in July and half. My father was the last one. At this time, my married daughter must have avoided it. I dare not listen to his voice calling me "dad", and tears will flow uncontrollably.
Ten years of life and death are two boundless.
The dishes are dazzling, the incense is misty, the candles are curling, and you bow your head and kowtow devoutly.