The customs from New Year's Eve to the 15th are as follows:

1. The first day of the first lunar month

The first day of the first lunar month was originally called "New Year's Day", and the original meaning of "Yuan" is "head" ", later extended to "start". This day is the first day of the year, the first day of spring, and the first day of the first month, so it is called "Three Yuan". On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, people set off firecrackers first, which is called "opening the firecrackers." After the sound of firecrackers, the ground was filled with red, as bright as clouds and brocade, which was called "Man Tang Hong". People get up early, dress up, go out to visit relatives and friends, pay New Year greetings to each other, and wish each other a happy New Year.

When paying New Year greetings, the younger generation should first pay New Year greetings to their elders and wish them longevity and health. The elders can give the younger generation the New Year's money they have prepared in advance. It is said that lucky money can suppress evil spirits, because "Sui" and "祟" are homophonic, so the younger generation can spend their first year in peace by receiving lucky money. Do not use a broom on the first day of the first lunar month, otherwise it will sweep away luck, lose money, and attract the "broom star", causing bad luck. If you must sweep the floor, you must sweep from the outside to the inside.

2. The second day of the first lunar month

On the second day of the first lunar month, a married daughter will return to her parents' home, and her husband will accompany her, so it is commonly known as "Welcoming Son-in-Law Day". On this day, the daughter who returns to her natal family must bring some gifts and red envelopes to distribute to the children of her natal family, and have lunch at her natal family, but she must rush back to her husband's house before dinner, which is called "the first month of the year." In the past, families would also choose this day to take a family photo.

In the north, the God of Wealth is worshiped on the second day of the first lunar month. Whether it is a commercial shop or an ordinary family, activities to worship the God of Wealth must be held. In the past, big business houses in old Beijing would hold large-scale sacrificial activities on this day, and the sacrifices would also include the "five major sacrifices", namely whole pigs, whole sheep, whole chickens, whole ducks, red live carp, etc., in the hope of making a fortune this year.

3. The third day of the first lunar month

In most places across the country, the time to "go back to your parents' home" is usually arranged on the second day of the first lunar month, but in Shandong and other places, it is not until the third day of the lunar month. Go back to your parents’ home.” In some areas in the north, the third day of junior high school is called "Broom Day". Because on this day, you can clean up the garbage from the first and second days of the Lunar New Year, pick up a broom and clean the room, and when cleaning, sweep from the outside in, which means to gather wealth.

In southern China, "chikou" (forbidden words) must be posted on the morning of the third day of the Lunar New Year. It is considered that this day is prone to quarrels and is not suitable for New Year greetings. The so-called "red mouth" usually uses a red paper about seven or eight inches long and one inch wide, with some auspicious words for safe entry and exit written on it. It is posted on the top of the front door and the back door. Another one is placed on the garbage. Dump it outside.

4. The fourth day of the first lunar month

According to traditional customs, the fourth day of the first lunar month is the day when the gods come to the world. There is a saying that "it is early to send off the gods and late to receive them". The so-called sending off the gods should start early in the morning, and it is not too late to pick up the gods in the afternoon. Therefore, on the afternoon of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, every household must prepare offerings such as animals, fruits, wine and vegetables, and burn incense and candles to burn golden clothes.

5. The fifth day of the first lunar month

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is commonly known as Po Wu, and it is necessary to "catch the five poor", including "poor in intelligence, poor in learning, poor in literature, poor in life, and poor in communication" . People get up at dawn, set off firecrackers and clean the house. The firecrackers were set off from the inside out, while going out the door, saying that they would blast out all unlucky things.

On this day, the popular food custom among the people is to eat dumplings, which is commonly known as "pinch the little man's mouth". On this day, Tianjin people eat dumplings in every household, and the chopping board must make a clanging sound for the neighbors to hear, to show that they are chopping "little people".

6. The sixth day of the first lunar month

The sixth day of the first lunar month is called "Horse Day". On this day, people should "give away the poor". This is a very distinctive folk custom in ancient my country. Customs of the year. In Beijing, women at home occasionally throw away the garbage accumulated during the festival, and they can also take off the paper hanging on the door and throw it out at the same time. The most popular people on this day are boys who have reached the age of 12. 12 is twice the number of 6, which can be said to be a lucky number.

This is also the day when shops open, and firecrackers are set off, no less than on New Year's Eve. In the old days, bosses and shop assistants would shake their abacus and hit the weighing pan with the scale beam on this day to make a sound in the store, which means "good luck and good fortune"; the door panels would also have a sticker saying "good luck in opening the market, everything will go well". The red couplets show good luck.

7. The seventh day of the first lunar month

The seventh day of the first lunar month is "Human Day", that is, a person's birthday. According to the "Book of Divination", starting from the first day of the lunar month, the order in which God created all things is "one chicken, two dogs, three pigs and four sheep, five oxen and six horses, seven people and eight grains", so the seventh day of the lunar month is the "human day".

On this day, Hong Kong people like to eat Jidi porridge. The so-called passing means hoping to be the top scholar in high school. Everyone must be respected on this day. Even the government cannot execute criminals on this day, and parents cannot teach their children on this day.

In some areas in the south, there is a custom of "fishing for fish" on the "Human Day". When fishing for yusheng, many people often gather around the place and pour the fish, ingredients and sauces into a large plate. Everyone stands up, waves their chopsticks, and scoops up the fish ingredients, while constantly shouting: "Bao, ah, ah." ! Send it, send it!” And get higher and higher to show your progress.

8. The eighth day of the first lunar month

According to legend, the eighth day of the first lunar month is Guzi’s birthday. If the weather is sunny on this day, the rice harvest will be good this year; if the weather is cloudy, the rice harvest will be poor. The eighth day of the lunar month is also called the Shunxing Festival. Legend has it that it is the day when the stars in the lower realms appear most fully in the sky. Small lanterns are made and burned to worship them, which is called Shunxing. It is also called "sacrifice to the stars" and "receive the stars".

9. The ninth day of the first lunar month

Folks believe that the ninth day of the first lunar month is the birthday of the Jade Emperor, which is the so-called "Jade Emperor's Birthday" and "Tiangongsheng", also known as "Heaven's Day". On this day, Taoist temples will hold a grand birthday celebration ceremony and chant sutras and worship. On this day, every household will bow to the sky and hold the most solemn ceremony.

On this day, be gentle when dealing with others and do not offend the gods. The folk worship ceremony starts from the early morning of the ninth day of the lunar month and lasts until dawn. On the eve of this day, the whole family must fast, bathe, and worship with solemn reverence.

10. The tenth day of the first lunar month

According to legend, the tenth day of the first lunar month is the Stone Festival, which is the birthday of the Stone God. "wait. It is not allowed to move stones, mills, mills, mortars and other stone tools on this day, otherwise the crops will be damaged. On this day, it is also forbidden to dig rocks from mountains and build houses with rocks. There is also the custom of burning incense to the rocks and offering pancakes at noon.

11. The eleventh day of the first lunar month

On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, worship Zigu. According to legend, in the southwestern region, especially in western Hunan, women who were deeply oppressed regarded her as the protector of weak women. She was often worshiped at home and used for divination. The eleventh day of the first lunar month is also the "Son-in-law's Day", which is the day when the father-in-law entertains his son-in-law.

There was a lot of food left over from the ninth day of the lunar month to celebrate the "God's Birthday". In addition to eating it for one day on the tenth day of the lunar month, there was still a lot of food left over, so the family did not have to spend any more money and used the leftover food to entertain the son-in-law and daughter. , the folk song is called "Eleventh invites son-in-law".

12. The twelfth day of the first lunar month: Setting up lantern tents, roasting fires, celebrating the Rat Festival, making dumplings, and "ordering" day

Han folk activities on this day include hiding scissors, collecting scissors, etc. Use old shoes, pinch a mouse's mouth, build a lamp shed, etc. The Han folk in some areas in southern Shijiazhuang still retain the custom of roasting cypress fire on the twelfth day of the first lunar month.

Beijing’s customs include playing diabolo (the sound of harmony), shaking windmills (the sound of joy), beating gongs and drums (the sound of peace) and other recreational activities. People can also visit relatives and friends, travel together, and make Lanterns, rehearsal flower party...

13. The 13th day of the first lunar month: birthday of the lamp holder, rolling dragon lanterns, tying colored lanterns, eating glutinous rice balls, offering sacrifices to Guan Gong, making "holy insects", offering sacrifices to the sea, and setting off sea lanterns

The Han people have a custom of putting on lanterns on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month and turning off the lanterns on the eighteenth day of the first lunar month. There is a saying that "gods look at the lanterns on the 13th and 14th lunar months, people look at the lanterns on the 15th and 16th lunar months, and ghosts look at the lanterns on the 17th and 18th lunar months." said.

14. The fourteenth day of the first lunar month: drink bright soup, try lanterns, eat glutinous rice soup, visit the Water Queen, eat wheat soup, eat "spicy soup", Fuxi's birthday, keep the God of Wealth, and steal youth , Walking the Bridge, Bu Zigu, Bu Liuhua

The fourteenth day of the first lunar month is the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. As one of the traditional lunar festivals of the Han nationality, Han folk activities on this day include drinking bright soup, trying lanterns, eating Zaodeng, visit the Water Queen and others. On this day, the New Year has basically passed, and then comes the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. After the Lantern Festival, the New Year comes to an end.

15. The 15th day of the first lunar month: Lantern Festival, Lantern Festival, eating Lantern Festival, performing social fire, walking away from diseases, stealing vegetables, pinching zodiac signs, praying for dolls, paying homage to old age, traveling with lanterns, listening to incense, and burning fire. , guess lantern riddles, and grab lanterns.