China culture-Spring Festival, a traditional festival for all ethnic groups

The Spring Festival is the first year of the lunar calendar, also known as the lunar calendar year, commonly known as "Chinese New Year", which is the most grand and lively ancient traditional festival of the Chinese nation.

according to historical records, the spring festival originated from the activities of offering sacrifices to gods and ancestors at the beginning and end of the Shang dynasty. in the western Han dynasty, the annual new year was set in the first month of late spring, but the new year was not on the first day of the first month, but on the "twelfth day", which was later Laba. After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, La Worship was moved to the end of the year. In ancient times, the Lunar New Year was not called "Spring Festival". In the Republic of China, the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar was officially named "Spring Festival" because the Spring Festival was generally around "beginning of spring". The Chinese New Year in ancient China was always associated with superstition of ghosts and gods, and the main thing during the Spring Festival was playing ghosts. From "Laba" eating "Laba porridge", both the court and the people will play ghosts, and on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, they will worship the "Kitchen God" who is in charge of good or bad luck, in order to get enough food and clothing for the coming year. During this period, every household should clean up filth and prevent diseases. On the 31th day of the twelfth lunar month, we will also stick door gods, Spring Festival couplets, the word "Fu", cut window grilles, hang flags, steam rice cakes, eat jiaozi, set off firecrackers, keep watch on New Year's Eve, and wish each other New Year's greetings on the first day of the New Year. Nowadays, the long history has made the Spring Festival a traditional festival symbolizing the unity, happiness and hope of the people of China.

Lantern Festival

Every year, the fifteenth day of the first month of the China lunar calendar (the old method of calculating the period in China) is the traditional Lantern Festival for the people of China. The Lantern Festival is named because its festival activities are held on the 15th night of the first month of the year.

Lantern Festival is also called "Lantern Festival" and "Lantern Festival", because the main activity of this festival is to put on lights at night. In addition, the Lantern Festival is also called "Shangyuan" and "Shangyuan Festival".

On the Lantern Festival, every household in China hangs lanterns and sets off fireworks. The streets are full of colorful lanterns, and crystal-clear ice lanterns will be made in cold areas such as Northeast China and Xinjiang. In the evening, the whole family will sit around and enjoy the delicious Yuanxiao.

The formation of the Lantern Festival custom originated from the early Han Dynasty (216 BC-AD 23) in ancient China. On the fifteenth day of the first month, the Han family offered sacrifices to a god who had been kind to the Han emperor. This god named "Taiyi" is said to be above the five emperors, so he received a more prosperous sacrifice. When Emperor Han Ming arrived, the custom of decorating and watching lanterns was formed because the emperor had ordered Lantern Festival to burn lanterns.

Nowadays, the custom of decorating and watching lanterns has become one of the most important activities of the Lantern Festival.

Double Ninth Festival

The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is an ancient traditional festival in China. The ancients in China regarded nine as the number of yang, and on the ninth day of September, the two yang were heavy, so it was called "Chongyang". Double Ninth Festival, also known as "Festival for the Elderly".

On Double Ninth Festival, people enjoy chrysanthemums, wear cornus, climb mountains with wine, and have a good swim and drink.

There is an interesting story about the origin of the Double Ninth Festival. In the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-221), the alchemist Fei Changfang said to his disciple Huan Jing, "There was a great disaster in your family on September 9. If you put cornus in a red bag and hang it on your arm, you can avoid it." Huan Jing led the whole family to take refuge in the mountains that day, and when he came back at night, he found that all the chickens and dogs at home were dead. From then on, people went to climb mountains to avoid evil spirits every September 9, so they followed the custom and became festivals.

climbing the mountain on Double Ninth Festival is the main custom of the festival. Throughout the ages, Han officials and people all flocked to climb mountains on September 9. People living in the Jiangnan plain have no mountains to climb and no heights to climb, so they imitate rice flour cakes and insert a colored pennant on the cake surface to show the meaning of climbing (cake) to avoid disaster.

another reason why people attach importance to "climbing", especially the elderly, is that "high" means longevity, so people think that "climbing" can lead to longevity.

Poets of all ages like to recite poems on the Double Ninth Festival. The great poet Wang Wei in the Tang Dynasty (618-917) wrote on the mountain holiday thinking of my brothers in shandong: "Being alone in a different place is a stranger. Every festive season, I miss my relatives twice, and I know from afar where my brothers climb, and one person is missing everywhere." The feeling of homesickness from afar is deeply touching.

There are also customs such as inserting dogwood, drinking chrysanthemum wine and eating Chongyang cake. Cornus, also called Yuejiao, is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine plant with a strong smell. The ancients in China thought that folding it with a plug could prevent the invasion of evil spirits. After smoking, you can avoid insect bites. At this time when "a hundred-legged insect is dead but not stiff", it is in line with traditional health habits to smoke her to avoid it, just like smoking realgar on the Dragon Boat Festival.

Chrysanthemum is a famous flower with a long history in China. Besides enjoying chrysanthemum on Double Ninth Festival, it also has therapeutic value. Therefore, the ancients used their roots, stems, leaves and flowers to make wine. The method of making chrysanthemum wine in Jin Dynasty is: "Collect chrysanthemum stems and leaves, mix with glutinous rice to make wine, and use it until September of the following year."

in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), chrysanthemum wine was made from "Ganjuhua decocted juice, the same koji and rice". Or add rehmannia root and angelica root. Li Shizhen, a medical scientist in the Ming Dynasty, said that chrysanthemum wine has the curative effect of "treating head wind, clearing eyes and ears, removing flaccidity and arthralgia, and eliminating all diseases".

Chongyang Flower Cake is a seasonal delicacy made of japonica rice, which is eaten on the Double Ninth Festival. The exquisite Chongyang cake should be made into nine layers, like a pagoda, with two lambs on it to conform to the meaning of Chongyang (sheep).

March 21, 2116 21: 34: 49 Fengyu Tonglu

Grade: Forum Wanderer

Article: 191

Points: 1517

Registration: 2nd floor, February 24, 2115

- Its meaning is to begin to enter the spring, "Yang and stings, and everything is spring". After beginning of spring, everything is full of vitality, and the four seasons begin from now on. Rain at this time, the spring breeze blows all over, the ice and snow melt, the air is moist, and the rain increases, so it is called rain. People often say: "It's getting warmer in the spring, and the rain is busy sending fertilizer".

This solar term means that after "beginning of spring", the weather will get warmer, the spring thunder will start ringing, and all kinds of hibernating animals dormant in the soil will wake up and start to move, so it is called "Jing Zhe". During this period, the oviposition of wintering insects will also start to hatch.

vernal equinox This is the midpoint of 91 days in spring. On this day, the northern and southern hemispheres are equal in day and night, so it is called vernal equinox. After this day, the direct position of the sun moved to the north, and the days in the northern hemisphere were long and the nights were short. So the vernal equinox is the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. Overwintering crops in most areas of China entered the spring growth stage.

At this time of Qingming Festival, the climate is cool and warm, plants and trees sprout new branches, everything begins to grow, and farmers are busy ploughing and planting in spring. Once upon a time, on this day in Tomb-Sweeping Day, some families planted willows at the door and went for an outing in the suburbs to sweep the graves. This is an ancient custom in China. Grain Rain means rain gives birth to five grains. Because rain moistens the earth, five grains can grow, so Grain Rain means "rain gives birth to a hundred grains". As the saying goes, "Before and after Grain Rain, we planted melons and beans".

long summer is the beginning of summer. Since then, everything has flourished. Traditionally, long summer is regarded as an important solar term in which the temperature rises significantly, the summer heat is approaching, thunderstorms increase and crops enter the peak season.

Xiaoman started from Xiaoman. Summer crops such as barley and winter wheat have already borne fruit and full seeds, but they are not yet mature, so they are called Xiaoman.

The awn seed is most suitable for sowing grain crops with awns, such as late grain, millet and millet. If you plant awns and crops after this time, it will not be mature. At the same time, "awn" refers to crops with awns such as wheat and barley, and "species" refers to seeds. The awn seed indicates the maturity of awned crops such as wheat.

The summer solstice is the longest day and the shortest night in the northern hemisphere. From this day on, everything in the world grows most vigorously in the hot season. In ancient times, the heart also called this day the northern solstice, meaning that the sun was born to the northernmost day. After the summer solstice, the sun gradually moved south, and the days in the northern hemisphere became shorter and the nights became longer.

It's already very hot in the light summer, but it's not hot yet, so it's called light summer. At this point, it is already around the beginning.

The great summer heat is the hottest solar term in a year. Before and after the second day of duty, the high temperature of 41℃ often occurs in many places in the Yangtze River valley of China. There is much rain in this solar term.

beginning of autumn is full of spring flowers and autumn fruits, which means that plants will soon mature. From this day on, autumn begins, the autumn is crisp, the moon is bright and the wind is clear. Since then, the temperature has gradually decreased from the hottest.

It's the summer heat at this time. The summer heat is about to dissipate. It is a turning point in the temperature drop. It is a symbol of cooling climate, indicating the end of summer.

The dew turned cold, and the water vapor on the ground was the most condensed.

From this day on the autumn equinox, the direct sunlight position continues to move from the equator to the southern hemisphere, and the northern hemisphere begins to have shorter days and longer nights. According to the autumn theory of China's old calendar, this day is just half of the ninety days in autumn, so it is called the autumnal equinox.

after the cold dew and white dew, the weather turned cold and dew began to appear. When it reached the cold dew, there was more dew and the temperature was lower. Therefore, some people say that cold is dew, first white and then cold, which means that the climate will gradually turn cold. The water vapor condenses into white dew.

in first frost, the solar longitude is 211 degrees. It's already cold, and there's frost, so it's called first frost.

Winter in beginning of winter, as the end, means that after a year of field operation, crops should be collected. As soon as beginning of winter passes, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China will soon freeze, and farmers from all over the country will gradually turn to farmland water conservancy capital construction and other agricultural activities. The temperature of light snow dropped and it began to snow, but it was not yet the season of heavy snow, so it was called light snow. Before and after the light snow, the Yellow River basin began to snow (the snowfall in the south was two solar terms later); In the north, it has entered the freezing season.

Before and after the heavy snow, there was gradually snow in the Yellow River Basin of China. In the north, it's already the severe winter of "thousands of miles frozen, Wan Li snow drifting".

On the winter solstice, the sun shines almost directly on the Tropic of Capricorn. In the northern hemisphere, the day is the shortest and the night is the longest, and it begins to enter several cold days. Astronomy stipulates that this day is the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere. After the winter solstice, the direct sunlight gradually moved northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually became longer. As the proverb goes, eating noodles on the winter solstice makes a day grow longer.

after a slight cold, the cold season begins. Cold air is cold for a long time, and slight cold means that the weather is cold but not yet extreme.

A severe cold means that the weather is extremely cold. Around the Great Cold is the coldest season of the year. Great cold is in March 9th, as the proverb goes: cold is in March 9th.

After the severe cold, beginning of spring followed, and the weather became warmer. At this point, the earth revolves around the sun once, ending in a cycle.

March 21, 2116 at 21: 41: 39, Fengyu Tonglu

Grade: Forum Wanderer

Article: 191

Points: 1517

Registration: 3rd floor, February 24, 2115

- "La" was originally the name of a sacrificial ceremony in ancient China, which was used to worship ancestors and gods of heaven and earth, and to pray for a bumper harvest of grain and peace and good luck for the family in the coming year.

Since activities in La Worship are often held in December, it is called the twelfth lunar month, but the days in La Worship are not fixed. In ancient times, it was said that there were eight gods of La Worship, so the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month became a fixed memorial day. It was called "La Ri" in ancient times, commonly known as Laba Festival. Later, Buddhism was introduced to China, and it is said that the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month is the day of Buddha Sakyamuni's enlightenment. Therefore, this day is also a Buddhist festival, called "Daoism Festival".

In addition to offering sacrifices to ancestors and worshipping God, people also have to drive away epidemics and eat "Laba porridge". China has a history of drinking Laba porridge for more than 1111 years. On the day of Laba, whether it's the imperial court, government offices, monasteries, or people's homes, Laba porridge will be made.

in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), the custom of drinking laba porridge was even more prevalent. At court, emperors, queens and princes all give laba porridge to ministers of civil and military affairs and attendants, and distribute rice and fruits to monasteries for monks to eat. In the folk, every household should also make Laba porridge to offer sacrifices to their ancestors. At the same time, family groups get together to eat and give gifts to relatives and friends.

Eating Laba porridge has become Laba's unique festival food culture. Laba porridge, also known as Qibao Wuwei porridge, is made of various kinds of rice, beans and dried fruits. Because its origin is related to Buddhism, it is also called "Buddha porridge" and "Fude porridge". Laba porridge appeared as early as the Song Dynasty (961-1297) in China, and has a history of thousands of years.

in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), laba porridge became a seasonal food given by the emperor to courtiers. This custom was more common in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). On the day of Laba Festival, Laba porridge was cooked in a cauldron in the palace, and the monks were invited to recite the scriptures. The Empress gave porridge to the ministers of civil and military affairs and attendants. Monks in the temple will hold a grand chanting and tonsure on this day to celebrate Sakyamuni's enlightenment. At the same time, we offer the boiled Laba porridge, such as miscellaneous grains and dried fruits, to the Buddha and present it to the common people who come to the grand event. In the Lama Temple in Beijing, the big copper pot used to cook porridge at that time is still preserved.

The ingredients of Laba porridge are slightly different due to different regions and tastes. There are many varieties of Laba porridge in China. Among them, Beijing in the old days was the most exquisite, and there were many items mixed in white rice, such as red dates, lotus seeds, walnuts, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts, longan, hazelnuts, grapes, ginkgo, water chestnut, moss, roses, red beans and peanuts ................................................................................... On the night of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, people began to get busy, washing rice, soaking fruits, peeling, removing stones, and picking carefully. Then they started cooking in the middle of the night, and then stewed with low fire until the next morning, when Laba porridge was cooked.

For a more exquisite family, the fruit should be carved into human shapes, animals and patterns first, and then boiled in a pot. More distinctive is to put "fruit lion" in Laba porridge. Fruit lion is a lion made of several kinds of fruits, with crisp dates peeled and dried as the lion's body, half walnut kernel as the lion's head, peach kernel as the lion's foot and sweet almond as the lion's tail. Then stick them together with sugar and put them in a porridge bowl, just like a little lion.

In modern times, pearl rice, coix seed, barley seed and black rice were added, and some of them also put ginkgo, lily, lotus seed, longan, mung bean and flower bean, and then candied food was added. This kind of porridge is not only nutritious, but also sweet and delicious.

after laba porridge is cooked, you should worship god and worship your ancestors first. After that, you should give it to your relatives and friends, and you must send it out before noon. Finally, it is eaten by the whole family. It's a good sign that Laba porridge is still left after eating for a few days, which means that it is "more than enough every year". If you give porridge to poor people to eat, it is even more good for yourself.

Laba porridge also has the function of witchcraft among the people. If there are flowers and fruit trees in the yard, we should also smear some Laba porridge on the branches. I believe it will bear more fruits in the coming year. In Beijing, even six domestic animals such as horses, cows, sheep, chickens, dogs and pigs should be fed several spoonfuls of porridge. This is because it is said that the Heaven sent the gods who were in charge of six animals to visit six animals in La Ri.