Speaking of celebrating birthdays, we modern people are all familiar with it.

Twenty or thirty years ago, material living standards were relatively scarce. Whether it was the elderly or children, most people would cook a few dishes and eat longevity noodles on their birthdays, which might be a good way to celebrate their birthdays.

The rich dishes and pasta that are rarely eaten several times a year will probably leave unforgettable childhood memories for many children.

For middle-aged people who are the breadwinners of the family, it may take a period of calculation and preparation.

For families with slightly poorer financial conditions, after hosting a relatively sumptuous birthday party, the whole family may be frugal in food and clothing for a period of time.

Since the reform and opening up, as the country's economic strength has increased and people's living standards have improved, the ways of celebrating birthdays have become more and more diverse: there are traditional Chinese poached eggs and longevity noodles, as well as cakes and candles from Western culture.

;The melody of "Happy Birthday to You" is also sung in more and more families.

More and richer delicacies appear on the table.

Compared with our modern way of celebrating birthdays, people in the Qing Dynasty were very different in their birthday celebration methods and motivations.

Next, let’s take a look at how people in the Qing Dynasty celebrated their birthdays?

What are the reasons why people in the Qing Dynasty celebrated birthdays?

1. Birthday Etiquette of the Qing Dynasty Court Among the birthday celebration etiquette of the Qing Dynasty people, the most solemn and highest-level etiquette is naturally the birthday of the emperor, who is the most honored person in the Nine-Five-Year Plan.

During the Qing Dynasty, the emperor's birthday was the etiquette of a national holiday following the Tang and Song dynasties.

The emperor's birthday is designated as the Wanshou Festival, the empress dowager's birthday as the Shengshou Festival, and the queen's birthday as the Qianqiu Festival.

Among them, the Emperor's Wanshou Festival was the most solemn, and was listed as the three major festivals of the Qing Dynasty along with New Year's Day and Winter Solstice.

Especially the emperor's tenth birthday will be celebrated by the whole country.

The general etiquette of Wanshou Festival is: On this day, a large court meeting is held.

The emperor first arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which is usually used as a place for major ceremonies, to receive congratulations from kings, beile, beizi, civil and military officials and foreign envoys.

Then he moved to Qianqing Palace (the place where the emperor summoned ministers when there were big events or important things) to receive congratulatory gifts from the prince, grandson, empress, and concubines.

Those who wish to celebrate a birthday must contribute birthday gifts to the emperor.

Birthday gifts generally include Ruyi, longevity Buddha, calligraphy and painting, bead room and gold and silver products, etc.

Birthday gifts are generally made into a group of nine pieces, called "one nine".

The maximum number can be ninety-nine (81 pieces).

In addition, in the days before and after the Wanshou Festival, the slaughter of livestock is prohibited in the palace, and the yamen cannot hear criminal cases. Ministers of civil and military affairs must follow the etiquette system and wear python robes to supplement their clothes, which is called the "Huayi Period".

In the history of the Qing Dynasty, there were two largest Wanshou Festival birthday celebrations: one was on March 18, the fifty-second year of Kangxi (1713), the 60th birthday of Emperor Kangxi; the other was in August of the fifty-fifth year of Qianlong (1790)

On the 13th, Emperor Qianlong celebrated his 80th birthday.

On March 17, the fifty-second year of Kangxi, Emperor Kangxi, accompanied by civil and military officials, returned to the Forbidden City from Changchun Garden. They set up a grand chariot and 25 princes and grandsons supported the chariot.

From Changchun Garden to Shenwumen, on both sides of the dozens of miles of road, the government organized people to decorate with lanterns, kneel to greet the drivers, and build more than 20 dragon sheds and stages.

Kangxi issued an edict to grant thousands of tables of wine and fruit to his subjects.

On the day of Wanshou Festival, a grand court meeting was held, and the common people who came from all over the country to salute the emperor lined up from the Meridian Gate to outside Tiananmen Gate.

Previously, Emperor Kangxi had issued an edict to the elderly in the world, regardless of officials or civilians, anyone over the age of 65 could go to the capital to attend a banquet in Changchun Garden.

On March 25, Emperor Kangxi held a "Thousands of Old Banquet" in front of the main entrance of Changchun Garden. He hosted a banquet for 33 Han ministers, officials and common people over 90 years old, 538 people over 80 years old, and 1,823 people over 70 years old.

There are 1,846 people over the age of 65.

Princes, grandsons, and descendants of the royal family who are over 10 years old and under 20 years old are all ordered to serve as toasts and distribute food to the elderly.

Elderly people over 80 years old were helped to the presence of Emperor Kangxi and personally given wine to show their favor.

On March 27th and 28th, Kangxi hosted banquets in front of the main gate of Changchun Garden and the Empress Dowager's Palace respectively for Eight Banners ministers, officers and soldiers and idlers over 65 years old, and for Eight Banners old women over 70 years old.

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As early as July of the 55th year of Qianlong's reign, the ceremonial activities to celebrate Emperor Qianlong's 80th birthday began.

Qianlong first gathered Mongolian and other tribal leaders and foreign envoys at the Chengde Summer Resort to hold a celebration.

Then, Emperor Qianlong returned to Beijing and went to the Old Summer Palace.

Following the example of his grandfather, Emperor Kangxi, he ordered people to build colored tents for tourist attractions along the route from Old Summer Palace to Xihua Gate in red and green.

On August 12, Emperor Qianlong drove back to the palace, and the government organized people to kneel down and perform songs and dances to welcome him.

On August 13, a dazzling array of jewelry and curios, jade ruyi, golden Buddhas, and a coral tree about 3 feet high donated by the imperial court and local civil and military officials were displayed on both sides of the steps of the main hall.

After the congratulations from the ministers and concubines, a birthday banquet was held in Qianqing Palace.

During the banquet, the prince and his grandson danced in colorful clothes according to their seniority and age.

If the emperor is celebrating his birthday in ten days, or local officials who are unable to come to the capital to celebrate his birthday in person because of their lower rank or important responsibilities, they will hold various birthday celebration ceremonies in the local area: building palaces, temples, setting up stages to sing operas, setting up

Altar chanting?.

To show the admiration of all people and celebrate together.