In Hunan, the Chinese New Year must be celebrated for more than half a month, from the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month of the previous year to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the next year.

This custom has been going on for thousands of years.

Let’s introduce a series of customs during the Chinese New Year in Hunan.

(1) On New Year’s Eve, every household will cut colored paper and paste Spring Festival couplets, and the whole family will have a reunion dinner.

In the evening, incense is burned, firecrackers are fired, ancestors and family gods are worshiped, and the Kitchen God is offered sacrifices.

Children go to neighbors' homes in groups to pay New Year greetings.

Each family will welcome these children enthusiastically, bring out snacks, and stuff the children's pockets full. Some children will quickly join the New Year's Eve party after returning home and unloading their pockets. They can get a lot of delicious food in one night.

, grinning from ear to ear with joy, so there is a proverb: "Children look forward to the New Year."

(2) On the night of New Year's Eve, a maple tree (or pine, chestnut, etc.) is burning in the stove of every household in rural Changsha, which is called "Nian Wealth Man".

Men, women, old and young all sit by the charcoal stove to keep vigil. The elders give the children lucky money, and the whole family eats pig's feet and stewed radish to "keep up".

This is called "If you have money or don't have money, you will celebrate the New Year with carrots."

(3) On the first day of the Lunar New Year, every family gets up when the rooster crows. Men, women, old and young put on new clothes. The senior male owner burns incense and opens the door, sets off firecrackers and shouts "out of heaven"

, or said to open a door to wealth.

Then go to the hall, light incense and candles to worship the ancestors, and then worship the gods of heaven and earth. When choosing auspiciousness, bow to the auspicious direction three times, or bow to the four directions, praying for good luck in the new year.

Then the younger generation paid New Year greetings to their elders one by one, and rushed to the well to pick up the first load of water.

Eating leftovers for breakfast is called "next year's food", which means having enough food and clothing.

The dishes are mainly vegetarian and can not be separated from green vegetables, taro, tofu, etc., which means that people are lucky, everything will go smoothly, and the family will inherit a clean family.

After dinner, the younger generation pays New Year greetings to the family elders.

People generally don’t go out to pay New Year greetings on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

After the family members have finished paying New Year greetings to each other, they go to the neighbor's house to pay New Year greetings. However, if the neighbor has not gotten up yet, it is taboo to go to the bedside to pay New Year greetings.

(4) On the first day of the Lunar New Year, some people stick red paper with the word "wealth" on the joints of their doors, or auspicious words such as "Open the door with good luck" or "Bring me wealth", and recite it loudly when opening the door. This is called

Open the door to happiness, open the door to wealth.

Piling a lot of firewood under the steps will bring you wealth.

After reading the book on the first day of the Lunar New Year, carrying firewood into the door means "making money".

On the first day of junior high school, I didn’t take out the trash or sweep the floor. But when I really had to sweep, I swept the broom inward instead of outward.

Some people write auspicious words such as "life will be prosperous" and "grain harvest", which are called "writing in the New Year, good luck and good fortune".

(5) On the first day of the Lunar New Year, vulgar and indecent words are especially taboo. It is believed that if you are scolded today, you will be scolded for a whole year.

Adults should always warn children in advance: Say good things in the first grade of junior high school!

If a child lets something slip, the adult immediately explains: "There are no taboos in children's words."

If you accidentally break something, say "send it away"; if the wine glass falls over, say "wine spilled on the ground".

(6) On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the son-in-law will go to his in-law’s house to pay New Year’s greetings. There is a proverb: “On the first day of the Lunar New Year, a son is on the second day of the Lunar New Year, and on the third and fourth day of the Lunar New Year, he pays homage to his neighbors.”

After the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, acquaintances meet and say to each other, "Please have a happy New Year!" By the 15th day, people generally don't mention New Year greetings.

The above are some of the customs of Hunan during the New Year. They have many similarities with the customs of other parts of the country, and there are also some things with their own characteristics.

Regardless of the form, the essence is to seek good luck in the coming year. This is also an indispensable part of Chinese folk culture and embodies the Chinese people's wish for peace and success.