It is said that the dragon will raise its head on February 2nd, which indicates that there will be more rain and a good harvest will come. To commemorate this day, there are different customs in various places. Let’s take a look at what these folk customs are. Bar!

What are the customs of the dragon raising its head on February 2?

February 2, commonly known as the dragon raising its head, also known as Qinglong Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival. According to legend, it is the day Emperor Xuanyuan was born.

February 2 is a day to pray for good weather and a good harvest. Eating noodles is called "picking the dragon head", eating fried cakes is called "eating gentian", eating pancakes is called "peeping the dragon skin", and eating twists is called "gnawing the dragon bones", which is a sign of auspiciousness.

February 2 is the day when a daughter-in-law returns to her parents’ home. According to old customs, a daughter-in-law must live in her husband's house during the first month of the year, and is not allowed to return to her parents' house until after the first month.

February 2 is also a day to pray for academic success. In the past, private school teachers usually accepted students on this day, which was called "taking the lead". Students will also chant: "On February 2, the dragon raises its head. If the dragon does not raise its head, I will raise its head." February 2 is the Outing Festival. Bai Juyi once wrote in a poem: On February 2nd, it rains and clears, and grass sprouts sprout for a while. It is a good time for an outing.

On February 2, the dragon raises its head. February 2 is usually after the Waking of Insects, when everything revives and insects are active. People expect the dragon to drive away the pests and keep them sufficient.

On February 2, shave the dragon head. Cutting your hair on February 2 means cutting your hair to create a new look, getting rid of old things, and bringing good luck.

On February 2, a celebration ceremony will be held on the day of Dragon Head Festival. It is customary to hold a celebration ceremony during the Dragon Head Festival, including dragon dance performances to pray for good weather.

On February 2, plant ashes are spread on Dragon Head Festival. It is customary to take some plant ashes and scatter them in front of the door, in the corner, beside the well and other places on the Dragon Head Festival. This practice has been around for a long time.

On February 2, pig head meat is eaten during the Dragon Head Festival. Customs include food-related content. On the Dragon Head Festival, pig head meat is generally eaten.

On February 2, Dragon Head Festival, go to Tutu Temple to burn incense. It is customary to go to Tutu Temple to burn incense and set off firecrackers on the Dragon Head Festival, which symbolizes good luck.

On February 2nd, eat beans. "Eat beans on February 2, and you will have a good harvest without getting sick."

On February 2nd, every family picked up their daughter. On this day, my mother gets up early in the morning and will be busy picking vegetables, mixing stuffing, and making dumplings to entertain her daughter who returns to her parents' home.

The origin of February 2nd

1. About the origin of the dragon raising its head on February 2nd

The proverb "February 2nd, the dragon raises its head" is said to have originated in the Guanzhong area in ancient times. There was no rain for a long time, so the Jade Emperor ordered the dragon from the East China Sea to sow rain. The little dragon was so playful that he dove into the river and never came out again. A young man went to the cliff to collect "dragon water" to muddy the river water. Xiaolong emerged from the river to compete with the young man. Xiaolong was defeated and had to make rain. In fact, the so-called "dragon raises its head" refers to the insects starting to wake up after hibernation. Therefore, as the saying goes, "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, and scorpions and centipedes show their heads." There is another saying about "February 2" called the Spring Dragon Festival. Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi" records: "Dragon is the longest among scales. It can be dark or bright, thin or huge, long or short. It ascends to the sky at the spring equinox and dives into the abyss at the autumnal equinox." This is probably the "Spring Dragon" The earliest record of the custom of "Festival".

2. The legend of the dragon raising its head on the second day of February

According to legend, when Wu Zetian became emperor, the Jade Emperor ordered not to rain on earth for three years. But the Jade Dragon in charge of the Tianhe River could not bear the suffering and starvation of the people, so it secretly rained heavily. When the Jade Emperor learned about it, he knocked the Jade Dragon in charge of the Tianhe River down from the Heavenly Palace and pressed it under a mountain. There is also a monument erected at the foot of the mountain, which reads: The Dragon King's rainfall violates the laws of heaven, and he shall be punished for the rest of his life. If you want to return to Lingxiao Pavilion, you will have to wait until the golden beans bloom. In order to save the Dragon King, people looked for blooming golden beans everywhere. On the second day of February of the following year, people were drying the golden corn seeds. Suddenly they remembered that the corns were like golden beans. When they were fried and bloomed, weren't they the golden beans blooming? So every household popped corns and set them in the yard. A table was set up to burn incense and offer "flowering golden beans" for the Dragon King and the Jade Emperor to see. The Dragon King knew that the people were trying to save it, so he shouted to the Jade Emperor: "The golden beans are blooming, let me out!" When the Jade Emperor saw the golden beans blooming in every courtyard in the world, he had no choice but to pass on an edict, ordering the Dragon King to return to heaven. Continue to bring rain to the world. From then on, people formed the habit of popping corns and frying beans every February 2nd.

Adults and children also chant: "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, the big warehouse is full, and the small warehouse is full." In some places, stove ashes are spread into large circles in the yard, and grains are placed in the middle, which is called "beating". "Hoard" or "fill in".

3. The custom of the dragon raising its head on the second day of February

3.1. Hand-kneading noodles with "drum stick": commonly known as "top door stick". Why eat "drum stick"? Some people say that if you eat "door stick" to hold the door up, evil spirits will not be able to enter, and you will have peace for a year. Some people say that during the Spring Festival, everyone is bored and passed out from playing, so eating a "drum pout" is very spiritual, and then they start working to live their lives.

3.2. Stirring the group: It is said that the dragon's scales are pasted and its armor is trimmed, so that the dragon can rise to the sky and make rain.

3.3. "Braised Pork Face": After twelve steps including selecting ingredients, cleaning, spray-roasting, soaking, and sauce making, it takes more than ten hours of cooking before it can be served to the table. There are three kinds of "braised pork face", one is to eat it as it is; the other is to eat it with sauce; the third one is to roll it into pancakes. Each way of eating has a different taste.

For Najib's sake, the food on the second day of February is also related to "dragon". The noodles are not called "noodles", but "dragon beard noodles"; the dumplings are called "dragon ears" and "dragon noodles". "corner"; rice is called "dragonzi"; pancakes baked into the shape of dragon scales are called "dragon scale cakes"; noodles and wontons cooked together are called "longnazhu"; eating pig heads is called "shilongtou"; eating green onion pancakes is called "dragon cakes" "Tear off dragon skin". Everything is based on symbols and meanings related to dragons.

What is the custom of eating on February 2nd?

1. Noodles

Eating noodles is also called eating "dragon whiskers", and dragon whiskers noodles are also derived from this. name. "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, the big warehouses are full, and the small warehouses flow." On this day, people use the custom of eating noodles to worship the Dragon King, hoping that it will move the clouds, spread rain, and spread the sweet rain.

2. Dumplings

On February 2nd, every household will make dumplings. Eating dumplings on this day is called "eating dragon ears". In the past, when medicine was underdeveloped, it was not easy to cure diseases. People probably believed that "dragon raising its head" would suppress all diseases. If you eat "dragon ears", the dragon would protect your health and get rid of all diseases. This is still popular today. There is a jingle of "Eat dumplings on February 2nd, and the fear of all diseases will escape from the body".

3. Fried beans

Fried soybeans originated from a legend in the Wutang Dynasty. It is said that Wu Zetian took over the Tang family and changed the name of the country to Zhou, which made the Jade Emperor furious. The Dragon King of the Four Seas was ordered not to rain on the human world for three years. The Jade Dragon couldn't bear it and secretly rained water in violation of the emperor's order. As a result, he was knocked down to the mortal world and pressed at the foot of the mountain. A monument was erected on it, which read: "The Jade Dragon's rainfall violates the rules of heaven and deserves to be punished by the human world." Sin. If you want to return to Lingxiao Pavilion, you will have to wait until the golden beans bloom." The people tried their best to save the Jade Dragon. On the second day of the second lunar month of this year, people discovered that the soybeans were golden and looked like golden beans. Every household fried a lot of soybeans and set up a table in the courtyard to burn incense and offer "flowering golden beans". The Jade Emperor released the Jade Dragon and brought sweet rain to the world.

4. Braised zi

"Fried braised zi" is called "fried dragon scale" because the silvery white stewing is cut into flat pieces and arranged together like dragon scales. . Both sides of each "dragon scale" are fried into golden brown to express punishment to the "lazy dragon" and urge it to do its best to control the water so as to bring about a good harvest. When eating, put the fried stew into a plate and pour it with sesame sauce, minced garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and other condiments while it is hot. Eat it with the staple food flatbread or sesame cake. It is fragrant and refreshing, with a long aftertaste.

5. Pancakes

There is also the custom of eating pancakes on February 2nd. The pancakes eaten on February 2 are mostly made of sorghum flour or white flour. Make the noodles sticky, heat the pot, preferably a frying pan, rub it with a piece of fat to prevent it from sticking to the pot, then spread the prepared batter in the pot, spread it evenly with a spatula, and it will be cooked in a blink of an eye . This is because it was just before and after the Waking of Insects, when all kinds of poisonous insects began to move, and people used this to remind people not to be harmed by poisonous insects.