Every holiday or festival has its origin, and for China, which has a history of more than 5,000 years, the origins of many of the festivals go back a long way. So what is the origin of Gu Yu Festival? I'll introduce it to you next.
The origin of the Grain Rain festival
Rain is the meaning of the "rain", the sun reaches 30 ° of the yellow longitude on April 20 or 21 every year for the Grain Rain. Grain rain is the last festival of spring." Grain Rain is the last of the spring festivals. At this time of year, when spring is coming to an end and summer is approaching, duckweed starts to grow in ponds, and spring tea is harvested around this time of year. At this moment, it gives people a kind of everything grows, the scene of prosperity, as the so-called "the season of the year is in the spring". Into the fourth month of the Gregorian calendar, the rainy season, and the early spring February rainy season, although the same word "rain", but in the meaning of a great difference. The rainy season, not to see the snowflakes flying, quietly listen to the spring rain, means that the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River began to rain.
Climate characteristics of the rainy season
Wind and sand. According to the twenty-four seasons, Grain Rain is the last of the spring, in the twilight of spring Grain Rain, means that the end of spring, summer will come, the cold air invasion of the south is relatively small, but affect the north of the cold air activity does not stop.
Spring drought. The Huaihe River basin is the transition between the spring rains in the south of the Yangtze River and the northern spring drought area, from the Qinling Mountains, the Huaihe River near the north, the spring rains dramatically reduced.
Strong convective weather. Generally speaking, April to August is the peak of the year strong convective weather. In May, in many areas of the south, localized thunderstorms, hail, wind, tornadoes and other disastrous weather will increase significantly. Thunder, hail, wind on the agenda.
Heavy rain. In China, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Jiangnan belt, often began to significantly rainy, and especially in southern China, once the cold air and warm moist air convergence, often forming a longer period of rainy weather, also entered the annual pre-flood season.
The origin of Guyu
On the origin of the Guyu festival, according to "Huainanzi", Cangjie made the word, is a great event, the Yellow Emperor in late spring and early summer issued an edict, announced the success of Cangjie made the word, and called the world's subjects **** learn it. On this day, there was an unusual rain, falling countless grains and rice, and later generations thus named this day Grain Rain, becoming one of the twenty-four solar terms.
Introduction to the Legendary Stories of Grain Rain
In folklore, there is a story circulating in Guanzhong, Shaanxi Province:
It is said that more than 4,000 years ago, Emperor Regulus was in desperate need of an officer in charge of the history of historiographers. One day, the Yellow Emperor discovered Cangjie, a man of outstanding virtue and talent, and appointed Cangjie to be the historian. Cang Jie was appointed as a historian. He was recognized by the Yellow Emperor for his ability to remember things with a knotted rope and for his ability to remember national events clearly. Later on, the knot-rope system became outdated. Once, Cangjie went out hunting with a hunter, who pointed to the traces of various beasts left on the ground and told him where the beasts had gone. Cangjie was y inspired: "A footprint represents a thing!" After returning home, Cangjie packed his clothes and went out for a visit. He climbed mountains and waded through rivers, not ashamed to ask questions, and expressed all the things he saw according to their characteristics. He was able to create characters based on the characteristics of the things he saw. Because he made the word has the merit, moved the heavenly emperor, at that time the world was suffering from the disaster, then ordered the heavenly soldiers and generals to open the granary of the heavenly palace, under a rain of grain, the world all the people were saved.
After the death of Cangjie, people buried him in his hometown - Baishui County, Shiguan Town, north of the tomb door engraved a couplet: "rain corn when the emperor of the sky, the same with the text of the eternal with the bridge mausoleum." People set the day for Cangjie's sacrifice as the day when it rains, which is now known as the "Valley Rain Festival". Nowadays, every rainy day, Baishui County, Shiguan Town, the area are held in the worship of Cangjie temple fair.
Legendary story of Guyu Festival2
According to the legend, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty, a flood broke out in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the young man, Guyu, transferred the villagers to the city wall, and incidentally, saved a peony flower, which was planted in the garden of a hundred flowers and took good care of it.
In order to repay the favor, the peony flower fairy, Danfeng, takes human form and saves Gu Yu's seriously ill mother. Unexpectedly, Danfeng is captured by a vulture and is forced to make wine with her blood.
Gu Yu rushes to the vulture's cave to rescue Dan Feng, but he himself is killed.
The people named the day "Gu Yu" in his honor, and this is the origin of the Gu Yu festival.
Grain Rain is what season: spring
Grain Rain is the last of the spring season in China; before and after the rain is a good season for planting crops, moderate rainfall is conducive to the overwintering crops and spring sowing crops sown seedlings, farmers should grasp the favorable opportunity for spring plowing production. April 20 or 21 every year depending on the sun reaches 30 ° longitude for the rain.
Grain rain once the end of the summer is also to arrive, this is a good time for the growth of cereals, the cold wave completely lifted, warm temperatures, melon seedlings thrive. "In March, since the rain, soil paste pulsation, and now rain its valley in the water also. Rain is read as a declination, such as rain my public field of rain. Covering the valley to sow at this time, from the top down also."
Valley rain, the sun reaches the position of 30 ° of the yellow longitude, at this time, the climate is comfortable, the weather is cool, and sometimes rainfall, is a good time to nourish everything, after the rain is the summer, the temperature will gradually go up, clothing will slowly become cooler.
What to eat before and after the rain
Eating rice in the valley rain: eating rice in the valley rain is a traditional custom, and even the Zhaoxing Dong village has "eating rice, playing the flower face, sowing rice seeds" custom. On the day of Grain Rain, young men and women fully express their love and affection. Young men will go to the girl's home to throw the bamboo basket, to ask for umi rice, go the more people, the girl's family more face, it is the local farming culture and marriage customs of the double symbolic expression.
Guyu drink Guyu tea: spring is the season of tea buds, in the southern region of China has the habit of Guyu picking tea, so, every year, no matter what the weather, people will go to the nearby tea mountain picking some fresh tea back to tea drinking. Legend has it that drinking tea on the day of Gu Yu will clear fire, ward off evil spirits and improve eyesight. So no matter what the weather is, people will go to the tea mountain to pick some fresh tea to drink.
Grain rain food toon: northern rain food toon custom, before and after the rain is the toon listed season, when the toon mellow and crisp nutritional value is high, there is a "rain before the toon tender as silk," said. Toon has to improve immunity, stomach, gas, diarrhea, emollient, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal effect of the valley rain sea festival valley rain is the time of spring sea water warming, a hundred fish line to the shallow sea area, is a good day to go to sea fishing. In order to be able to go out to sea safe, full return, Gu Yu this day fishermen to hold a sea festival, praying for the sea god blessing.
Grain Rain Customs
Grain Rain Post, Scorpion Ban
During the Grain Rain period, the folk custom of banning the killing of five poisons was popular. After the rain, the temperature rises, in order to mitigate insect pests, farmers into the field to exterminate insects, while posting the rain posters, to drive away the evil and good luck. This custom is very popular in Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi area.
Grain rain post belongs to a kind of New Year's paintings, above the depiction of chicken catch scorpions, the Divine Master in addition to the image of the five poisons or Taoist talismans, some of which are written with the "Supreme Lord Ruler, Grain rain in March, snakes and scorpions will never be born", there is also a "Grain rain in March, the old man down to the sky, holding the seven-star sword, a single cut scorpion spirit! "and so on.
Shandong's Guyu post is generally made of yellow table paper. Qing Qianlong six years, "Xiajin County Records" records: "Guyu, vermilion sand book charm ban scorpion." Cinnabar painted scorpion ban symbols, pasted on walls or scorpion holes, to send people to check and kill pests, looking forward to a good harvest and peace of mind. The Linfen area of Shanxi Province in the rainy day is painted Zhang Tianshi's charm posted on the door, the name is "forbidden scorpion".
Shaanxi Fengxiang area of the scorpion ban on spells, to woodcut printed, visible demand is great. Printed on it: "rain in March, the scorpion show off the wind, the god chicken to take a mouth, the poisonous insects into water ......" picture in the center of the cock with a worm, there is a large scorpion under the paw. The painting is printed with incantations.
Why folk believe that the rooster can cure scorpion? The cultural psychology of this custom can be seen in the novel Journey to the West. In the 55th episode, in order to catch the scorpion spirit, Sun Wukong went to invite the Pleiadian Stargazer. The Pleiadian Stargazer is a big rooster with two crowns, and after transforming into a scorpion spirit, the scorpion spirit instantly showed its original form. The scorpion spirit instantly appeared in its original form. After another call, the scorpion spirit died on the hillside. Therefore, the Guyu post is mostly in the form of a rooster.
Worship Cangjie, put the grace
Guyu Festival is Shaanxi Baishui County to worship Cangjie Temple days. Legend has it that due to the merits of Cangjie's character creation, the Jade Emperor gave the earth a rain of grains, which is the origin of the local rumor of the rain of grains. This is the origin of the local rumor. For example, the "Huainanzi - Benjing training" in the "former Cangjie book, and the sky rain corn" record.
Every rainy day, Cangjie Temple, located at the crossroads of three counties, gathers people from all over the country, forming a grand temple fair year after year to worship the ancestor of the written word.
Peony Watching and Tea Tasting
Peony blossoms bloom around the Grain Rain, which is why peony flowers are called "Grain Rain Flowers". Peony viewing has become an important recreational activity in people's leisure time. Today, Shandong Heze, Henan Luoyang, and Sichuan Pengzhou hold peony festivals during the rainy season for people to enjoy.
However, due to the warming climate, peonies often bloom before the rainy season, so the Heze Peony Flower Festival and Pengzhou Peony Flower Festival had to be opened earlier according to the flowering period.
In addition, during the Grain Rain, the spring is moderately warm with abundant rainfall, and the tea tree, after recuperating from winter, reaches its best state in terms of color, taste and aroma.
It is believed that the Mingqian tea and the rainy tea picked during the rainy season are the best tea of the year. Guyu tea in addition to the buds, there is a bud of a young leaf or a bud of two young leaves. One bud and one young leaf tea leaves in the water like unfurling flags of the ancient gun, known as the flag gun; one bud and two young leaves like the tongue of the birds, become the tongue of the birds.
Set three animals, sea festival
For fishermen, Guyu Festival popular sea festival custom. For example, in China's northern coastal areas of fishermen, over the Guyu Festival has a history of more than 2000 years, to the Qing Dynasty during the Daoguang period renamed Fishermen's Day.
Guyu is the spring sea water warming time, a hundred fish line to the shallow sea area, is the sea fishing ` good day. As the saying goes, "After the rain, a hundred fish near the shore." In order to be able to go out to sea safely and return home fully loaded, Guyu day fishermen held a sea festival, praying for the blessing of the god of the sea. This custom is still popular in the area of Rongcheng, Jiaodong, Shandong Province.
In the old days, there were temples of the sea god or Niangniang Temple in villages along the seashore, and when the festival was held, the fishermen carried offerings to the temple and made sacrifices in front of the temple, banging gongs and beating drums, which was a grand scene. When sacrificing to the sea, fishermen on the beach set up pigs, chickens, fish three animals, as well as large buns, sweets and other offerings, lighting incense and candles firecrackers, to the goddess of the sea to toast, and then sailed out to sea fishing.
The origin of the rain and the story
After the opening of the heavens and the earth, mankind has gone through hundreds of thousands of years without words. By the time of the Yellow Emperor, there was an able man, Cang Jie, in the dynasty. He was determined to rid the world of the suffering of no Chinese characters, resigned from his post, visited the nine states, returned to his hometown of Yangwu village, living alone in the ditch no one to make words. After three years, he made as many characters as a bucket of rapeseed. When the Jade Emperor heard about this, he was greatly moved and decided to reward Cang Jie. What was the reward? He awarded him a golden man.
That night, Cangjie was sleeping sweetly, and suddenly heard someone shouting at him; "Cangjie, come and get the prize." Cangjie confused to open his eyes, but see the room full of bright light dazzling. He did not know what is the reason, and hurriedly sat up and looked around. This look does not matter, but saw the ground standing a golden man. He muttered in his heart: what is wrong, where this gold man? Could it be dreaming? Just thinking, the east and west of the rooster crowing, not long after the dawn, the golden man is still standing firmly on the ground. He remembered the shouts he heard in his dream, and realized that the golden man is the heavenly gods to give their own prizes. Then he thought that he had only done what he should have done, and was not worthy of such a reward. So he bowed three times to the sky as a token of his gratitude to the gods. The next day, he called all the young men in the village to carry and push the golden man to the palace of the Yellow Emperor. Yellow Emperor asked about the origin of the golden man, he only said that he picked it up by chance, and said that it is the world's property. Should be used for the world's people ****, they picked up by chance, do not dare to occupy for private use, especially to Jin offer. Yellow Emperor knew his noble character, smiled and accepted. However, after four or five days, just when the Yellow Emperor and his ministers to view the gold, suddenly flew a haze, the gold disappeared. Huang Di heart is very difficult, but can not figure out where the golden man went, they sent people to Cangjie news.
But Cangjie was sleeping soundly, and in his dream, he heard someone shouting: "Cangjie, the Jade Emperor gave you the prize of the golden man you do not want, what do you want?" Cangjie said in his dream, "I want to have a good harvest, so that all the people in the world will have food to eat." The man said again, "Well, I'll report to the Jade Emperor and ask him to take back the Golden Man and send you some grains." Hearing this, Cangjie woke up, a look out the window, only to see the sky full of stars, know that it is dreaming, but also did not think much, and huffed and puffed to sleep.
The next day, the weather is clear, cloudless. Cangjie was about to go out, but saw the sky full of falling grains. That grain down than the rain is dense, full of half an hour, the ground accumulated more than a foot thick before stopping. Cangjie both strange and happy, rushed out the door, only to see that the grain spread all over the village, spread all over the mountains and rivers and flat land. The townspeople are also very surprised, each individual to the home to take the grain.
At this time, Cangjie suddenly remembered the scene in his dream, and knowing that it was the Jade Emperor's reward for himself, he hurried to report to the Yellow Emperor. When he was halfway there, he bumped into someone sent by the Yellow Emperor, and explained the situation to each other, and went to see the Yellow Emperor again. After listening to Cangjie's report, the Yellow Emperor was y impressed that Cangjie's merits should be strongly recognized. So, he made the day of the rain a festival, called the Valley Rain Festival, and ordered all the people in the world to sing and dance wildly on that day every year to thank the heaven. Since then, the Grain Rain Festival has continued. The people of Baishui make this day a festival to worship Cangjie.
History of Grain Rain
About 4,000 years ago, Emperor Xuanyuan was embraced as the leader of the tribal alliance from the tribal chiefs, and he appointed Cangjie as the left historian. When Cangjie became the historian, he used different types of shells and knots as markers to record affairs, both horizontally and vertically. However, with the increasing number of affairs in charge of the Cangjie, the old way is far from being able to adapt to the needs of the Cangjie is very worried.
Every year, Cangjie Temple holds a traditional temple fair during the Grain Rain Festival, which lasts for seven to ten days. Year after year, thousands of people from all directions to this place, held a grand and enthusiastic welcome to Cang Sheng into the temple and a grand and solemn ceremony, remembering and sacrificing the text ancestor Cang Jie. People twist rice-planting songs, run bamboo horses, play social fires, perform martial arts, beat gongs and drums, put on a big play, sing and dance, to express their reverence and remembrance of Cangjie. Theater troupe, businessmen also came to the meeting to make fun, lively and extraordinary. Cangjie temple fair has become a grand local festival. Even the local people enroll in school to pay homage to the teacher, respect the word, love to drink red bean rice, like to live in the kiln, begging for rain, begging for a child, praying for blessings and avoiding disasters and other customs are related to CangJie.
Historical Records of the Valley Rain
"Tongwei - filial piety Jing aid Shenqi": "Fifteen days after the Qingming, the bucket refers to the eons, for the Valley Rain, the middle of March, the words of the rain birth of hundreds of valleys clean and clear also."
"Qunfang Spectrum": "Grain rain, the valley get rain is also born." Before and after the rain, the weather is warmer, rainfall increases, and is conducive to the growth of spring crop sowing.
"Monthly Order Seventy-Two Waiting Collection": "In March, since the rain, the soil paste pulse, and now rain its valley in the water also. The rain is pronounced as a declining tone, such as the rain of the rain of my public field. Covering the valley to sow at this time, from the top down also." The weather is mild at this time, and there is a significant increase in rainfall, which has a great deal to do with the growth and development of cereal crops. The right amount of rain is conducive to the wintering crops and spring sowing crops sowing seedlings, the ancient so-called "rain born of a hundred grains", reflecting the "rain" of the modern agro-climatic significance. However, excessive rainfall or severe drought often causes harm and affects late yield. The fact that the rain falls in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River not only indicates its agricultural significance, but also shows that "spring rain is as expensive as oil".