There are different Chinese New Year customs in the north and south of China, which makes Chinese folk culture extremely attractive. Rizhao, Shandong Province, located on the coast of the Yellow Sea, is the tail wing of Shandong Peninsula. Every Spring Festival, the streets and alleys of Rizhao are filled with the flavor of New Year. Rizhao people have a lot to pay attention to during the Spring Festival, including traditional cooking, dust removal and making all kinds of cakes. Besides, how can they spend the Spring Festival in Rizhao?

words

the annual flavor of sunshine has been getting stronger since Laba, and since the 23rd year of the twelfth lunar month, everyone has been busy. On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, there will be a speech. Legend has it that the Kitchen God, as the head of the family, has been staying at home since last year's New Year's Eve to protect and supervise the family. On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, the Kitchen God will ascend to heaven to report the achievements of this family for one year to the Jade Emperor in heaven.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, every household wraps jiaozi. When giving up cooking, it is generally necessary to sacrifice the cooked dumplings to the kitchen god on the stove before eating. Some people also like to put some snacks and sweets on the stove and send them to the kitchen king. After praying for the kitchen king to enjoy the food, "God says good things and the lower world is auspicious."

dust removal

cleaning on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month is the most serious and thorough cleaning in a year, and it is usually done by the whole family. First, move all the furniture into the yard and clean it thoroughly. Then use a broom to clean the dust and cobwebs on the roof and walls, and even the glass and windowsill should be carefully wiped clean. The pots and pans at home have also been wiped clean.

In recent years, many people are reluctant to do the cleaning by themselves, and they are afraid that their cleaning is not thorough. More and more people begin to choose to find a housekeeping company to clean, especially people living in buildings prefer to find a cleaner to wipe the glass and clean the range hood.

make tofu

on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, make tofu. The tofu in Rizhao is delicious, and many people who live in other places have such feelings in the interview. Sunshine water is good, and the bean products in Rizhao are also very delicate. For many people, the custom of making tofu still remains, because tofu represents "happiness", and some people like to freeze some tofu and save it for the first month. Stewed tofu with cabbage and pork is the most common dish on the table in January.

To make tofu, you must first soak the selected soybeans, then grind them into bean juice, then boil the bean juice in a pot, then add appropriate brine, stir them, and then put them into a sieve and press them. Generally, making tofu requires the participation of the whole family. One person lights the fire and one person is responsible for ordering the brine. Especially when suppressing tofu, the whole family needs to mobilize. Making tofu is also a science. How much bittern to order, and whether it is a big fire or a small fire are all exquisite.

steamed cakes, rice cakes, and dumplings

For Rizhao people, the annual meeting lasts until the 16th day of the first month, so we should prepare more cakes for the first month after the off-year holiday. Therefore, from the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, we will start steaming cakes. Rizhao people like the feeling of being round and round, so the cake steamed with white flour is also big. "My family usually steamed one kilogram of noodles. In previous years, it was 7 kilograms of noodles and steamed 7 cakes." Ms. Yin, a citizen, said that this year's home is still in accordance with the old standards.

Many people also like steamed rice cakes, which are homophonic "Niangao" and sweet in taste, which are especially popular with children at home. There are not only yellow rice cakes but also white rice cakes, meaning gold and silver. Jujube hill is also a traditional food with Rizhao characteristics. Through the embellishment of dates, the original monotonous pasta has formed a "mountain" image, which also means that the life in the new year will be more and more prosperous.

As a special pasta in Rizhao, the dough-making group is very popular among local residents in Rizhao. Ordinary pasta is made of white flour as raw material, while hair balls are made of rice ground into flour. The made hair balls are white and bright, and they are also very strong to eat. At the same time, the name of the delegation itself also represents making a fortune and reunion.