1. The custom of the beginning of spring: beating the spring cow
The custom of the beginning of spring: there is a spring cow made of mulberry wood as the skeleton, which is a "cow" specially used for the custom of "beating the spring cow" . On the day after the winter solstice, the earth is taken from the earth and made into a clay body, which is carved into a shape similar to the size of an ox. On it are four o'clock and eight sections, 12 o'clock patterns on 360 days. On the day before the beginning of spring, officials and people first offered sacrifices at the agreed farm altar. Afterwards, the county deacon (county magistrate) personally holds the plow and whips the "spring ox" to indicate the beginning of spring plowing. Then the masses plowed the land. While plowing, they beat "spring cows" and chanted: one dozen, "good weather and good weather"; two dozen, "the country is peaceful and the people are safe"; three dozen, "good harvest" and other auspicious words.
2. The custom of the beginning of spring: wearing spring chicken
The custom of wearing spring chicken: it is an ancient custom of the people in Tongchuan, Shaanxi. Every year at the beginning of spring, the mother makes a rooster about 3 cm long out of cloth and sews it on the top of the child's hat to express her wish for "good spring (chicken)". It is believed that this can prevent young children from getting measles. The former is called "rub rash" and the latter is called "scattered rash".
3. Customs at the beginning of spring: Jumang God
Customs at the beginning of spring: Jumang is the god of spring, the god of vegetation and life. The image of Jumang is a human face with a bird's body, and he enforces rules. On the day of spring, folk customs govern spring affairs. In the Zhou Dynasty, the east hall was set up to welcome the spring, which shows that worshiping Jumang has a long history. When Shandong welcomes the Spring Festival and worships Jumang, the weather conditions of the year are predicted based on Jumang's clothing: wearing a hat means a warm spring, a shaved head means a cold spring, wearing shoes means more spring rain, and going barefoot means less spring rain. In Guangzhou, around the beginning of spring, people beat drums to drive away epidemics and pray for peace.
Burning the Spring Ox
4. Customs at the Beginning of Spring: Pasting the Spring Ox
Customs at the Beginning of Spring: Pasting the Spring Ox. This custom activity starts before the Beginning of Spring. According to the The traditional method is for the county government (county government) to hire expert paper-making craftsmen to gather in the county before the beginning of spring to carefully make images of spring cows. Generally, bamboo strips are tied to form the skeleton of a cow, spring wood is used as the legs, then paper is pasted on it, and paint is applied to create an image of a cow. As the saying goes, if there is more paper pasted with red and yellow, the harvest will be good that year; if it is covered with black paper, the harvest will be poor that year. Therefore, the county magistrate arranged to use more red and yellow paper to win the support of the people. After the spring ox is pasted, a consecration and eye-dotting ceremony will be held, an incense table will be set up, and people will pay homage.
5. Customs at the beginning of spring: welcoming the spring
Customs at the beginning of spring: In order to welcome the spring, first choose a good Feng Shui land in the countryside of the county and set up a "spring shed" to prepare for the spring. Spring sheds are usually erected on traffic thoroughfares where people can gather easily. Put colorful flags around. The Spring Festival activities are held on the day of the Beginning of Spring. The specific time is based on the almanac. Sometimes it is at Chen time on the same day, sometimes at midnight at Zi time. The Spring Festival activities usually involve a huge procession of ceremonial guards, carrying the Spring Festival Official Parade to show their power, crowding in front and behind, and it is extremely majestic. There are also Baozi, Ma Bian and others wearing long robes, mandarin jackets, or various fancy costumes, sitting on a single wooden pole carried by two people, performing tricks while doing it, making fun of the fight and making people laugh. The Spring Festival team gathered from all directions in front of the spring shed, and then went to the county government (county government) to announce the good news and welcome the Spring Festival.
Heralding of Spring
6. Customs at the beginning of spring: spring outing and heralding of spring
Customs at the beginning of spring: Spring outing begins after the announcement of spring, gongs and drums in each village and community The parade and honor guard walked in front, and a huge spring ox statue carried by four or eight people walked behind. Walking and dancing, gongs and drums roared, and firecrackers blasted. The parade was huge and spectacular. Visit the surrounding villages and streets.
After the spring outing team enters the spring field (inspection venue), they swim around the field twice, and then each line up and stand on the arranged venue. At this time, the county magistrate is respectfully invited to sit in the spring shed and hold a spring heralding ceremony. According to the traditional custom, there is a Spring Announcement Platform, with newspapermen dressed in strange clothes and holding red and yellow flags. The first announcement on the stage is "good weather", and the crowd echoes in unison; the second announcement is "good harvest" , the masses also echoed with one voice; the third report - "Guotai Minan", the masses echoed with the same voice again. Everyone who comes to report will be rewarded.
7. Customs at the beginning of spring: Chunshe
Customs at the beginning of spring: Chunshe: It was the day for worshiping the earth god in spring in ancient times. In the Zhou Dynasty, it was held on Jia day, and later it was usually held on the fifth Wu day after the beginning of spring. "Li Mingtang Wei": "This is why Xia Chun, Qiuchang, Dongcheng, Chunshe, Qiu Sheng, and then Dachang are sacrifices to the emperor." Before the Han Dynasty, there was only Chunshe, but after the Han Dynasty, there were only Chunshe and Qiushe. The society is held around the spring and autumnal equinoxes. Social Day is mainly about worshiping gods and also means gathering with neighbors.
Liang Zongmao of the Southern Dynasty wrote in "The Chronicles of Jingchu Years": "On the day of the society, the neighbors would form a comprehensive society, sacrifice mash, and make a house under the tree. First, sacrifice to the gods, and then eat the yesterday." Wang Jia, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in his poem "The Day of the Society": " The shadow of the mulberry tree is scattered in the spring, and every family is supporting the intoxicating people." It can be seen that the ancients attached great importance to worshiping the gods of the society. It later became a custom and became a sacrificial activity, which means that the earth multiplies all things and prays for the prosperity of the animals. , a bumper harvest.
8. The custom of the beginning of spring: pasting Yichun calligraphy and painting
The custom of the beginning of spring: when spring arrives, people post Yichun calligraphy and painting on the door wall. This custom existed in Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty. According to records: On the first day of spring, people in Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty often posted calligraphy and paintings on their doors to welcome the spring and wish good luck. The characters were called "Yichun characters" and the paintings were called "Yichun paintings." Such as "welcoming spring", "pleasant spring scenery", "bright spring scenery", "spring flowers are blooming" and so on. Some people also post a blessing message on the lintel to express their wish to welcome the Spring Festival. People who can draw often paint a "Picture of Wintersweet" on the lintel.
Eating spring rolls
9. The custom of the beginning of spring: eating spring rolls
The custom of eating spring rolls at the beginning of spring was originally an integral part of the customs of the beginning of spring festival. However, this festival custom has faded a lot now, and even many young people no longer know this custom. Nowadays, people eat more noodles and dumplings instead of spring dishes, spring pancakes, and spring rolls to welcome the arrival of spring. Therefore, there is a widely circulated saying among the people that "spring dumplings beat spring noodles." The custom of spring rolls at the beginning of spring has become a popular flavor food. Today, spring rolls with golden color, crispy skin, fresh meat filling and attractive aroma have become a unique and popular dish at banquets in many large hotels.
10. The custom of eating spring dishes at the beginning of spring:
Since the Tang Dynasty, the custom of eating spring dishes at the beginning of spring has been widely spread among the people. For example, the book "Sui Shi Guang Ji" written by Chen Yuanliang in the late Southern Song Dynasty quoted the Tang Dynasty's "Four Seasons Treasure Mirror" as recording: "On the first day of spring, people make spring cakes and lettuce, called 'spring plate'." The word spring plate is also used many times. It can be seen in the poetry works of the Tang Dynasty. For example, the poet Cen Shen once wrote in the poem "Send Yang Qian to Runan County to get married at the end of the year": "Runan looks far away, and goes early to reach the spring plate." This custom became more common in the Song Dynasty. Su Shi, a great poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, mentioned this custom many times in his poems.