When my grandfather was 15 years old, he went out to become a soldier, followed the large army to run east and west, and once met a veteran in Hubei. The veterans are old revolutionaries who participated in the Wuchang Uprising of the New Army in Hubei, and they are humble and honest with people. Seeing that my grandfather was young, he was often close to him. Grandpa also always liked to let the veterans tell him some stories of the uprising, or the rare things that the veterans had seen when they went south and north.
The veteran, a native of Wuchang, once told my grandfather about a plague in his hometown. I checked it out, it should be in the ninth year of Guangxu (1883), Wuhan did break out a plague.
In mid-June of the ninth year of Guangxu, the epidemic first appeared in the Hankou area. Veterans said they heard that at first most of the patients appeared near the Wanshou Palace. On the map, it's not far from a seafood market today.
Patients who have caused the plague vomit up and down diarrhea, and the symptoms should be a strong infectious disease such as cholera. There is a rumor that if you get sick on the horse, you will die when you get off the horse. Because of the rapid onset of the disease and the high fatality rate, locals call it "immediate illness". As the name suggests, the plague also immediately spread to the surrounding areas of Huangpi and Xiaogan.
In early July, just half a month later, "Huang Xiao and other places died one after another", following in the footsteps of Wuhan, and also became a hard-hit area. It is said that in the neighboring territory of Sichuan, the situation is not optimistic.
In order to deal with the plague, people thought of a way. That is similar to Oki, using the power of a large festival such as the Spring Festival to pray for blessings and disasters. Of course, it turns out that the population movement brought about by large festivals will exacerbate the epidemic of infectious diseases, which is counterproductive.
However, it was not as coincidental as it is now, it was June, and it was still far from the end of the year. It is difficult to quench the thirst of the near water, but the plague is imminent, what can be done? If we don't say that the wisdom of the masses of the people is infinite, since the Spring Festival is still far away, it will be won in advance for the New Year.
As a result, the people in the epidemic area regarded June 30 as the Chinese New Year's Eve, and the first day of July as the first day of the New Year, which was half an early year earlier than the whole country. Fan Chengda of the Southern Song Dynasty has a poem: "Chinese New Year's Eve more people do not sleep, tired of being dull and sluggish to welcome the new year." ”
In this way, the purpose is to carry out the "strategy of disgust". The traditional New Year customs of setting off firecrackers, pasting spring festivals, eating five spice plates, and drinking pepper and flower wine actually have the color of repelling epidemics, which can be regarded as a means of disgust.
I found that in fact, the medical books also contain a lot of "disgusted with the plague" method. For example, in the "Compendium of Materia Medica", it is said: "When The night is removed, seven or seven grains of adzuki beans and Sichuan pepper are thrown into the well, and it is not known, but it can be plagued." Another law: On New Year's Day, take three or seven seeds of cannabis and throw them into the well. ”
Just sprinkle some coarse grains and seasonings into the well at midnight in the Chinese New Year's Eve to gain immunity to suppress the plague, it's as simple as that.
In any case, it is still a response to this plague by traditional medicine. As for the follow-up and the consequences, Grandpa can't remember clearly. I just remember the veteran finally saying to him, "Spoon head sun brain (fool's meaning), you must have seen the June New Year, right?" ”
In fact, in addition to "chong xi", the ancient people also liked to use "sin" to resist the plague. Ancient kings were well aware of the divine right of kings, and they introspected themselves in the event of a major catastrophe, and ordered their subordinate officials to repair the province, such as during the Ming Dynasty.
In July of the ninth year of Yongle (1411), there was a great epidemic in Shaanxi. Ming Chengzu specially sent Wang Zhang, a servant of the Hubu Clan, to worship the gods of Xiyue Huashan and Shaanxi Mountains. The inscription reads: "Than the Shaanxi Shouchen said that there were many people who died of the plague in the territory of the Shouchen. The king is in the world, and everything is lost, and all are worried. Therefore, he was sympathetic to Fu Ning, but he helped the country to defend the people against disasters and the office of God. If the plague is completely eliminated and the disaster is not done, it is fortunate that the people are alone, and the country depends on it. ”
In June of the Tenth Year of Orthodoxy (1445), a major epidemic occurred in Taizhou and other three provinces in Zhejiang, and the emperor sent Wang Ying, a left attendant of the Ministry of Rites and a scholar of Hanlin, to sacrifice "Nanzhen" to eliminate the disaster. When Zhejiang was in a long drought, Wang Ying arrived in Shaoxing, the sky fell manna, and it rained heavily for two consecutive days, and people praised this rain as "Shilang Rain".
In the Ming Dynasty, every epidemic year, there were many incidents of mutual assistance between the people, and it was also very touching.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, there was a man named Mo Yuan, and the neighbor Ma Hua's whole family contracted the epidemic and died, leaving only one young child to survive. Others did not dare to take them in, so Mo Yuan resolutely raised children as adults and passed them on as a good story. During the Jiajing period, a prefect surnamed Xu in Gaozhou, Guangdong Province, his mother and stepmother and family were infected by the plague. The second mother is dying, and the relatives are hiding. Only Xu Zhifu took good care of the two alone, causing the epidemic to turn the crisis into safety.
Zhang Yanchen was the father of Zhang Zonglian during the Yongle dynasty. His family was infected with the epidemic, and his family and friends cut off contact with his family. Ignoring the persuasion of the crowd, Zhang Yanchen personally prepared soup and boiled porridge, took care of the clan several times a day, day and night, and said: "The trees next to the road can protect people and take shelter, how can people not take care of each other?" If I do good deeds, ghosts and gods will not infringe upon them. ”
In the twenty-second year of Chenghua (1486), a major epidemic in a certain township, the number of families died, and the two sons of the Zeng family died of the epidemic, leaving only one grandson named Zeng Ridan. Grandfather Zeng Ruhou wept bitterly, and his daughter-in-law Xiao Shifang, who was 23 years old, said: "Father-in-law, don't worry, if I have the idea of remarrying, I can't keep the widow's day, let the gods punish me." Old-age care and childcare are my responsibilities. ”
In the future, Xiao Shi was alone in a deep boudoir, diligently spinning and running the family, and raised Zeng Ridan into a talent. After becoming an adult, Zeng Ridan repaired a new house for the Xiao family to live in, and put a plaque on his house, called "Festival of Filial Piety". In the future, Xiao Shi was alone in a deep boudoir, diligently spinning and running the family, and raised Zeng Ridan into a talent.