"Twenty-three, sugar melon sticky." With the advent of the Lunar New Year, the footsteps of the Lunar New Year are getting closer and closer.
For the small year, people's impression may be that they sacrifice stoves, eat sugar melons, etc. In addition, the date of the small year is also different in different places.
The dates of the minor years will also vary
The small year usually refers to the day of sweeping dust and offering sacrifices to the stove. Due to the different customs of different places, the days called "Little Year" are not the same, and there are sayings such as the 23rd and 24th waxing moons.
Infographic: Spring Festival Celebration. Photo by China News Service reporter Tomita
Talking about the reasons for the difference in the dates of the small year, Wang Juan, a folklore expert, said that the ancient royal family would revise the calendar, and generally there would be a more explicit statement like which day is the small year. But specific to each region, for practical needs, locals will have different understandings. Over time, it is inevitable that the dates will not be uniform, which fully explains the diversity of traditional Chinese folk culture.
She believes that China's "New Year" lasts a long time before and after the New Year, and there will be some iconic dates. No matter what day the new year is, it expresses the distinction between the stages of the celebration. Celebrating the New Year represents people's good wishes to leave the old and welcome the new.
What is the emphasis on "sacrificial stoves"?
In the New Year, there is an important folk activity, that is, "sacrificial stove".
Wang Juan introduced that in ancient times, the "sacrificial stove" was a very important thing, and it was one of the five rituals. Later, the custom of sacrificing stoves became more and more common, and both the official and the people had to "sacrifice stoves".
She said that as the saying goes, "officials three people, four boats, five families", it is said that the old government office "sacrificed stoves" on the twenty-third day of the waxing moon. Folk is the twenty-four "sacrificial stoves", and the boat house is the twenty-five "sacrificial stoves". Therefore, in many places, the time of the "sacrificial stove" is not uniform.
In folklore, the duty of the "vesta god" is to take charge of the stove fire, manage the diet, supervise the family's actions for a year, and report to the "Jade Emperor" in the early year to set rewards and punishments.
According to customs, people should "sacrifice the stove" and send away the "stove king" in the small year.
The reason for this is because it is inevitable to bump and bump in daily life, and people are worried about the "vesta god" making a small report, so it is close to its set, commonly known as "mesmerizing stove". When offering stove candy to the "Stove King", he prayed that "spicy and smelly, stove jun Mo Yan", expecting him to say more good things after the day after tomorrow.
Data chart: The peasant dragon dance team carried out the traditional folk activities of the dragon dance and walking village. (Aerial photo) Zhao Chunliang photo
Wang Juan explained that the "sacrificial stove" ceremony existed in the Xia Dynasty, and it was only fixed after the Han Dynasty that it became one of the customs of the Xiaonian.
The "busy year" begins
Small years are often seen as the beginning of a "busy year". From this time to the Chinese New Year's Eve, the preparations for the New Year are even more lively.
For example, "sweeping dust", similar to year-end cleaning. Every household must be cleaned, all kinds of utensils are washed, bedding curtains are removed... Get ready for the New Year.
Not only that, during this period, adults and children should also take a bath and get a haircut, which is refreshing. It is believed that this also has the meaning of "resigning the old and welcoming the new".
In those activities to prepare for the New Year, it is also very interesting to cut window flowers and paste window flowers. For example, the content of the window flower includes magpie dengmei, swallow wearing peach willow, lotus (lian) year fish (yu), etc., and there will also be various drama stories.
In addition, a series of folk activities after the Little Year emphasize the "sense of participation", which means that people are busy for the upcoming Spring Festival and look forward to a happy reunion.