Cover news reporter Li Yuxin
"Twenty-fifth day of the waxing moon, push and grind to make tofu." On January 27, the 25th day of the lunar month, less than 5 days after the Chinese New Year's Eve, a series of customs such as sacrificing stoves, eating stove sugar, and sweeping dust have been carried out. On this day, you still can't "lie flat". Next, grind tofu, cut the new year meat... In the process of busy preparing New Year goods, the Spring Festival has arrived unconsciously.
Why is it that on the 25th day of the Waxing Moon, there is a custom of grinding tofu in the folk? It turned out that in the era of low productivity, ordinary people could eat tofu all the time on weekdays. Therefore, on the twenty-fifth day of the Waxing Moon, the people made tofu one after another for slow enjoyment in the first month.
Since ancient times, tofu has been cheap and delicious, and people think that tofu is a good thing. It was also loved by the literati. The ancients also gave a beautiful character to the "white" tofu, which means to learn tofu like tofu, "innocent" people. At the same time, "tofu" is also harmonized with "tofu", carrying people's wishes for wealth and peace. "Rot" is pronounced the same as "fu", and also has the meaning of "receiving blessing". During the Lunar New Year, when everything is "auspicious", eating tofu can also make a good start.
Tofu (source network)
In addition, there is also a folk custom of "receiving the Jade Emperor". Legend has it that after the "little year" King Of Stove reported to heaven, the Jade Emperor would visit the Nether Realm, and on the twenty-fifth day of the 25th day of the waxing moon, he personally went down to the netherworld to check the good and evil in the world, and to determine the blessings of the coming year, to see if each family was as the King of Stove played. Therefore, the family moved pictures to pray for blessings, called "receiving the Jade Emperor". It is worth mentioning that on this day, there is also a custom of eating tofu residue in some areas. Because the Jade Emperor inspected the people on this day, each family pushed and milled to make tofu, ate tofu residue to show that it was bitter, and concealed the punishment of the Jade Emperor. And in the twenty-fifth day of the waxing moon, we must be cautious in our living and speech, and strive for good performance, so as to win the favor of the Jade Emperor and bless the coming year.
As the saying goes, "Twenty-five, grind tofu", but in some places it is also said "twenty-five, paste the window". Because after the twenty-fourth sweep of the waxing moon, the room is renewed, when people tear off the old window paper, which means to tear off last year's unhappiness, and the new paste on the window represents the new hope for the coming year. And in the past, regardless of the north and south, there was a custom of pasting window flowers during the Spring Festival, and window flowers were cut paper pasted on window paper or window glass. The red and lustrous window flowers portray auspicious things on it, and also express the good wishes that the people are looking forward to, and even decorate the festival with prosperity and joy.