The taste of the year, that is, the taste of the new year, is conventional. The New Year is a tradition, and the New Year's flavor should also be found from the tradition, and the strong New Year's flavor should be found in the inheritance of traditional culture. China's traditional culture has a long history, and various New Year customs have been derived from all over the country, with different north and south and different characteristics.
Dongguan people will be the first day of the first month of the traditional New Year called "do the year", the day before the "Chinese New Year's Eve", each family should prepare rice cakes, fried rice cakes, sugar rings and other dry grain products in advance, at the time of intercourse (from 23:00), each family lights candles and burns incense, worships the heavens and the earth, the square table is placed with food, fruits, pastries, many people also put a "full box" to place candy, melon seeds, oranges and other foods, a plate of tower incense directly burned until the beginning of the first two years. The first day of the first year does not kill, does not sweep the floor, puts on the latest clothes, says blessings and praises when they meet, and the elders distribute "li yes" to the children; when they go out to meet each other, they say "Wishing you prosperity", "The new year is better than the old"... However, Dongguan's New Year customs are far more than that, in a village, although many families have not "done everything" as taught by the older generation, the basic customs and etiquette around the New Year are still passed down.
As a Hakka settlement, Qingxi culture and Lingnan culture blend here. The New Year's Celebration revolves around the celebration of the New Year, in the form of removing the old cloth and the new, welcoming the jubilee and receiving blessings, worshipping the gods and ancestors, praying for a good year, etc., with rich and colorful content, lively and festive, and rich in New Year's flavor, condensing the traditional cultural essence of Chinese civilization, and also has distinct and unique regional characteristics.
The beginning of the year
The second day of the first lunar month is called the "opening of the new year", from this day onwards, people bring gifts such as three animals, rice dumplings, and fried piles to visit relatives and friends. In terms of food customs, the lunch on the second day of the first lunar month is called "New Year's Meal", and the dishes are diverse, all of which take auspicious meanings.
Go back to your mother's house
On the second day of the first lunar month, the married daughter will take her husband and children back to her mother's house to pay respects to the New Year. On this day, the daughter who returns to her mother's house must carry some gifts and red envelopes to distribute to her children and have lunch at her mother's house. Although the gift is thin, it reflects a very strong affection, the real is "etiquette is light and affectionate", it expresses the girl's earnest thoughts about the villagers.
Dancing unicorns
In Qingxi, Zhangmutou, Fenggang and other Hakka towns, dancing unicorns are also relatively common. Qilin is an animal in ancient legends, it is said that the unicorn is called the "four spirits" together with the phoenix, turtle and dragon, and ranks first among the four spirits. People regard the unicorn as a mascot, and where the legend says that where the unicorn has stepped on, it will bring luck to the people there, so there is a saying of "kirin auspicious".
There are endless stories and endless customs. The annual customs are full of people's yearning for auspiciousness, the desire for harmony and satisfaction, and the persistent pursuit of perfection and perfection. No matter how customs and traditions change, the year is still the most beloved taste.
Synthesis: Cultural Weekend New Siping Editor/Sun Zili