How the ancients took a holiday
Starting from the twenty-third day of the Waxing Moon, which is what we commonly call the small year, we have officially entered the stage of the New Year. How long is this stage of the New Year? Some people say that starting from Lapa Ba, may be a little earlier, starting from the twenty-third day of the Waxing Moon is more appropriate, that is, from the twenty-third day of the Waxing Moon to officially enter the preparation stage of the New Year and the Stage of the New Year.
Year: The reciprocation of grain ripening
So when will it end? It should be said that the fifteenth day of the first month is over. Therefore, these 20 days are the traditional festivals that we attach the most importance to Chinese - the Spring Festival. The name Spring Festival appeared relatively late, because it included Lichun in this period, so it was later called Spring Festival, which is actually our Chinese year, that is, the old calendar year. Of course, what does someone mean by going back to this "year" in words? Some people say it's an ancient monster, which is not quite right. Nian is actually the word "稔", and a chant is added next to the hemu to refer to the grain ripening once a year. In this period, the year refers to the reciprocation of the grain ripening, so it becomes a year. Some people say that Nian is a gluttonous monster, of course, this is more far-fetched.
China attaches the greatest importance to the old calendar year. Take the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty New Year is also the time period I just said, from the twenty-third day of the Waxing Moon to the fifteenth day of the first month. Then for government officials, there were no Saturdays and Sundays at that time, only a ten-day rest system, that is, every ten days was a decade, and every ten days there might be a day off. Although there are many vacations, there are usually not so many holidays, but only in the old calendar year, the holidays are the longest. Then decide which day to take a holiday, by an institution called Qin Tianjian at that time, by the Qin Tianjian to read the almanac to decide which day of the holiday is the most auspicious, this time is generally selected in the 21st month of Wax, the 22nd of the Wax Moon and the 23rd of the Wax Moon, of these three days, the best day is selected as the beginning of the holiday. This was announced by the decision of the Qin Tianjian.
"Sealing" ceremony
From this day on, all the yamen, such as the Six Ministries of Ceremonial Soldiers and Criminals, or some other central government agencies, have a ceremony on this day, which is called "sealing", and the ceremony is presided over by the officials of each ministry, that is, the supreme chief, and the main attendants and members of the foreign lang, etc., must participate. Then there is a ceremony, on this day, the seal used by the gate is sealed, and the seal is no longer used during this period, which is a vacation. All the government staff also relaxed. So this time is the most lively period on the four streets of Beijing.
At that time, Beijing was the most lively, we often said a sentence, called Dongdan West Four Drum Tower front, in addition to these three places, in fact, the most lively is outside the front door. Outside the front door, the five arches are where all the people who sell things, sell satin, sell jewelry, and the place where restaurants and theaters are most concentrated. So from the 231st holiday of the Waxing Moon, these officials go to the bathhouses in these places to take a bath, the Qing Yin small class goes to the party, then the restaurant goes to eat, and the night goes to the theater, which is the most lively time. Of course, there are also yamen that do not take holidays, such as the Five Cities Terracotta Division, which wants to maintain social order, so it does not take holidays. This is the stage of officially entering the New Year from the beginning of the holiday.
So when to go to work? Generally speaking, it is in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth three days of the first month, and it is also the Qin Tianjian who determines which day is the most auspicious according to them, as the end of the holiday, and begins to work, and there is a ceremony called the "opening seal" ceremony, that is, the officials of each ministry tear off the seal, take out the seal, and enter the normal work procedure, which is called "opening the seal". So this period of time is about 20 days, the whole formation of a New Year, which is from the government agency.
For ordinary people, in the city, this time is the best business opportunity for businesses, a year's income should be said to be a considerable part, is completed in this period, people at this time is also a time to spend money. So it's also the best selling for merchants.
What is "Bundle Repair"
For students, students are on vacation, there are not many public schools at that time, there are some private schools, then the teacher may have to go home. At this time, for example, in the township or some large households, they will give the teacher "bundle repair". "Shu Xiu" comes from the era of Confucius, in fact, "Shu Xiu" is a piece of bacon is dried meat, which later becomes money, the teacher took a year's salary, and also began to go home for a vacation, they may not be locals. The children also had a holiday and relaxed, and they were supposed to be in private schools and schools, but at this time they were also relaxed.
But some industries began to get busy, for example, the clothing shop wants to make new clothes for people, the satin shop sells a lot of satin, and the singers at this time, under the roots, have to sing some box sealing dramas. The best plays, the best actors, and a lot of rituals. For example, the box sealing drama is concentrated on the best actors to sing, generally speaking, singing until the twenty-second and twenty-third day of the Waxing Moon begins to seal the box. There are also some poor drama classes that, in order to make a living, may sing until the twenty-ninth day of the Waxing Moon and seal the box, but I have not heard of any drama class singing until the thirtieth night of the Waxing Moon, or there are still people who go to see the theater. Therefore, there is a sealing ceremony when sealing the box.
So why do you still gather some good actors to sing the box drama? In fact, on this day, everyone does not take the silver package, does not take the money, is the obligation to sing once, raise some money for some of the hardships of the industry. Because some of the drama actors have "collapsed", that is, their throats are broken, some martial arts actors are broken, or they have no life for various reasons, so this play is also called "Nest Head Society", that is, at least for everyone to earn a nest head to eat during this time, not to be hungry, and even to wrap dumplings, so this is the best actor's "Nest Head Club" box sealing play.
Then some poor drama classes may open after the first, second and third days of the first month of the first month. As I said just now, we have a ceremony for opening the seal and sealing the stage, so there is also a ceremony for sealing the box and opening the stage. In addition, like haircuts, bathhouses, but also the most lively time, the bath is overwhelmed, the barber is also very busy, have to change new clothes, have to bathe, everyone is preparing for the New Year.
Source: Integrated Network
How the ancients gave gifts
From the Beginning of the Song Dynasty, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, princes and hundreds of officials
Enter the palace to pay homage to the emperor.
The emperor would reward each person with a hat flower made of silk silk.
Everyone wears hats and wears them to a family feast when they return home.
As soon as you enter the waxing moon, you can see the pickers delivering wine and meat on the road,
A piece of bacon, served with a few pounds of TuSu wine
Also known as "sending annual disks", regardless of the number,
The price is high or low, mainly in the meaning of congratulating the New Year.
In the Qing Dynasty, before the Spring Festival, the emperor would reward the ministers with a piece of venison.
Write the words "Fu" and "Shou", and pronounce it "Fulu Shou";
Not only that, but the emperor would also reward the imperial pen with the word "Fu",
Of course, these "blessings" are except for a very small number,
Most of them were written by the courtiers.
Arrived at the homes of ordinary people, the first day of the Chinese New Year
Every household in the south will use garlic, garlic, leeks and so on
Something spicy to make "five spicy plates",
Give each other to relatives, friends, colleagues to eat,
One comes to send out the five visceral qi,
Second, welcome the arrival of the New Year and the revival of all things.
The "Five Sim Pan" later evolved into spring rolls.
There is also the custom of sending purses and yellow calendars for the New Year,
Because the ancient purse was a necessity,
Similar to today's handbags,
Used to scatter broken silver coins, incense, snacks, etc.
The yellow calendar, on the other hand, is a guide to working hours for the year, and is the most practical gift.
Qing Dynasty poet Yuan Ming and teacher, Yin Jishan, the governor of Liangjiang
Often chant and sing, each with its own ability.
One year, Chinese New Year's Eve, Yuan Mei sent people to the nearest son
Send a poem to the teacher:
Knowing that the public has a sentence and passes on the note, relying on the horse to be high and not letting go first,
Today the church loses a new poem and to next year.
(To the effect that it was already New Year's when you saw the poem,
Even if you are quick in your thinking, writing a good peace poem is the second year,
You just concede).
The teacher laughed after reading it.
Zuo Zongtang, a famous minister of the late Qing Dynasty, wanted to do it every Spring Festival
Send 1000 two silver tickets to Pan Zuyin, the Minister of Military Aircraft,
Plus a generous gift to repay his life-saving grace for his adventure.
During the Xianfeng period, Zuo Zongtang was in Charge of military affairs in the shogunate in Hunan.
He offended Manchu officials for his arrogance and was impeached.
Although Pan Zuyin did not know Zuo Zongtangsu,
But he heard of his ability, and he did not care about misfortune,
The Superior defended him, and praised his ability,
Zuo Zongtang fang avoided death.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, near the Spring Festival,
Officials everywhere must send red envelopes to officials in Beijing,
It is called tanjing, which means heating fee.
Summer also sent, called Bingjing,
The meaning of heat protection fee.
The amount of charcoal varies, with a minimum of 8 taels of silver.
On an envelope containing silver tickets of different denominations
Each has a genteel name:
40 Two reads "Forty Wise Men" (ancient book title),
300 two wrote "Mao's poems" (because the "Book of Poetry" is called three hundred),
1000 are written "Thousand Buddha Sutras" (Buddhist sutra names).
During the Qianlong period, some officials paid tribute to the good emblem ink,
On the ink there are four golden characters of "Long Life Without Boundaries",
The Qianlong Emperor liked it.
Unexpectedly, the grind later became "long life nothing",
Those who paid tribute to Mo were severely punished for this.
Zhang Yinhuan, the minister of the late Qing Dynasty, returned from an envoy to the West,
Spent a lot of money in Paris to buy an emerald,
It was owned by Napoleon and dedicated to Empress Dowager Cixi.
But he forgot to bring a gift to the Grand Eunuch Li Lianying.
One day, Cixi was playing with emeralds,
Full of praise, Li Lianying continued:
"It's really hard for Zhang Yinhuan to think it through,
Don't we deserve rubies? ”
Cixi smelled discolored,
Because her heart disease in her life is that she has never been a queen,
In the traditional custom, wives wear red and concubines wear green.
Zhang Yinhuan has since fallen out of favor.
Spring Festival gifts,
No matter how expensive or low, no matter how high or low.
In the midst of complicated and changing etiquette,
It contains the changes in the world, and contains the sophistication of people.
But the only constant,
It is a wonderful hope and blessing.