The sixth day of the first lunar month, also known as horse day, on this day to send the poor, is a very characteristic Han folk custom of the year. There are also their own ways of sending poor people in various parts of China, which are different. But the meaning is basically the same, it is to send away the poor ghost. It reflects the traditional psychology of the Han people generally hoping to resign from the old and welcome the new, send away the poverty and hardships of the old days, and greet the beautiful life of the new year.
On the sixth day of the first lunar month, Shimoda prepares for spring ploughing, and is sent out of the house in poverty.
The sixth day of the first year is Ma Ri, known in ancient times as Ru Fei, and people really start working or doing business on this day. Since entering the first month, it has not been cleaned until the fifth day of the first month, and the feces in the toilet have accumulated, so on this day, a big cleaning is done, and the toilet gods are worshipped, and the filthy toilets are cleaned up on weekdays. Therefore, it is called "fattening". This day also means that farmers in the old days began to go to the fields on this day to prepare for spring ploughing.
Just as the so-called new year's day six to seek shun and throw poor ghosts. "Sending the poor" on the sixth day of the first lunar month is a very characteristic custom of the ancient Han people on the mainland. It means to sacrifice the poor ghost (poor god), also known as "poor son".
So, who is the poor god?
According to Han folklore, the poor ghost is the son of the ancient emperor Zhao Huan. He was weak and short, and he liked to wear rags and drink porridge. Even if he was given new clothes, he would tear them off or burn them out of the hole before wearing them, so everyone called him "poor man".
On the obscure day of the first month, the poor man died, and the palace people buried him and said, "Send the poor son today." "Since then, the poor man has become a poor ghost that everyone fears.
According to Mr. Qian Zhongshu's "Compilation of Pipe Cones", the Han people of the Tang Dynasty on the mainland began to popularly send "poor ghosts", but only called "ghosts" and not "gods". After the Ming and Qing dynasties, the "poor ghost" was revered as the "poor god". Whether it is God or a ghost, no one can say clearly.
Han Chinese folk customs on the sixth day of the first lunar month
01. Make obscenities, discard torn clothes, and worship in the alley. It is to clean up the filthy debris and rags and burn the sacrifice outside the door.
02. Offer pancakes, banana boats, light candles, and send poor ghosts on their way.
03. The toilet god wants to check the hygiene, so clean the toilet.
04. Three six nine, go outside.
What day is "Sending the Poor"?
There are several theories about the date of send-off:
New Year's Eve
Tang Hanyu's "Sending Poor Texts" Li Qiao's note: "To taste the "Wenzong Preparation Question" Yun: When Gao Xin was in the palace, a son was born in the palace, and he did not wear his clothes, and the palace number was poor. Later, the first moon died obscurely, and he was buried in the palace, which was said: "Send a poor son today." Self-acceptance. One of the poems of Tang Yaohe's "Obscure Day to Send Poverty": "Every year on this day, the liquor is worshiped in the street." Thousands of households look at thousands of doors, and no one does not send them to the poor. ”
New Year's 29
The "Chronicle of the Ages, Moon Obscurity" quotes the "Tujing": "The custom of Chiyang, with the twenty-ninth day of the first month as the nine days of poverty, sweeps away the dust in the house and throws it into the water, which is called 'sending the poor'." ”
The sixth day of the first lunar month
The "Chronicle of the Ages and the Day of the People" quotes Song Lu Yuanming's "Miscellaneous Records of the Years": "On the day before the day of the people's day, they sweep up the dung broom, and when the people have not walked, they cover them with seven pancakes, and abandon them to send them to the poor." "Today, Beijing still retains the custom of sending poor ghosts on the sixth day of the first lunar month.
New Year's Day First 3
Qing Gulu's "Qing Jia Lu Xiao Nian Chao": "Yuanping Zhi: On the third day of the first month, many people swept away the dust and added brooms, and entrusted the wrong way to send the poor. "Although the days of sending the poor are different, and the days of sending the poor are also different in different places, one thing is still common, that is, they are all arranged in the New Year of the First Month.
The sixth day of the first lunar month sends the poor ceremony
Miscellaneous Notes of the Years
According to the "Miscellaneous Records of the Years", the specific ritual of sending people to the poor is recorded: "On the day before the day of the day, people sweep up dung brooms, and when people have not done it, they cover them with seven pancakes and abandon them to send the poor." ”
"Send the Poor Ghost"
In addition, a song by The Song Dynasty Batam", "Sending poor ghosts", also mentioned: "At the end of the first month, there is a banana boat, two lamps are bright and radiant, and there is a feast inside." I advise Lang Jun's little lady to send poor ghosts in the air and send poor ghosts in the air. ”
Chronicle of Chubu County
The Chronicle of the Central Counties of Shaanxi of the Republic of China records: "Five days are unknown, and the bundle of paper is for people, boats, cars, and bait, and it is said that it is sent to the poor." The boats and cars mentioned and the bait are all depicted in Han Yu's poor text. The Republic of China's Shaanxi "Continuation of the Chronicle of Nanzheng County" more clearly pointed out: "On the fifth day, sweep away the dust and cannons in the courtyard, abandon the tongqu, and also han retreated to the story of 'sending five poor'." ”
Folklore everywhere
Old Beijing Han folk customs
Send the poor ghost: On this day, the women in the family occasionally throw out the garbage accumulated during the festival.
Send the poor god: The hanging note on the door can be taken off and thrown out at the same time.
Boy throwing poverty: The boy who is in the year of his life, dressed in bangs, carries 5 little people cut out of white paper or colored paper on the street, who grabs it, even if he grabs the god of wealth, the robbed person is called to throw away the poor, and the family should buy a "donkey roll" for the boy who "throws poverty" to eat.
Northwest Jin
Before the sun comes out of the mountain, it is necessary to lift the kang mat, clean some kang soil, and send it to the wild; firing cannons, burning incense, and paying homage to paper is called "sending the poor".
Jinbei region
Folk customs use colored paper to cut images of adults, and children take them to the street and exchange them with each other. Giving one's own paper man to others is called "sending away the poor daughter-in-law"; exchanging someone else's paper man for it is called "getting a blessed person".
Southeast Jin
Folk customs throw rotten clothes out of the wall. Legend has it that the son of the ancient Gao Yang clan wore a torn suit and rags in the middle of the month, and his life was hanged by Lang Dang, and later he died tragically outside the alley. Folk throwing clothes for sacrifice is called "sending poor ghosts".
Send poor poems