Text | Xiaofeng talks about history
Edit | Xiaofeng talks about history
In modern times, there are "social animals", and in ancient times, in addition to farmers, there were also "office workers", and those officials are the best representatives.
Just like now, since you go to work, you must have time to rest. It's just that different years and under different rulers, the holiday time is also different.
But then again, in that ancient time when there was no electricity and no game city, what kind of entertainment did they rely on to spend that "full vacation"?
1. The ancients also had holidays
In fact, since the Zhou Dynasty, the prototype of the vacation system has been emerging. In the beginning, it was only a brief break for officials to participate in sacrificial ceremonies, but it was precisely this situation that laid the foundation for the later holiday system.
During the Han Dynasty, official vacations became more regular.
With regular holidays, these days are also known as "rest days". In the "Han Law", there is a clear law that stipulates that officials have one day off every five days, which is no different from our current weekend.
In addition to these, they also enjoy some special holiday holidays, such as traditional festivals such as winter solstice, summer solstice, etc. In case of special circumstances, you can also take a day off to rest.
However, this system is not immutable, with the advent of the Tang Dynasty, the system of rest and bath has evolved from five days and two days off to a "ten-day break" once every 10 days.
However, although the interval between holidays became longer, the Tang Dynasty introduced more holidays.
On important festivals such as the Spring Festival, the Winter Solstice and the Qingming Festival, holidaymakers can also enjoy up to 7 days of vacation. During the Mid-Autumn Festival and the summer solstice, there are also three-day holidays.
Other vacation opportunities such as family leave, visiting and cleaning holidays are also abundant. What's more humane is that during the Spring Festival, there will also be turns of holidays according to odd and even numbers.
It also means that officials can take time off and go to work, allowing them to spend more time with their families.
Compared with the Tang Dynasty, the vacation system in the Song Dynasty can be said to be more relaxed. With more than 70 statutory holidays a year, plus ten-day holidays and family leave, this is almost every month when you can enjoy a period of vacation.
In addition to this, family leave is tailored for officials who are far away from home, and those who are further away can receive up to 30 days of family leave every three years.
But these humanized holidays came to an abrupt end during the Yuan and Ming dynasties.
Compared with before the Tang and Song dynasties, the vacation policies of these two dynasties were relatively strict.
Especially in the Yuan Dynasty, there were only 16 holidays throughout the year. In the early Qing Dynasty, although the vacation system still inherited the tradition of the Ming Dynasty, under the influence of the Western holiday system, the Qing Dynasty also had to reform the vacation model.
So here comes the problem, not to mention the Qingming and Qing dynasties. What would they do when they had so many vacations before that?
Second, the entertainment of the ancestors
The holiday life in ancient times was rich and colorful, allowing the characters to be free and fulfilling. In addition to the common outdoor activities and indoor recreation, the ancients also had some special forms of entertainment.
On the occasion of the birthday, a special theatrical performance of Nan Ke Yimeng is held, which is a form of drama with a romantic style that is very popular with the audience.
In addition to their passion for performing arts, the ancients were also very keen on flower viewing and gardening activities.
During the holidays, they go to the flower beds and flower fields in the suburbs to admire the variety of blooming flowers. It can be said that it is also the most popular holiday game of the ancients.
People with conditions will also arrange gardens to raise flowers and grass during the holidays to enjoy the fun of gardening.
In addition to these, the ancient people who did not have televisions and computers were also enthusiastic about dance and music. During the holidays, officials with good relations also gather to drink and compose poems with each other.
Of course, it's not these that are all the rage, but a game of dominoes similar to modern mahjong.
Many officials during breaks will choose this game. And this special game is also represented in many works of painting literature.
But compared to the so-called holidays, the Lantern Festival is the common carnival feast of all ancient people.
3. Shangyuan Festival
The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival in ancient times, is an important moment for the country to show peace and prosperity and enjoy with the people on this day in ancient society.
The history of the Shangyuan Festival originated in the Han Dynasty, when Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty decided to celebrate the rebellion of Zhou Bo and the Zhulu Rebellion, and decided to celebrate with the people on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year.
Coincidentally, this day is also the birthday of Shangyuan Tianguan in Taoist culture, which has the beautiful meaning of the blessing of Tianguan. It is precisely because of this that the tradition of sacrificing "Taiyi" to the gods of heaven was officially started later.
And the highlight of this festival is the lantern, which has been popular throughout the country during the period of Emperor Wen of Sui.
Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty expanded the scale of the lantern on this day and made it a custom in the name of promoting religion. In the Tang Dynasty, the grand occasion of the Lantern Festival was unprecedented, and Su Wei, the prime minister of the Wu Zetian period, depicted the moving atmosphere at that time in his work "The Fifteenth Night of the First Lunar Month".
It can even be said that in ancient societies with strict curfews, only the imperial court would lift the prohibitions during the Lantern Festival. During this special period, the imperial court openly allowed the people to go out at night to celebrate.
It was such a "tolerant" system that made this festival a rare carnival time in ancient society.
Whether it is the princes and nobles or ordinary people, they can put aside the shackles of identity on this night to participate in the grand event.
In addition to praying for peace, the Lantern Festival is also a festival full of romance.
Since everyone had fewer scruples on this night, women also went out to participate in activities such as "Walking a Hundred Diseases" and "Inviting the Purple Goddess".
It enables more young men and women to meet and meet, and it is precisely for this reason that some people also jokingly call the Lantern Festival a unique "Valentine's Day" in ancient China.
In terms of food, the day is also rich in traditions.
Tangyuan is also a must-have food for this day, originating from the Song Dynasty's special food, with a variety of varieties not only sweet but also salty. The production method of glutinous rice balls varies from place to place, glutinous rice flour is all the rage in the south, and the special snack made of dry glutinous rice noodles and sugar filling is popular in the north, which has become the favorite of countless people.
In addition to traditional activities such as viewing lanterns and guessing lantern riddles, there are also various games and performances on this day.
Whether it's a folk juggling dance or a professional opera performance. On this day, it will be lively in front of everyone, and this scene is simply lively.
It can be said that as one of the most important festivals in ancient China, the Zhongyuan Festival not only carries profound cultural connotations, but also embodies the festival customs and national spirit of ancient society.
Although with the development of the times, the Xi culture of this day has undergone some changes, as an important part of the traditional culture of the mainland, it is still worth inheriting and carrying forward.
The author thinks
When we look back at history in the fast-paced modern life, we can't help but feel a sense of distance beyond time and space.
Maybe they didn't have as many entertainment activities as they do today, but the entertainment of the ancients was far beyond our imagination. It is undeniable that the ancients we "despise" also have their own value in the aesthetics of nature and art.
Whether it is Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection" created during his travels, or Xu Xiake's observations during his travels, they have become a valuable legacy for future generations to learn and Xi and admire.
And now, although there are not as many holidays as in the Tang and Song dynasties, fortunately, today's technology is developing fast enough. Even if we don't have enough time, we can also travel all over the mountains and rivers of the motherland.