In the depths of childhood memories, those festive scenes of youth are still vivid. On the birthday of their ancestors, the family laughs and laughs, family and friends gather together, the sound of blessings is mixed with the rustle of gifts, and a sumptuous feast always makes them smile. However, have you noticed that in certain years, they seem to be a little hesitant or even refuse to celebrate, believing that it will bring bad omens?
This behavior may be confusing, but it is rooted in traditional Chinese cultural beliefs. There is a saying called "three nots", which refers to certain ages that should not be celebrated solemnly to avoid misfortune. What are the ages behind this, and what are their deep meanings and cultural backgrounds, are all topics worth exploring and understanding. Let's take a closer look at this meaningful cultural phenomenon and explore the stories and philosophies behind it.
1. You can't live before the age of 60
China has a deep culture and a long history, and it also has a unique perspective on the way of looking at age and celebrating it. In this cultural context, sixty years old is not just an age number, it represents a person who has gone through the five twelve year cycles of the Five Blessings, that is, the complete cycle of the five zodiac signs, which shows the fullness and rebirth of life.
This age node, known as "Huajia" in China, is a kind of affirmation and respect for an individual's life course. The celebration of the Year of the Sixtieth Year is not only a celebration of an individual's longevity, but also a concentrated display of his life experience and wisdom. Family members and friends gather to celebrate this important occasion and pay their respects and blessings through traditional rituals such as feasts and gifts of longevity peaches and longevity noodles.
However, this kind of celebration is very particular, and it is generally believed that it is only at the age of 60 that the official entry into the "sixtieth birthday", and the forty-ninth or fifty-ninth years before that is not considered a true birthday. This belief stems from ancient beliefs and customs, which believe that celebrating birthdays too early, especially before the traditional "sixtieth birthday", can bring bad ominous omens, giving people a sense that their days are running out.
Therefore, in these "non-longevity" ages, people will choose to celebrate their birthdays in a low-key manner and avoid large-scale celebrations. This is done out of respect for traditional culture on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is also a strategy to avoid unnecessary social pressure and gossip. In contemporary society, while some people are open to this traditional idea and are willing to celebrate it at the age of fifty-nine or others, most people still adhere to tradition and prefer to wait until they are sixty years old to have another grand celebration.
Overall, the 60-year-old celebration is not only a mark of one's age, but also a celebration of one's life's experience, an affirmation of wisdom and life course. Before reaching this important age, people follow the guidance of traditional culture and choose to transition in a more restrained way until they usher in another spring of life.
Second, the age of every ten should be passed in advance
In the long history of the Chinese nation, the commemoration of age is not only a mark of time, but also a part of cultural tradition. Every ten years of age, such as sixty, seventy, and eighty, each of them is endowed with profound cultural significance and is revered as "Da Shou". At these ages, every birthday is not only a personal celebration, but also a celebration of the wisdom and life course of the elderly.
However, there is a unique custom in the tradition for the celebration of these ages, which is to "make nine heads". The practice of this custom means that people celebrate their birthday one year before they reach their chronological age, such as their sixtieth birthday at fifty-nine, seventieth birthday at sixty-nine, and so on. This practice stems from the special understanding of numbers in Chinese culture.
In traditional Chinese culture, the number ten is often considered unlucky, and is associated with the idiom "ten heinous" to mean the end and the end. Nine, as the largest single number, was considered to represent the limit in ancient times, with the meaning of "ninety-nine to one" and "long-term", symbolizing the state of infinite near-perfection. Therefore, by celebrating the tenth birthday in the year of the nineteenth, people imply avoiding bad luck, attracting good luck, and hoping for longevity and peace.
This Xi also implies respect and prayer for the ancestors. At every ten-year juncture of life, celebrating early is not only an expression of anticipation for the future, but also a kind of gratitude for the years that have passed. Family members will gather together to prepare a sumptuous feast, give each other auspicious items, and bless the elders together. This way of celebration reflects the respect for the elderly and the reverence for life in Chinese culture.
This cultural tradition is still passed down in many families today. Even in modern society, this kind of celebration ceremony still has important social and cultural significance, not only for personal blessings, but also for the inheritance and promotion of the cultural spirit of the Chinese nation. In every birthday celebration of "being nine heads", there is respect for the elderly and the celebration of life, which is a vivid embodiment of the infinite awe and love of life of the Chinese people.
3. Four of the ages cannot live a long life
In China's cultural tradition, people give a special cultural meaning to numbers, and this cultural phenomenon is vividly reflected in the tradition of celebrating age. The age of every ten - sixty (sixtieth), seventy (ancient rare), eighty (elderly), etc., not only represents an important node in life's mileage, but also symbolizes longevity and the accumulation of wisdom. The celebration of these age nodes, often referred to as birthdays, is a tribute and blessing given to the elderly by the family and society.
However, the celebration of the Great Birthday is not simply based on actual age, but adopts the unique Xi of "making nine heads". This Xi allows people to celebrate in the last year before their chronological age reaches the age of ten, i.e., fifty-nine, sixty-nine, seventy-nine, etc., thus avoiding directly touching the number ten, which is considered unlucky. According to traditional Chinese thinking, the number ten is often associated with "ten heinous and unforgivable" as opposed to "ten perfect", symbolizing the end and completeness, and people want to avoid touching the inauspicious meaning of this number at important stages of life.
In addition to this, other numbers such as four, seven, and thirteen are also considered unlucky in Chinese culture. 四 (死) is pronounced close to "death" and is considered one of the most taboo numbers, while seven (起) is homophonic to "Qi Chong" and is thought to cause conflict and unrest. Thirteen is also considered an ominous number in China because of the negative associations in various cultural contexts, such as the "Friday of the 13th" in the West. Therefore, the age of forty-four, sixty-four, eighty-four, etc., with the age of four and the birthday of the thirteenth, is usually not chosen as the date to celebrate the birthday to avoid unnecessary bad luck.
Conversely, the numbers six (liu), eight (fat), and nine (jiu) are considered auspicious in Chinese culture. The six homonyms "flow" mean that everything flows smoothly, the eight homonyms "fa" are often associated with wealth and development, and the nine are because of "long", which symbolizes longevity and eternity. These figures are especially favored during the passage of life, as they convey good wishes for the elderly and positive expectations for the future.
This view of digital auspiciousness and the observance of related Xi not only reflects the deep connotation of traditional Chinese culture, but also reflects the deep blessing of the Chinese nation for life, health and well-being. In modern society, despite the high development of science and technology, these traditional Xi customs are still passed down and respected in many families, becoming an important way to connect the past and the future, and to transmit cultural values and family memories.
Celebrating the birthday of an elder, the so-called "birthday", is a traditional Xi in Chinese culture that expresses respect for the elderly, love for the elderly, and wishes for longevity. However, the ancients avoided solemn celebrations at certain ages, such as the "three nos", reflecting an understanding of the life cycle and a reverence for the laws of nature. Nowadays, with the evolution of the times, people's attitudes and ways of living life are also gradually evolving.
Modern society advocates paying more attention to the health and personal wishes of the elderly, and celebrating their birthdays in a more intimate and appropriate way. The deeper meaning of celebrating life is to celebrate birthdays and respect life, not just follow traditional forms. We encourage everyone to share their thoughts on this topic in the comments section or participate in more similar discussions by liking and following.
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