The spring breeze warms, Vientiane is renewed, and the footsteps of the first day of the new year are coming gently, with the hope and blessings of the new year. On this day, every house is lit up with lights, but there are also some ancient taboos in the laughter, which are like a silent teaching, reminding us not only to be happy, but also to remember the traditional rules. Today, let's walk into these seemingly mysterious but full of wisdom on the first day of the first lunar month, see the meaning behind them, and how they affect us in the new year.
After all, have you ever heard of the saying that "you can't wash your hair on the first day of the new year"? This taboo comes from the ancient expressions of cleanliness and respect for the New Year. They believe that at the beginning of the new year, it is important to keep your body and mind clean in order to welcome good fortune. Washing hair is seen as washing away the bad luck of the old year, and the first day of the new year should be kept fresh until the fifth day of the new year, when you can wash your hair to wash away the past and usher in a new beginning.
In addition to washing hair, there are many other taboos that are mentioned on the first day of the first lunar month. For example, it is not advisable to sweep the floor so as not to sweep away good luck, it is not advisable to borrow money to avoid bad luck in the New Year, and it is not advisable to cry so as not to affect the fortune of the whole year. Although these taboos may sound superstitious, they are actually a kind of expectation for a better life and a wish for the happiness and well-being of the family.
On this special day, we should also avoid arguing with others and maintain a harmonious family atmosphere. After all, harmony begets wealth, and harmonious family relationships contribute to a smooth development of the New Year. At the same time, try to avoid breaking things, because the word "broken" is homophonic to "year", and breaking things at the beginning of the new year seems to indicate that something bad may happen during the year.
These taboos are not set in stone. With the development of the times, people's perception of tradition is constantly updated. For example, due to the accelerated pace of life in modern families, many people choose to take a bath and wash their hair on Chinese New Year's Eve to welcome the arrival of the New Year. As for customs such as not borrowing money and not sweeping the floor, some people regard it as a sense of ritual for the New Year, and express respect and expectation for the new year through such behavior.
In this age of rapid technological change, we may no longer follow every taboo as strictly as the ancients, but these traditional taboos still have a place in our culture. They are not just a custom, but also a cultural inheritance, a respect for history. As we pursue modernization, we might as well look back at those ancient wisdoms and let them become a part of our lives, guiding us to go further and better in the new year.
The New Year's bell has been ringing, and let's step into this hopeful new world with respect for tradition and vision for the future. Remembering these taboos is not only about yourself for a whole year, but also about the inheritance and respect of culture. In the new year, let us not forget our original intention, continue to move forward, and write our own wonderful chapter with wisdom and courage.