In traditional Chinese culture, the small year sacrifice stove is an important custom. Xiao Nian, usually on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, is the day when the Lord of the Stove goes to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor on the condition of the world. On this day, every household holds a ritual to pray for peace, good fortune and a good harvest in the coming year. So, how did the small year festival stove come about?
In fact, the custom of sacrificing stoves has a very long history, dating back to the worship of fire and stoves in ancient times. In ancient times, it was believed that fire had mystical powers, able to drive away demons and bring warmth and light. The stove is an important source of fire in the family, so the stove god is regarded as the guardian god of the family. With the passage of time, people's belief in the god of the stove gradually strengthened, and the ritual of sacrificing the stove became more and more solemn.
According to legend, Zhang Shan was an official of the Shang Dynasty who fled to the mountains because he was dissatisfied with the tyranny of the Shang king. He once met an immortal in the mountains, and the immortal gave him a magical stove through which he could communicate with the gods in the sky. Zhang Shan built a magical stove at home and prayed to the gods for blessings every day.
Later, when the king of Shang learned about Zhang Dan, he sent someone to arrest him. Zhang Shan turned into a gust of wind and fled from the pursuit of the Shang King. Later, Zhang Dan became an immortal and became a god in the sky. He was grateful for the magical power of the stove and the blessing of the gods, so he decided to return to the world on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month every year to check on the sufferings and grievances of the world.
In order to thank the god of the stove for the blessing and pray for peace, auspiciousness and a good harvest in the coming year, people hold a grand ceremony to sacrifice the stove on the day of the new year. During the ritual of sacrificing the stove, people will make various offerings to the god of the stove, and in some places will also set off firecrackers to drive away demons and monsters and welcome the arrival of the god of the stove. In addition, people will also post couplets in the kitchen, "Heaven says good things, and the lower world keeps peace" to pray for the god of the stove to bless the peace and auspiciousness of the family.
In addition to the traditional ritual of sacrificing the stove, modern people also celebrate the New Year in a variety of ways. In family gatherings, families will make dumplings, rice cakes and other traditional foods together to celebrate the festive season. At the same time, people will also wish each other through social media such as mobile phone text messages and WeChat, and share the joy and happiness of the festival.
Well, the small year sacrificial stove is an important custom in traditional Chinese culture. Through the ritual of sacrificing the stove and various celebrations, it not only expresses people's gratitude to the god of the stove, but also conveys the love for the family and the pursuit of a better life. Okay, that's the end of the video here, I don't know if you have a custom of sacrificing stoves, welcome to comment