China’s traditional festivals have basically taken shape since the Han Dynasty, with some increases and decreases. After the Republic of China, a lot of changes took place due to westernization in form, but the people still insisted that some of them did not obey the law.
Set a few. Until the Cultural Revolution, the government even cut back on the promotion of traditional festivals other than the Spring Festival.
Even the Spring Festival is advertised as "a revolutionary Spring Festival". After the reform and opening up,
people began to celebrate some traditional festivals, and newspapers and periodicals also introduced and publicized them accordingly. At present,
Including statutory holidays, traditional festivals celebrated by the people account for about two-thirds of traditional festivals.
One.
Traditional festivals contain many folk culture, traditional humanistic concepts and religious factors.
It has certain significance for studying the culture, history and social life of ancient society. The following is.
List the main traditional festivals and reward friends who are interested in this field.
One. Happy New Year in the first month of the first month
The first month of the first month, also known as New Year's Day, or the first day of the first lunar month. The first day of the first lunar month is the year, the four seasons, and the twelve months.
The day a month begins. In "Spring and Autumn Annals", the first month is called Duan Yue. When the rooster crows, it comes to the court.
Before the sound of firecrackers, in order to make the mountain feel ashamed of evil spirits, the first month has its own calendar since ancient times.
This holiday.
There are many customs in the first month. For example, young and old people dress well and pay New Year greetings to each other. This custom continues to this day.
To drink Sichuan peppercorn wine, you use Sichuan peppercorn wine, or cypress wine. But some specific activities
are now abandoned, including those of the Han and Jin Dynasties. As Zhou Chu said in "Local Habits", "Zheng Dan,
eating an egg raw is called training. "Tokyo Records" records the first month of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Key words Grand meetings were held, and the emperor and officials held large-scale collective worship activities to entertain envoys from various countries. Special attention was paid to the banquet treatment of the Liao and Korean envoys.
p>After the Revolution of 1911, the only traditional festival legally retained by the government of the Republic of China was the first lunar month, but it was renamed "Spring Festival" and placed New Year's Day on January 1 of the Western calendar. People pay more attention to spring.
The people * * and the Chinese government have a four-day Spring Festival holiday, but currently many private companies do not have it to the same extent. Appropriately extended, some even extended to the 15th day of the month.
January 1st to January 15th is the Beginning of Spring, which is an ancient traditional festival for offering sacrifices to farmers.
Han Yingshao's "Customs Yitong" said that farmers offered sacrifices in April, and Emperor Hanwen changed it to February.
In the Jin Dynasty, it was changed to the beginning of spring. On this day of early spring, officials should dress up and ride on young spring oxen to celebrate.
To express support for the farming work after the spring. and attach great importance to it, there are also corresponding celebrations among the people.
This festival is actually the real Spring Festival. "Yan Fu" by Fu Xian of the Western Jin Dynasty said: "The four seasons are here, respect them. "
Let's get started. He was born in the East, but Yan was built to welcome him. [Feather Army] The ambiguity of light wings, if you can fly,
No need to get up. He The lady's skills are similar and her style and appearance are similar.
Jia Zhi is mentioned in the Royal Green Book. "
Today, few people know that the beginning of spring is a traditional festival. .
Three. Lantern Festival Lanterns
The Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the busiest day of the year, because after this day, most people have to go to work. The Lantern Festival is a grand event with lanterns and fireworks. Dancing
Dragon and lion dances, social acrobatics, from day to night.
In order to keep up with the attitude of people enjoying the same happiness, Wu Jin couldn't help but grab Wu Jin who was guarding the palace on this day.
Approaching the guard, Wu Jin couldn't help but point out that ordinary people were not prohibited from visiting the Jinshui Bridge in front of the palace.
Have fun. Fireworks were set off near the Jinshui Bridge, and the emperor and his concubines could be seen in the gatehouse of the imperial city.
Enjoy online. In the past, fireworks were made by tying various firecrackers and fireworks one after another to a firework stand and burning them.
The successful effect, which I saw when I was a child, was more brilliant than Western-style fireworks, but very dangerous.
Su Weiwei's poem of the Tang Dynasty "Fire trees and silver flowers meet, the iron cables of the golden bridge open, the dark dust disappears with the horses, and the fireflies come one by one."
Vividly summarizes the scene of Yuanxi.
With the arrival of Yuan Xi, many young women and officials' families who were imprisoned in the boudoir were granted exceptions.
Coming out to see the lights creates a rare opportunity for young men and women to interact and perform.
Many resentful love stories were described in vernacular novels of the Ming Dynasty. Ouyang Xiuci in the Northern Song Dynasty
"Original Inspection". Yuan "Last year during the Lantern Festival, the flower market was picturesque, with willow trees in the moonlight and people making appointments.
After dusk. On the first night of this year, the moon and lights were still there, but the people from last year were gone. The full spring "The shirt sleeves are crying.",
I wrote about our encounter in January night, and I missed her for a year. What a shame. Xin Qiji's "Ci"
Looking back suddenly, the man was there, the lights were dim! ", the sweetheart unexpectedly fell from the sky, and the excitement was obvious.
The northern countryside has retained the Lunar New Year celebrations, and the south has also recovered, most of them are just
Limited to watching singing and dancing programs on TV.
Four. March Qushui
On the third day of March, according to the "Chronicles of Jingchu", "The sergeant came out of the Zhujiang River.
A cup of koji water. "," Qushui" is the bend of the river, the water flow slows down, in the old days
At that time, tourists took boats to float along the river. Whenever they reached a port or river bend, they would stop to drink water.
Wine and poetry. The origin of this festival is very early, and Emperor Wu of Jin did not know its meaning.
It is said that it has been in the cup since the time of Duke Zhou. It's wine, floating in the river.
This is the meaning of "curved water flowing" in Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Lanting Collection". This is the first time I read the ancient text without reading the notes. People are easily confused by the meaning of Qushui.
Five. Cold food and no fire
Cold food is two days before Qingming Festival and 105 days after the winter solstice. On this day, fire is forbidden.
I only eat cold food such as melon and fruit snacks. The story of the burning of meson by Duke Wen of Jin is said:
The son of Jin State, Chong'er, took Jie Zitui and fled abroad. The son of Jin State was hungry when he passed by the State of Wei.
His follower, Jie Zitui, cut off the flesh from his thigh. Give it to Wen Gong. After Wen Gong returned to his country, he was the only one who did not get a position when he was rewarded for his merits.
I wrote "Dragon Snake." Song" and lived in seclusion. Duke Wen of Jin went to visit Zitui, but Zitui refused to come out.
So Duke Wen set fire to the trees around Zitui Youshan, hoping to force him out.
Pushing the dead willow and letting it burn to death, Duke Wen mourned and ordered the people not to go out on May 5th.
Then the day of May 5th was changed to the above in the Han Dynasty. Time.
This story is not recorded in "Zuo Zhuan", "Historical Records" and "Rong Zhai" by Hongmai of the Southern Song Dynasty.
Zhang Yuan conducted a special study on this. ·Yang Hao's song "Zhonglu". Cold food on the road
"No smoking on Qingming Festival, rain passes through the countryside" seems to be derived from the legend of Tang Yao. >I wonder if the commemoration of the Cold Food Festival is still preserved in rural areas of Shanxi today?
Six.
Visiting graves during the Qingming Festival
The worship of ancestors and deceased relatives during the Qingming Festival only emerged after the Southern and Northern Dynasties, because
the "Chronicles of Jingchu" written by Zonggu of the Southern Dynasties was not recorded. In the Northern Song Dynasty, every household was required to put willow branches at the door.
The government will hold a "drilling wood to make fire" ceremony, which is to use elm wood to drill wood to make fire. Moreover,
the dragon boat race is very lively, not a simple tomb-sweeping activity. The so-called "Qingming Festival"
It rains continuously, and pedestrians on the road feel like dying.
The Qingming activities are still going strong.
Seven. Buddha's Birthday in April
April 8 is Buddha's birthday, just like Christmas in the West. It is the state religion after Buddhism spread to the East.
Professor Holidays. This festival did not appear until about the Tang Dynasty. On this day, there are bathing Buddhas in temples of all sizes.
During the fast meeting, the monks presented sweet medicine syrup to the pilgrims, while the people cooked wine and ate spring fruits to commemorate the occasion.
At present, the vast majority of young people in China who celebrate Christmas, a foreign holiday, do not understand the past.
China also commemorates the birthdays of Western gods.
Eight. Dragon Boat Festival
May 5th is the annual Dragon Boat Festival, which is very lively. People should organize dragon boat races voluntarily.
Competition, eating rice dumplings, drinking realgar wine, and hanging mugwort at the door. This festival is said to commemorate Chu.
The story of Dr. Qu Yuan, who was concerned about the country and the people, and devoted himself to the Miluo River. The people wrapped glutinous rice with palm leaves.
Turn into rice balls and throw them into the river as bait to prevent fish and turtles from eating their respected Dr. Qu. But according to Han Danchun
"The Injustice of Cao E" said: "On May 5th, Wu County faced the tide and was flooded." This
This is a custom passed down from the state of Wu. It was in Wu Zixu and had nothing to do with Qu Yuan. "Legend of the Moon Emperor" says so.
This custom originated from King Goujian of Yue. The Dragon Boat Festival seems to have originated from Wuyue customs.
The custom of drinking realgar wine, hanging mugwort, and collecting miscellaneous herbs may have existed since ancient times.
Xia: "Store medicine this month to eliminate poisonous gas." I told you.
The celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival is still very enthusiastic in China, but it is not as popular as it was before the 1960s.
It was deserted. The primary and middle school students went to watch the dragon boat show and couldn't sit still in class. Overseas Chinese just
I remembered it when I saw rice dumplings being sold in stores.
Nine. Qixi Qiaoqi
There is a separate article on the evening of July 7th, so I won’t go into details.
Same as TENUTO Central Plains Ghost Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on July 15th, commonly known as the "Ghost Festival". It is said that paper is burned to compensate the deceased.
The temple should try its best to satisfy the needs and serve as a dojo to save the souls of the dead. This festival originated from the Buddhist scripture "Mu"
Even save the mother", so the Song Dynasty was very enthusiastic and wanted to set up a stage in the market to sing the juggling "Save the Mother with Eyes".
According to the Buddhist scriptures , this story says:
Mu Lian saw her dead mother in the underworld, and immediately served a bowl of rice for her mother to eat.
The rice turned into charcoal when it was not in the mouth, causing Mulian to eat it. Her mother couldn't eat, so Mulian shouted and called the Buddha, and ran back to tell the Buddha: "Your mother has sinned so much that you can't bear it alone. ”
Yes, it takes the strength of ten monks. By July 15th, you should be in the right place
Seven generations of parents who have suffered in prison have prepared various Delicious, five kinds of fruits, put them in pots and pans, and worship them in the ten directions.
I will warn all monks to wish the benefactor's parents of seven generations to enter 'meditation'. , and then
accept the food." Maudgalyana did as the Buddha said, and his mother relieved all the pain of the ghost.
Bitter. Mulian then said to the Buddha: "From now on, Buddhist disciples must also be filial to their parents."
The bonsai will support ten eminent monks and great virtues. Buddha said: "Well said!"
So this story is actually a combination of Confucian filial piety and Buddhist Confucian classics to facilitate Buddhism.
With the popularization of teaching propaganda, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the "Orchid Club" in "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio"
In the book, there are many mentions of bonsai clubs. When I was a child, I heard the old man say "Ghost in July and a half" many times.
Running around", but I don't know why. At present, most students studying in the United States only know one "Halloween" (Halloween, on October 31 of the Gregorian calendar) Japan), and I don’t know about Chinese magnolia either.
The bon fest and the bon fest are much more solemn and serious than the hippie smiley face of Halloween.
The Orchid Club may have existed in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, but now it is only restored in temples, which is too closed.
Create a superstition.
Eleven years old. Mid-Autumn Festival Moon Appreciation
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, the moon is particularly bright and large, which is a commemoration of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
It started. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, we sit together to eat moon cakes, and then go out to enjoy the moon, and the family is reunited.
This may come from Su Shi's poem "When will the bright moon come?" I take the wine glass from afar. . . . As long as
people last forever, thousands of miles * * * Chan Juan. "This is written by Su Dongpo who misses his younger brother Zisu in another place.
Under the words. But the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival is not in this sense, that is, it is obviously to appreciate the moon, but it comes.
Since Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty went to the Moon Palace with the help of the famous Taoist Ye Fashan, he also carried the fairy song "Colorful Feathers" with myths and legends. I have a post to explain it, so I won't go into details.
As for the custom of eating mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is no record in the records of the Southern Song Dynasty. It is said that it was at the end of the Yuan Dynasty
During the uprising of the peasant red scarf army, the round cake was used as the name.
Song Dynasty. According to "Old Wulin Stories", on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Southern Song Dynasty, people would light 100,000 parchment lanterns and let them float along the Qiantang River, which is where the Qiantang River is located. The stars at night are like a star on the Qiantang River.
Twelve days of Chongyang are on September 9th. The traditional Double Ninth Festival coincides with the crisp autumn weather, which is a good time to go hiking in the mountains.
Wang Wei wrote in "Climbing High on September 9th to Remember Shandong Brothers": "Being alone is unique. . "
As a stranger in my hometown, I miss my loved ones twice every holiday. When I think of my brothers' bodies reaching high places, I feel a little regretful because they are not here with me."
Shows his true feelings for his loved ones. On September 9th, the dogwood grass was through and the sky was sunny.
In the days, climbing to the top of the slope and drinking chrysanthemum wine reminds people of the integration of life and nature.
So I think of longevity.
After the liberation of the Double Ninth Festival, there were no more celebrations.
Thirteen years old. Laba porridge
December 8 is the day to worship the Kitchen God. "Book of Rites·Book of Rites" says, "Zhuan Xu's son was called Li, and he was Zhurong who worshiped the Kitchen God.", so the origin of worshiping the Kitchen God may be before the Western Zhou Dynasty.
Liu Zhen and others of the Eastern Han Dynasty wrote "Hanshu Dongguan History" and said that antelopes should be sacrificed to the Kitchen God. Arrival
In the Song Dynasty, the so-called "Laba Rice" appeared in activities to worship the Stove God. This was based on
Various fruit mixtures cooked into porridge, which may come from the Buddhist view of our country. The activities of folk witches and gods
infiltrated and transformed. On this day, the monk saw that everyone was worshiping the traditional witchcraft gods, and he was afraid.
It is not conducive to the promotion of his teachings, but he wants to hold a porridge party and give alms to the poor and helpless people.
Eating it counteracts the influence of the "evil cult", but ordinary people can't care that much, so they just take it as usual.
Anyway, the way to eat it is different, so I invented "Laba porridge".
Buddhism's resistance to "evil cults" was very successful, and previous activities such as dancing to the gods were completely eliminated.
"Tokyo Fu" by Zhang Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty also said: "At the end of every year, a grand Nuo ceremony is held to drive away evil spirits from all over the country.
Fang Xiangshen holds the Weapons, wizards with brooms, thousands of children wearing red towels.
They were dressed in black, armed with peach bows and thorn arrows, and shot around aimlessly. I also saw a record in "The Year of Jingchu,
Remember", but you can't see it in "Tokyo Dream Record".
Such a joyful celebration.
However, "Laba porridge" has been passed down, and many families still have this custom, and some still have it today
Being a well-behaved daughter-in-law is also very rewarding.
Fourteen stays old on New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year. On this day, ordinary families try their best to get together and the whole family gathers together.
Gather around the fire, drink and eat delicious food to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, while the sound of firecrackers can be heard outside.
The family spent the last warm night of the year together and has been in China ever since.
The earth is still thick, but the wonderful program of the Spring Festival Gala ruined the warm atmosphere.
Atmosphere.
In "Old Stories of Jingchu", it is recorded:
Every family prepares delicious food and goes to the place where the year ends to welcome the arrival of the New Year.
Let’s have a drink together. Save some birthday rice and scatter it on October 12th in the New Year.
Walking to the side of the road or street; considered to mean letting go of the old and welcoming the new.
It seems that the Youth League at that time was similar to people today, and they all had to bowl.
In "Tokyo Dreams," we see the New Year's Eve celebrations taking on a new dimension.
It reads:
In order to exclude Japan, a large Nuo ritual was displayed in the Forbidden City, which was used by the Imperial City's personal officer. The classes wore masks, embroidered books and colorful clothes.
Holding a golden gun and dragon flag. Jiaofang made Meng Jingchu a majestic man, a general with gold shrimp and bronze armor. Yongzhen
The two generals in the temple also introduced themselves as door gods. Jiao Fang Nanhe Charcoal is ugly and fat, pretending to be a judge. In the village
Zhong Kui, the young lady, the land god, the kitchen god, etc., there are more than a thousand people * * *. . . Home of Scholars, Melting Pot Group
Sitting there, Dadan couldn't sleep. This is called "staying up late".
This Nuo ritual was a mask performance, but it could not be broadcast live or made into a movie at the time.
Honesty is a pity.
Attachment: Qixi Dialect Begging Festival
Yesterday was the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. In the past, it was said that on the night of July 7th, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl separated in the sky.
Meet at the Milky Way Magpie Bridge. This is of course not true. The distance between the two sides of the Milky Way is very long.
Degrees are measured in millions of light-years, even if you travel across the Milky Way at the speed of light.
The system cannot be built overnight.
Speaking of this, this legend has been circulated among ordinary people in China for a long time because of its poignancy and movingness.
Some people say that China should designate July 7 as Valentine’s Day, which shows the relationship between men and women who loved each other in ancient times.
Simple, sincere, love that can withstand the test of time and space. . But perhaps it seems unrealistic for today's cynical men and women to pick a pair of "lightbulb" children across the vast expanse of the sky.
A hurried annual meeting is indeed boring, but it is better than twisting and turning in a deafening bar, or
For a while, the spring breeze makes things affordable , exciting and irresponsible.
Of course, this fairy tale reflects the pursuit of young men and women in ancient China in that society with strict ethics.
Free love and happiness are difficult, but it is precisely its difficulties that inspire perseverance and perseverance. Therefore,
This story will be circulated among people for a long time, and it will be attached to Midsummer Night on July 7th.
Looking at the brilliant stars in the distance, the vast Milky Way, the unique Tiansun (Vega) is shining, facing the river drum on the opposite bank.
(Altair) conveys her eternal love. And that kind of "glass of water" is nothing more than temporary enjoyment of the senses.
In addition, I really can’t talk about much spiritual value.
As early as the Han Dynasty, "The Book of Rites, Dazai Xia Zhengxiao" said: "It is the Weaver Girl of the Moon who travels eastward, and it also covers things", that is,
In other words, At least in the Han Dynasty, people have noticed the regular movement of Vega in the sky. It appears in July.
The most prominent. "Historical Records: Biography of Tianguan" says that Weaver Girl is the grandson of the Emperor of Heaven. , which is the origin of Tiansun.
"Astrology": It says, "Morning glory is the name of heaven." Cowherd is the Cowherd, and Hegu escaped later.
The story of the meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl on July 7 was first seen by Fu Xuan, a writer in the Western Jin Dynasty.
Now, he said, "On July 7, Morning Glory and Weaver Girl will meet in Tianhe." This legend may have originated in the early Eastern Han Dynasty.
Wang Xiangqi wrote in a poem of the late Qing Dynasty:
"Fellows raise talented people, and grandsons marry river drums. A match can bring a hundred years, but pink tears are always silent."
What he saw was the problem of horse mismatch, and what he longed for more was:
"The spring river is as red as the sky, and the golden water is like a mandarin duck flying alone."
Southern Dynasties Zonggu's "Chronicles of Jingchu" records that it was the night of the seventh day of July in the Jianghan area at that time.
Women in every household wear colorful silk threads and thin hollow needles. Some people use gold, silver and brass to make needles, and then put the needles on melons and fruits in the courtyard to pray for wisdom from Vega. If a spider weaves a web on a melon or fruit, it is considered a sign of the arrival of the star goddess Vega. In other words, on the night of July 7th, there are not only Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
The meaning of encounter is also the meaning of begging for wisdom from Vega. Vega in folklore
The goddess Vega, she is a symbol of the diligence and wisdom of ancient working women. On this night, ancient women underwent sterilization.
A needlework event similar to colorful silk thread came to worship her, hoping to get the source of ingenuity from her, so Qiqi.
Sunday night, also known as the "Qiqiao Festival", is an enterprising festival.
Later in the Northern Song Dynasty, Meng Yuan wrote in "Tokyo Dream" that the Chinese Valentine's Day was particularly lively during the heyday of the Northern Song Dynasty.
In the five-day city of carriages and horses, Luoqi is full of celebrations. The lotus flowers have not yet bloomed, so everyone can make double-headed lotus flowers for fun.
When you take it home, passers-by often fall in love with it. ", "On the evening of the 7th, your house had many brightly colored buildings in the court, which were called "Qiao Qi Building".
Paving the floor, grinding distiller's yeast (note), flower melon, wine moxibustion, pen and inkstone, needle and thread, or scissors of children's poems, girls are clever, so-called.
Begging to be smart. ". The dreams of the Southern Song Dynasty and the detailed old martial arts events recorded by Wu.
The celebrations of Lin'an Qixi Festival and the Northern Song Dynasty are roughly the same. Compared with the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Beggar's Fair was vital in the Song Dynasty.
The movements are more colorful.
I like the Qiaoqi Festival. It is not only a part of the diverse folk culture of ancient China, but also an inspiration.
It is a festival full of wisdom and love.
Original note: "Nanyin Le" is from the Buddhist scripture "Mahara".