Spring Festival custom in Shanxi
Shanxi introduction
Shanxi is divided into five cultural sub-regions: North Shanxi, Jinzhong, South Shanxi, West Shanxi and Southeast Shanxi. Folk activities around the Spring Festival are colorful, diverse and far-reaching.
The northern part of Shanxi is a place where the Han nationality and the northern ethnic minorities collide and blend, where farming and nomadism collide and meet, and the folk customs of the Spring Festival show a "mixed style". Jinzhong is an agricultural, commercial and cultural area. Shanxi merchants in Ming and Qing Dynasties became the dominant commercial groups in China. The prosperity of commercial economy provides a solid economic support for folk activities in the Spring Festival. During the Spring Festival in Jinzhong, there was a lively social fire performance in various forms, which included the grandeur and boldness of the north and the softness of the south, with an atmosphere linking the north and the south. Jinnan is an ancient Hedong area, where ancient myths and legends, primitive sacrificial worship and mysterious Nuo dance performances continue. Taoist culture prevails in Lvliang mountain area in western Shanxi. The Lantern Festival "Panhui" in Liulin County and the umbrella-headed Yangko in Linxian and fangshan county are the artistic expressions of this culture. Southeast Shanxi is an ancient Shangdang area, located in the majestic Taihang Mountain, which has nurtured the ancient and magical art of social fire. During the Spring Festival, the activities of welcoming gods centered on praying for various gods were staged in villages and towns.
Folk custom of Spring Festival in northern Shaanxi
Northern Shanxi mainly refers to the northern part of Shanxi, which is located in the interlaced zone of Sanggan River, Hutuo River and Yellow River Basin. The terrain is mainly mountainous and hilly, and the basins are distributed intermittently. Now the administrative divisions specifically refer to Datong, Shuozhou and Xinzhou, and * * * includes 29 counties and districts. The northern part of Shanxi is located in the frontier, with profound historical accumulation and the intersection and integration of national cultures. For a long time, it has formed the cultural characteristics of farming, nomadism, frontier defense, military and Buddhism, which are mutually integrated and inclusive.
The social fire in northern Shanxi embodies the unique cultural characteristics of "ancient military", such as "kicking drums and yangko" in Shuozhou, which originated from "Taizu Hongquan" in a martial arts competition. 108 people dressed as Liangshan heroes to eliminate evil and promote good. There is a scene like this: Li Kui jy jumps down from the tower, opens the door and saves an outstanding hero. Liangshan heroes all throw off their arms, stand firm with one foot, and it is difficult to prevent one punch and seven steps. Another example is fireball, also known as "playing with charcoal" and "dancing with eggs". Meteorology is developed from the original hunting tool "meteor rope". It is called "fireball" because the dancer puts a rope across the back of her neck and holds it in the middle. At both ends of the rope, colored beads or small bowl-shaped steel bridles are tied, filled with charcoal or cotton wool, and then lit, dancing like two fireballs in the night sky. When playing during the day, the bowl is full of water, and the double bowls fly in the air without leaking, which is called "water meteor".
The folk customs of the Spring Festival in northern Shaanxi also have distinct Buddhist cultural colors, such as the legend of Laba Festival and the custom of ice skaters. During the Spring Festival, in some places in northern Shanxi, people will also place offerings in temples, looking for monks and Taoists to pray for good luck in the New Year instead of themselves. Wutai Mountain is a holy place of Buddhism, and temples should give Laba porridge on Laba Festival. Now Wutai Mountain is a tourist attraction, and the Wu Ye Temple Fair will be held. Wu Ye Temple, built in the Qing Dynasty, is a small place, but it is the most famous and incense-filled place in Wutai Mountain. During the Spring Festival, worshippers from Shanxi and even all parts of the country came here in an endless stream, especially on the first and fifteenth day of the first month.
The northern part of Shanxi is rich in coal resources, and lighting a fire during the Spring Festival is a local feature. Every New Year's Eve and Lantern Festival, every family should build a tower-shaped fire in front of the courtyard with large pieces of coal in order to be lucky all year round. To build a prosperous fire, we should pay attention to coal preparation and carefully cut raw coal into squares; Second, it must be beautiful. The final shape is a dark and bright Aquarius, which ensures that it will not collapse when burning. After the base is completed, it looks like a huge bud from a distance, symbolizing the prosperity of the coming year. Third, it should be increased year by year. When the cardinal number is "prosperous", the higher the better, that is to say, it is getting better every year. In addition, all units in coal mines should also organize collective worship and other ceremonies.
Jinzhong Spring Festival Folk Custom
Jinzhong is located in the middle of Shanxi Province, including Taigu County, Qixian County, Pingyao County, Lingshi County and Jiexiu City 1 1 city (county, district), with Taihang in the east, Linfen River in the west and Taiyuan, the provincial capital, in the north. There are many celebrities in Jinzhong since ancient times, especially Shanxi merchants in Ming and Qing Dynasties, such as industrialists Qiao Zhiyong, Qu and Lei Lvtai, the founder of the draft bank. Jinzhong is a cultural area of Shanxi merchants, where there are many magnificent merchant courtyards, such as Qiao's Courtyard, Chang's Manor, Wang's Courtyard and Cao's Courtyard (Taigu Sanduotang).
The folk culture of Jinzhong Spring Festival presents the characteristics of commercialization. Some businessmen who do business in other places bring the customs of other regions to their hometown, such as Taigu Palace Lantern. Folk songs sing: "The fire in Nanzhuang, the lamp in Taigu, and the iron stick behind Xugou love the wicked." Every new year, businessmen will bring back palace lanterns from other places and hang them at their own doors to show their wealth and compare with each other. The number and scale of palace lanterns are increasing, forming the Lantern Festival custom that merchants hang lanterns, swim lanterns and compare lanterns in the first month. The main frame of the palace lantern is made of precious wood, surrounded by colored glass, which is exquisite and beautiful, surrounded by colored spikes and looks luxurious.
The social fire performance in Master Shen's sedan chair is related to Shanxi merchants. Taikoo cake is also closely related to Shanxi merchants. Taigu cake, formerly known as Gan cake, was first made in Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty, when wealthy businessmen gathered in Taigu and lived in luxury. In order to cater to the tastes of wealthy businessmen, the owner of a cake shop in Gouzi Village, Taigu City, repeatedly practiced and made sweet cakes, which were sweet but not greasy, crisp but not broken, soft and delicious, and became a local specialty food.
Folk custom of Jinnan Spring Festival
Jinnan is located in the south of Shanxi Province, mainly referring to Linfen and Yuncheng in Shanxi Province. It is located at the southern end of Fenhe River Basin, bordering Taihang Mountain in the east, Luliang Mountain in the west and the Yellow River in the west. It is also the land of Hedong in history, with a long history, rich humanities and profound cultural heritage. Shanxi Puju Opera originated in Zhou Pu Town on the bank of the Yellow River in the southwest of the mountain. Historical and cultural celebrities include Guan Yu, "Three Kings" (Wang Tong, Wang Ji and Wang Bo), Wen Peishi, Xue and Liu Zongyuan. There are rich and colorful cultural legends in southern Shanxi, such as stories, legends of Chiyou, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, the orphan of Zhao, and the legend of Xue. In addition, some symbolic festival cultural spaces, such as Hong Tong Sophora japonica, Guandi Temple in Jiezhou Town of Yuncheng, Houtu Temple in Wanrong Ronghe Town and Yongle Palace in Ruicheng, are also in Jinnan. Generally speaking, the characteristics of folk farming culture in the Spring Festival in southern Shanxi are outstanding, which is closely related to the local historical and humanistic spirit.
The characteristics of agricultural folk customs in southern Shanxi are distinct, and the custom of Spring Festival embodies the psychology of praying for good weather and good harvests. During the Spring Festival, Fushan people steamed steamed steamed buns to worship the gods, among which jujube hill, jujube cake and pomegranate steamed buns were unique. There are various forms of literature and art in the Spring Festival in southern Shanxi, such as brushing the river against the ice, running a drum sports car and Pu Opera. Carrying ice cubes is an ancient and unique folk activity in Shuhe ancient society. In the cold weather, the young man was wrapped in a red scarf, naked, wearing only a pair of shorts, carrying cold ice, and banging drums and gongs in his hand. It symbolizes courage, is the modern expression of the ancient martial spirit, is not afraid of the cold, and is the generation of people's long-term accumulation and the enjoyment of beauty. Drumming was originally a competitive activity for the survivors of military households to kill time and keep fit during the festival, and later it gradually became a fixed performance in the first month. Drums run on wooden carts, and the drums vary according to their institutions. Before the performance, the whole village was divided into East Yard, South Yard, West Yard, Northwest Yard and Intermediate People's Court. The respected people were selected by each courtyard as the performance organizers, and the organizers selected young and strong boys to play drums. Drum music contains profound humanistic spirit, full of passion and vigorous progress, which shows the indomitable, persevering and optimistic spirit of the local people.
Folk custom of Spring Festival in southeastern Shanxi
Southeast Shanxi, as its name implies, refers to the southeast of Shanxi, including Changzhi City and Jincheng City. Changzhi, formerly known as Shangdang, is located in the southeast of Shanxi Province. Because of the dangerous terrain, it has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times, and it is known as "one side is expected to win the Central Plains". Shangdang area is mountainous. As early as ancient times, it is said that Emperor Yan of Shennong once tasted herbs here, domesticated livestock and developed primitive agriculture. The most famous ancient myths in the history of China literature, such as the goddess mending the sky, Shennong picking grain, Dayu controlling water, Houyi shooting at the sun, Jingwei filling the sea, and Gong Yu moving mountains, all left traces and legends here. There are some quaint temples dedicated to gods in the southeast of Shanxi, which have strong regional historical and cultural characteristics, such as "Tang Wang Temple", "Erxian Grandma Temple" and "Sanshang Temple".
Among the folk customs of the Spring Festival in southeastern Shanxi, there are welcoming gods and yangko. Meeting God is one of the social fire activities held during the Spring Festival. Xiangyuan and Wuxiang Yangko originated in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. When farmers were working in the fields, they sang their long-suppressed sadness and difficulties. At first, they formed a kind of yangko called "Gao Shou". Two people sang together, ringing the bell with one hand and playing an umbrella with the other, and improvised words. After you sang, I came on stage, competing with each other, and the tone became higher and higher. Later, yangko was sung with local folk songs. During the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, it developed into a kind of "Gequan" (square) yangko with "tribal tiger" and characters of rap stories. In the late Qing Dynasty, this kind of yangko was widely distributed in the north, middle and east of Wuxiang, Xiangyuan. Since then, Xiangyuan Yangko and Wuxiang Yangko have forged an indissoluble bond. Many places refer to the yangko in these two places as Wu Xiang yangko. Now Wu Xiang Yangko has undergone various improvements, mainly singing the contents of modern life.
In addition, the eight-tone concert and horse racing platoon during the Spring Festival in southeastern Shanxi are also a must. Bubble row is a unique competitive activity during the Spring Festival in Xiadongzhai Village, Niangziguan Town, Yangquan City. On the morning of the 16th day of the first month of each year, the villagers in Xiadongzhai will simulate the scene of sending official documents and reporting military affairs on horseback in ancient times, and ride a horse race in the ancient Qingshi Street in the middle of the village. The uniqueness of Xiadongzhai horse racing is that there is no saddle on the horse's back and no pedal on the horse's belly. Only when the rider sits firmly on the back of the horse and shakes the reins can he drive the horse to gallop. Such a difficult and dangerous action is easy for Xiadongzhai people. No matter whether they are teenagers or old people in their sixties or seventies, they can get on the horse and show their heroic spirit. There is a saying in Niangziguan that "I would rather stay up late than miss the horse race". On this day, people from Fiona Fang Baili came here to watch horse racing, and the major media also reported this grand folk activity. The racecourse has been known by more and more people.
Folk customs of Spring Festival in western Shanxi Province
Shanxi West refers to the western part of Shanxi Province, mainly Lvliang City, which is located in the middle of Lvliang Mountains, bordering the Yellow River in the west, facing Shaanxi and Linfen River in the southeast. The western part of Shanxi is located in the mountainous area where Luliang Mountain and Loess Plateau overlap. It's remote and the traffic is inconvenient. Traditional customs, history and culture are well preserved, and some ancient folk cultures are less impacted by modern civilization. Therefore, the folk customs of the Spring Festival here have special significance in many aspects. Generally speaking, Taoist belief is very prominent in the west of Shanxi, represented by Wudang Mountain in the north, known as the "first mountain in Sanjin" and dedicated to Zhenwu Emperor. Therefore, the local Spring Festival folk customs have a strong Taoist cultural color, and some representative Spring Festival folk customs, such as bandang, wrapping paper and umbrella-headed yangko, are all related to Taoist cultural traditions.
Liulin Board Society is also called Tianguan Society and Population Society. Every Spring Festival, every village sets plates and plays nine songs on the common ground, especially on the 15th day of the first month. After people worship around the plate, they pile coal towers, dance yangko, play suona and turn over nine songs, reaching 40,000 to 50,000 people.
During the Spring Festival in Wenshui County, a god shed, also called an altar, will be built. It is mainly to set up a hall tent like a house with wooden partition fans to worship the Ten Halls of the Yanjun Army, and hang the image of the deceased crossing the Jinqiao Silver Bridge, as well as some contents of hell, which are printed with plots such as the perpetrators going to the knife mountain and frying pan before they die. On the 14th to 16th day of the first month, the local people performed various social fire performances around the altar, offering sacrifices to the gods and calming the nerves, so as to persuade the world to accumulate virtue and do good and not do bad things.
There are also some unique folk customs of the Spring Festival in the west of Shanxi, such as the umbrella-headed yangko in Linxian County, the paper-cut in Zhongyang, the shadow play of Xiaoyi, and the Yellow River array in Jiuqu. Among them, Xiaoyi Shadow Play, Yangko, Zhongyang Paper-cut, Xiaoyi Qiang and other folk arts are listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list.