Why is it taboo to "send blessing rice" in the middle of the year?
Sending rice as a gift is a traditional folk activity in the north. When a daughter’s child is one month old after her marriage, her family and relatives send millet and eggs to visit her and the baby. To send blessing rice, things are packed in a round basket and covered with a red cloth to show joy and congratulations. Relatives gather together early in the morning and set out together, which represents the prosperity of the family and the large number of connections.
After the full moon, the mother’s family came to pick up her daughter, which was called ‘stopping the full moon’. "This record basically reflects the customs and taboos in celebrating newborn babies in the Central Plains. There are also some subtle differences and characteristics in various places. In Lin County, the first-born baby, regardless of male or female, is the most solemn announcement. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, wealthy families would carry food boxes and wine jars, and drive two brown goats with copper bells tied around their necks, which would jingle all the way to let everyone know.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, ordinary farmers would send "wedding invitations" when announcing good news. "Put it in a small wooden box, put it in a money bag, and let a boy carry it to announce the good news. When a boy is born, carry it on the left shoulder, and when a girl is born, carry it on the right shoulder. "Men are on the left and women are on the right." You are not allowed to change shoulders along the way. It is a boy. It’s obvious that she is a woman. After arriving at grandma’s house, you have to bake pancakes, make egg noodle soup, etc. when you arrive at your grandma’s house. It is taboo to make noodles and rice for the good news, otherwise, it is said that the baby will have a runny nose in the Shangcai area, which is commonly known as “eating.” "Wedding wine". The man's family also calls it "eating wedding noodles", and the woman's family also calls it "giving blessing rice."
After giving birth to the first baby, the man's elders will go to the woman's family to announce the good news. When announcing the good news, in addition to sending gifts In addition to common etiquette, when a boy is born, he should hold a rooster, which is called "big joy". When a girl is born, she should hold a hen, which is called "little joy". When twins are born, the girl's family will hold two chickens. It means you know whether the baby is a boy or a girl. When announcing the good news, both parties agree on the auspicious day to send blessing rice.
It is taboo to send blessing rice in the middle of the year, because "ten" is a homophonic word for "death". , so avoid it. It is taboo to use a bamboo basket when carrying a gift box. As the saying goes, "the water in the bamboo basket is empty", so it is taboo to include a chicken with the boy. Matching a girl with a rooster has the meaning of wishing the baby a happy marriage. The man entertains the girl's family for a meal, and the staple food is usually garlic noodles, commonly known as "eating happy noodles".
According to relevant information, the Yi people in Yunnan. After giving birth to a child, the uncle will also go to the home of his father-in-law and mother-in-law to announce the good news. In addition to bringing wine and food, he will also bring a chicken. However, unlike the custom in the Central Plains, when a boy is born, he is not hugged but a hen; when a girl is born, he is not hugged. The hen is holding the rooster instead.
The father-in-law and mother-in-law know that the baby is a boy. When they see it is a rooster, they know that it is a girl. Give me a chicken. Bring me a hen and give me a rooster.
My aunt will take the chicken back and raise it. You are not allowed to kill it. The chicken that goes away is just a sign of good news, and the chicken that is returned is the "natal attribute" of the baby, so it cannot be killed. The differences in customs can also be seen in the different customs of giving chickens to announce the birth of a child.