Hefei Folk Culture

Hefei is located in the middle of Anhui Province and was called Luzhou in ancient times. "(Jiaqing) Hefei County Chronicle" has this description of Hefei's folk customs: "The people are straight-minded and have no two minds; their customs are diligent and lively. He is admired from the outside; he is very talented and has no weakness to take advantage of."

1. Lifestyle and folk customs

Diet Hefei urban and rural residents traditionally eat rice as their staple food, as well as other cereals. . In the old society, there was often a situation of "half a year's melons and vegetables and half a year's food". The main cereals included barley, wheat, corn, potato, pumpkin, beans, etc. After the reform and opening up, residents' living standards have improved, and pasta and beans have become fashionable, such as noodles, fried dough sticks, steamed buns, soy milk, soy flour, Qianzhang, etc. Nutrition and taste have become new standards for eating. Hefei has a custom of "three meals a day", usually one thin and two dry. Before liberation, people often had two meals a day. Now, in addition to three meals, I also eat "snacks" such as steamed buns, biscuits, milk, fruits, etc. The cooking methods in Hefei are mainly braised, stir-fried, deep-fried, stewed and pan-fried. Dishes are heavy on color, oil and flavour. The main condiments are vegetable oil, with soy sauce, salt, ginger, monosodium glutamate, vinegar, sesame oil, etc. The dishes are mainly vegetarian dishes and tofu, as well as fish, meat, eggs, etc. During festivals, weddings and funerals, chickens, eggs, meat, fish and other meat dishes are prepared. Meats include braised pork, stir-fried shredded pork, and stir-fried pork liver; fish include braised crucian carp, braised eel; poultry includes braised chicken, braised chicken nuggets, and braised goose (duck) nuggets; eggs include scrambled eggs, salted eggs, and steamed eggs. Vegetables include stir-fried greens, stir-fried spinach, stir-fried eggplant, stir-fried leeks, stir-fried pumpkin, stir-fried lentils, stir-fried green peppers, etc. Special dishes include fried shredded pork with pickled vegetables and braised vegetables (braised goose feet, bladder and head). Folks have a long-standing custom of eating breakfast, such as Sanhe rice dumplings, Fengle dried sauce, etc. There are also steamed buns, deep-fried pancakes, spring rolls, twists, etc. In the early years, people had the custom of using tea and wine as drinks. In recent years, soda, Sprite, and Coke have been the main beverages. Wine is an important drink in life, and it is indispensable during holidays. In the old days, people mainly drank bulk wine, such as "Old Soju". Nowadays, everyone drinks bottled wine, and there are many brands and grades. Brands such as Gujing, Kouzi, Shahe, Wenwanggong, Gaofujia, Laomingguang, Jinzhongzi, and Xuanjiu are on the market.

Clothes Before liberation, men mainly wore long gowns and double-breasted gowns, and women mainly wore cheongsams. After liberation, men wore Mao suits and Lenin suits, and women wore Chinese middle-class clothes and youth clothes. Wear a mix of old and new, including shorts and shirts in summer. In the mid-to-late 1960s, green military uniforms became popular, followed by zip-up shirts and jackets. For some time after the reform and opening up, young men and women began to wear bell-bottom trousers and straight-leg trousers as fashion. Suits began to become popular in urban and rural areas. Casual clothes, down jackets, and sweaters also gradually became popular. Clothing styles have broken through the "men should not expose their navels and women should not expose their skin." standards. Colors and materials: In the old days, men mostly wore navy blue, iron grey, grass green, black and white, while women mostly wore floral colors. After the 1980s, clothing came in a wide variety of colors. Fabrics made of chemical fiber, cashmere, and wool are the most popular.

Building houses in Hefei area are mostly facing north and south. In the old society, most of them were structures with earth walls and grass roofs. After liberation, as living conditions improved, there were structures with earth walls and tile roofs, and brick and tile alternating structures. Usually there is an open space in front of the house as a threshing floor, and a pigsty, cowshed, toilet, etc. are built behind the house. In the old days, residents were very particular about building houses. There was a set of procedures from selecting the homestead, starting the construction, to finishing the beams. Before building a house, you need to ask a Yin-Yang Feng Shui master to read the Feng Shui and determine the home site. Rich people pay more attention to choosing the site, looking for dragon veins, and observing water and tapping acupuncture points. Most home owners choose a place with mountains behind them and water on their side. With its back against a hill, it symbolizes that the owner has a strong position to lean on, and facing a pond or stream, it symbolizes that the owner's family has a steady stream of wealth. It is very lively when the beam is raised, but it must be done before sunrise, which symbolizes that life is getting brighter and brighter as the sun rises in the east. On this day, relatives and friends also come to drink and congratulate with gifts such as cigarettes, wine, cakes, red cloth and silk curtains. New houses should also post auspicious couplets and congratulatory couplets. After the 1980s, cement brick houses gradually replaced thatched houses with earthen walls, emphasizing integrity, unity and decoration. In recent years, it has gradually become a trend to build multi-storey and small high-rise buildings in rural areas, and in cities there are even more high-rise buildings.

Housewarming When the homeowner moves, relatives, friends and neighbors come to congratulate him. When neighbors, relatives and friends send gifts, they write auspicious messages such as "Congratulations on the housewarming" and also help move the furniture. Under normal circumstances, the house owner should tidy up the furniture the night before and move in the next morning or morning, in order to be auspicious and symbolize a prosperous life in the new home. Old neighbors set off firecrackers to see each other off, and new neighbors set off firecrackers to welcome them. If you want to hold a banquet, treat your old neighbors to a "moving wine" and treat your new neighbors to a "house wine" (commonly known as "neighbor wine").

Living utensils In the old days, farmers often used earth stoves, and some were equipped with bellows.

One to three pots are arranged on the stove top, and a round iron pot is placed next to the stove between the two pots to use waste heat for hot water. There is a shrine on the stove to worship the Kitchen God. In modern times, gas stoves, gas stoves, and electric stoves are used. In addition to iron pots and aluminum pots, there are also types of pots such as pressure cookers, woks, electric hot pots, etc. The old earthen pits and wooden plank beds have been eliminated, and stem grafting beds are commonly used in urban and rural areas. They can be disassembled and assembled by themselves, which is simple and convenient. In front of the hall, there are many Eight Immortals tables, round tables, etc., with benches. There is an incense table in front of the table, and the nave paintings are hung above it. Folks often use bedside tables and large wardrobes, but now they often use wall cabinets and TV cabinets. Basins include basins, bathtubs, foot basins, wash basins, etc., which are mainly made of wood. Now made of plastic and stainless steel. Household appliances are developing rapidly, from simple to multi-functional, including radio recorders, televisions, electric fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. As lighting tools, kerosene lamps and candles were used in both urban and rural areas in the past; now incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, ceiling lamps, etc. are commonly used in urban and rural areas. The streets are illuminated by neon lights of various colors, creating a charming scene.

2. Etiquette and folk customs

Pregnancy Pregnant women eat a bowl of brown sugar eggs before giving birth, which is said to induce egg production. After eating, you have to walk back and forth, which is commonly known as rushing to give birth, which means that the birth is quick and smooth. Three days after the baby is born, the midwife or grandma will usually give the baby a bath with moxa water or honeysuckle boiled water, which is commonly known as "washing three". Ai Shui or honeysuckle vine water has the effect of sterilization and disinfection. On the day of the third bath, the midwife is usually given happy eggs. Nowadays, most babies are born in hospitals, and the hospital arranges showers and nursing care. According to the old custom, three days after the baby is born, the son-in-law will report the good news to the parents-in-law. If a boy is born, he will bring a rooster or goose as a gift, and if a girl is born, a hen will be used as a gift. Nowadays, with the development of communication and transportation, this custom has been eliminated. Before giving birth, the son-in-law and mother-in-law will usually accompany the mother-in-law to take care of her in the hospital, and no longer report good news unless she is in another place. Grandma’s family prepared baby clothes and supplies and sent them to the baby on the ninth day after birth to congratulate the birth of her grandson. All the clothing and utensils for the baby from birth to one year old, from diapers to baskets, are provided by the grandma's family. A banquet must be prepared to entertain relatives and friends on that day. Nowadays, this custom is gradually being eliminated, but the nine-day wedding banquet is becoming more and more grand. Banquets are often held in hotels to reward relatives and friends. When a child turns one year old, congratulations are given to the child, which is commonly known as grasping the week or making a week. On this day, grandma’s family brought gifts (mostly children’s clothes, small cars, etc.) for their grandson to wear. When catching Zhou Zhou, a large ball of dust is placed on the ground, and the child sits in the center, surrounded by various daily utensils and cakes. The future of the child is predicted by the things caught for the first time. This custom has gradually faded away, but the custom of relatives and friends coming to congratulate you on your first birthday is still there. Most of the gifts are in cash and vary in amount.

Marriage matchmaking is also known as "passing the year of Geng" and "matchmaking". The man first asks a matchmaker to go to the woman's family to act as a matchmaker. After the woman's family agrees, the man's family asks someone to write a proposal letter, and the man's birthday and birth date are printed with the word "Gong Su" on the paper. Together with the gifts, the matchmaker sends them to the woman's family. If the girl's family agrees, they will write the girl's date of birth as mentioned above, write "Jingyun" on the post, and pass it back to the boy's family. Since the 1950s, this custom has gradually faded away. Except for a few remote and isolated villages, men and women can fall in love freely without the need for a matchmaker. Even if there is a matchmaker, it is just a formality. After the exchange of years, the woman will take her brother-in-law or relatives' children (commonly known as belts) to the man's house to "check the gatehouse", that is, to check the family income and housing situation. If the woman intends to stay for dinner, she agrees. At this time, the man's family will give money for the meeting, and the amount of money should be "half", which means "company". If you don't agree, you won't stay. When a man and a woman fall in love freely, and the man brings the woman home for the first time, the man's parents will still give the woman a "meeting gift", whichever is an even number or an integer.

Engagement, commonly known as "next day", "qihong" and "next issue", is the date that both men and women agree to get married. This custom is still practiced in some rural areas, but this custom no longer exists in urban areas.

Marry. In the old days, the groom's family invited relatives and friends to hold a breakfast banquet for the matchmaker and arrange everything for the wedding. After the banquet was dismissed, the matchmaker took the groom's wedding staff to the bride's home to welcome the bride, rain or shine. When arriving at the girl's house, the door of the girl's house must be closed to show that her daughter is not married off casually. The matchmaker must first hand over the money for opening the door, commonly known as "money for combing hair" and "money for opening face". Before getting into the sedan chair, the bride's brothers will carry her out. Before going out, she must "cry for marriage" and take a shower the day before. When it comes to the husband's family, the door of the husband's family is also closed, which is commonly known as "suppressing one's temper". After getting off the sedan chair, they fire a cannon and enter the house to worship, then attend a banquet, toast, and then have a house party. At this time, there is a custom that "there is no big or small wedding for three days". Even if you go out of your way during the house party, you should not get angry or quarrel. This custom is gradually becoming less common, and it is usually colleagues who make arrangements for a new house. Nowadays, wedding banquets are mostly held in hotels in urban and rural areas. On that day, the groom wore a suit and red flowers, and the woman wore a wedding dress to greet the guests in the hotel lobby. After the banquet, accompanied by the officiant, guests go to each table to toast and accept blessings from relatives and friends.

There are also other forms, such as tourist weddings, mass weddings, and wedding ceremonies held in churches. In recent years, under the hype of wedding companies, some people have continued to use the old wedding customs of wearing red flowers and welcoming the bride in a sedan chair. But cars are mostly used, and a pair of cars is considered auspicious, and professional photography is provided.

Returning to the home, commonly known as "kansan", means that three days after the wedding, the bride's brothers will take the bride home to visit her parents. On this day, my parents' family will prepare a banquet to entertain my uncle, and they will also find elders and close relatives to accompany me, called birth relatives. With the development of society, men and women are free to fall in love and return to their parents' home to visit relatives on the first day after a wedding is held in a hotel.

Birthday It is custom in Hefei to celebrate birthdays when people reach 60 years old. On your birthday, celebrate. Birthday gifts generally include birthday noodles, birthday cakes, fish, chicken, tobacco and alcohol, gifts, etc. The birthday girl should prepare a banquet and entertain him warmly. With the improvement of living conditions, the custom of celebrating birthdays not only continues to this day, but also becomes more and more grand. People who live a long life and have status often choose to celebrate their birthdays in hotels. In recent years, some families have given birthday celebrations to their children when they turn 10.

Before the death of a funeral patient, the children must rush back after receiving the interrogation, listen to the last instructions or announce the will that has been drawn up, and bid farewell to the deceased (most of the people will have the father or mother rest in the arms of the eldest son when they are dying) Let him rest in peace), commonly known as "send him off". Everyone in the world regrets that they did not die in old age. Therefore, the custom of sending people off at the end of their lives still exists in Hefei area. Children must ask relatives and neighbors to report the funeral to all relatives and relatives, commonly known as "announcement of mourning". Nowadays, the deceased's unit often announces the funeral information by posting obituaries or publishing it in newspapers. When the parents pass away, the son must wear linen, a white gown, a straw rope around his waist, and a three-spirit crown on his head. When the husband dies, the wife is dressed in pure white, tied with linen, with a white scarf on her head, and white shoes on her feet; when the wife dies, the husband does not wear filial piety. Relatives wear white cloth belts hanging sideways or tied around their waists, and white cloth hats on their heads; elders do not wear them, and grandchildren wear white cloth with a red top hat, a red hat, and a green hat to mark their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren respectively. The bereaved family issues a filial piety notice, which is used to distinguish the family members. The feet of filial piety shoes are covered with white cloth or linen. Relatives and friends generally express condolences in the form of papyrus, filial piety tents, filial piety pairs (i.e. blankets, quilts, space quilts), wreaths (mostly flowers), cash, etc. The parents-in-law of the children prepare pig meat, fish, geese, tobacco and alcoholic beverages and set up "three carriages", which are accompanied by a band to the bereaved family. For all those who came to express condolences, the eldest son would bow to him in the Hall of Filial Piety. For condolences in cities and towns, a mourning hall is usually set up first, and the body is mourned for 1 to 3 days. A portrait of the deceased is enshrined in front of the mourning hall, and elegiac couplets are hung on both sides. And play sad music. The mourners wear black gauze, first send filial piety tents, filial piety pairs, wreaths made of flowers, cash, etc., and pay silent tribute to the body amidst the sounds of mourning music to express their condolences. During the funeral, all relatives wear mourning clothes, the eldest son wears linen and mourns, and holds the portrait of the deceased in front of him. Others file in one by one. The items sent by the condolences are carried by special personnel on long bamboo poles along with the procession. Every time they arrive at the entrance of a village or At the three-way intersection, firecrackers are set off and bands play music. The mourners mourned and cried all the way to the cemetery. After the ceremony, the mourners must step over a lit pile of straw fire to ward off bad luck. In recent years, with the process of urban and rural integration, most urns are sent to government-designated places for burial.

Communication title. In the new era, there are a few changes in the customs of addressing families and relatives. For example, parents are also called "Dad, Mom" ​​or "Daddy, Mommy". Social titles are usually based on identity and position, such as director, secretary, section chief, director, expert Wang, scholar Zhang, and professor Li. Young people mostly regard "buddy" and "sister" as fashion. At banquets, the general titles of boss and leader are often used, and the titles of master and comrade are increasingly rare. It is also fashionable to call leaders "head", "somewhere", "certain bureau", "virgin seat" and "bureau seat".

Shake hands. When relatives and friends meet or say goodbye, both parties should shake hands with their right hands; when meeting for the first time or meeting an elder (leader), it is appropriate to extend the other person's hand and then shake hands. If you wear gloves, take them off before holding them again as a sign of courtesy. In public places, leaders usually bow their hands or wave instead of shaking hands. In rural areas, people nod their hands and shake hands are rare.

Toast cigarettes and toast. When toasting at a banquet, juniors or subordinates should take the initiative to stand up and hold cups in both hands to toast each other. They should do it first as a gesture of respect, and at the same time signal to the other party to drink slowly or casually. Avoid toasting while the other party is talking or holding food, and you should measure your own drinking capacity to avoid missing a toast or being disrespectful. The same goes for offering cigarettes. It is polite to offer cigarettes with one hand and gesture with the other.

Conversation. When talking, you should pay attention to the other person's eyes, listen attentively, don't look around, and say "yes" and "ok" from time to time.

3. Beliefs and folk customs

Taboos: Zodiac signs are associated with "six clashes" and "six evils" in marriage. When young men and women in rural areas are on a blind date, it is taboo to hold an umbrella because "umbrella" and "san" are homophonic. With the advent of free love in urban areas, this taboo is no longer a taboo.

It is not advisable to choose a double or a single day when choosing a wedding day, but major festivals such as National Day and May Day are also good days for modern weddings. When holding a wedding, the main thing is to wear bright colors and avoid white. However, in modern urban areas, white wedding dresses are the mainstream. Avoid getting married in your zodiac year

. Newlyweds in the folk generally do not stay out at night, but stay at the homes of relatives and friends, and avoid sexual intercourse. Women's skirts and trousers should not be exposed to the sun at high places, and women should not smoke. Carry the person to the straw bed (temporary floor bed) before death, and avoid dying on the bed. When dressing the deceased in old clothes, avoid wool, leather, and buttons. Baby's afterbirth should not be thrown away, it should be put into earthen jars and buried. Pregnant women should avoid eating soup and porridge made from mung beans. Do not sweep the floor or pour water outside on the first day of the first lunar month. Avoid going out seven times and returning eight times. Avoid using water on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. Avoid putting chopsticks on the rice bowl when eating, avoid sitting on the "turtle mat", and avoid eating fish roe among children. Clothing: "Men should not expose their navel, and women should not expose their skin." Avoid placing clothes, hats, pillows, quilts, etc. under the buttocks, and avoid distinguishing between men's and women's underwear. Do not ask for debts on the first day of the first lunar month. Avoid single gifts, avoid giving bells as gifts, and avoid touching others’ heads with your hands. It is taboo to refer to death as "old", "gone" or "passed away". Sickness is generally said to be "not harmonious" and "not known to be bright". Pregnancy is said to be "happy". Avoid using the word "pregnant" to avoid the homophony of "bad luck". When eating, avoid saying "do you want rice?" or "do you want more rice?"

Character worship: People in Hefei are proud to worship Bao Gong. Bao Gong, a native of Luzhou, is known throughout the world for his strict law enforcement and uprightness. There is a Bao Gong Temple in Hefei, which has been worshiped by generations. In recent years, activities to worship Bao Gong have become increasingly popular, such as holding Bao Gong cultural seminars and essay collections. At the same time, there are also people who worship historical figures such as Guan Gong.

4. Year of the year? Festival

Little New Year The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month (the twelfth lunar month) is called Little New Year, and that night is called "Little New Year". The Little New Year means that the year is coming to an end. From this day on, people begin to prepare for the arrival of the new year. Folks have the custom of offering sacrifices to stoves, sweeping dust, and purchasing new year's goods. Folk song "Twenty-three, celebrate the New Year; twenty-four, clean the house; twenty-five, grind tofu; twenty-six, slaughter the pork; twenty-seven, take a wash; twenty-eight, put up window grilles; twenty-nine, Go drinking; on New Year's Eve, post pairs" is a vivid portrayal of Hefei's annual customs. "On the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month, dust and sweep the house." On this day, every household has to clean the room and clean up all kinds of items in the home. Sacrifice to the stove is the custom of sending the Kitchen God to heaven.

Spring Festival The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, commonly known as "New Year" and "New Year's Day". In the twelfth lunar month, rural residents in Hefei slaughter livestock and marinate bacon, boil sugar syrup to make fried rice candies, process rice cakes and tofu, and buy incense candles, ghost tickets, firecrackers, tobacco, wine, tea, cakes, couplets (some are also handwritten), lanterns, etc. Commonly known as "buying new year's goods". Post Spring Festival couplets and New Year pictures on New Year's Eve. In the new era, young people often post film and television stills and images of celebrities. In urban areas, New Year paintings are mostly replaced by traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Most of the couplets are about praising reform and opening up. Those who are in business often post "Business is booming all over the world, and wealth is abundant reaching three rivers"; those who are teaching often post "There are roads in the mountains of books, and diligence is the path, and the sea of ​​learning is boundless and the boat is hard work" and so on. Most businesses set up neon lights to add to the festive atmosphere. The preparation of the New Year's Eve dinner is mainly done by housewives, with the whole family helping each other, and all cooking techniques such as steaming, boiling, stir-frying, deep-frying, and pan-frying are used. The variety and quality of dishes, as well as the level of tobacco and alcohol, depend on one's family background, but chicken, fish, meat, and dumplings are must-have traditional dishes. After the "New Year's Eve dinner", the elders give money to the younger ones wrapped in red paper, which is called "New Year's money". In recent years, there have been many forms of entertainment and leisure. On the night of the New Year's Eve, some people come to play mahjong and cards, but most of them mainly watch the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Hotels and restaurants also provide well-equipped entertainment venues for those who eat New Year's dinner. Eat more longevity noodles for breakfast on New Year’s Day. After the meal, the neighbors came to pay their respects. The host entertains guests by making tea, passing cigarettes, and inviting them to eat pastries, candies, and ingot eggs. Relatives and friends come to the house and give money to the host's children in red paper. Relatives and friends in different places mostly greet each other by calling, texting, and WeChat, and some in urban areas send New Year greetings via online e-mail. On the first day of the new year, no sweeping the floor, splashing water, using scissors, or hanging clothes to dry. From the first to the third grade of junior high school, it is taboo for children to say unlucky words, and it is forbidden to beat or scold children. Some parents wipe their children's mouths with tissue paper to indicate "butt mouth", and words will not count. There is a folk song in Hefei: "Don't go out on the first day of the lunar month, worship your ancestors on the second day of the lunar month, pay homage to your father-in-law on the third day of the lunar month, pay homage to your mother-in-law on the fourth day of the lunar month, worship casually on the fifth and sixth day of the lunar month, don't go out on the seventh day, don't return on the eighth day, go home on the ninth and tenth day ". However, due to the accelerated pace of life in recent years, people have begun to visit each other on the first day of the new year. Relatives and friends from far away send greetings by making phone calls or sending text messages. New Year gifts are becoming increasingly diversified and varied, and their quality and taste are also improving year by year. After the New Year, as more young adults went out to work, traditional performances such as lion dances and lantern games were also rare.

Some urban literary and art groups take advantage of the Spring Festival to organize cultural performances, performances, waist drums and other activities to enrich festival life. The Spring Festival is a legal holiday with 7 days off. Before and after the Spring Festival, government agencies, enterprises and institutions often carry out activities such as group worship, condolences to military martyrs, sending warmth, condolences to the lonely elderly, and condolences to retired personnel in different forms.

Lantern Festival The fifteenth day of the first lunar month in Hefei is the Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival. In rural areas, it is also commonly known as "celebrating the off-year". There is a custom of eating New Year's Eve dinner and setting off firecrackers. It is popular to eat Yuanxiao. Customs such as playing with lanterns and lions have become increasingly popular in urban areas. Government cultural departments often organize lantern riddle guessing, ball games, chess games, temple fairs and other activities.

The Qingming Festival, also known as the "Outing Festival", takes place in the third month of the lunar calendar, that is, around April 5th of the Gregorian calendar. In the old days, the main customs of Qingming Festival were: inserting willows, planting trees, sweeping tombs, and going outing. On this day, men, women and children, old and young, break willow branches, carry firecrackers, paper money, ghost coins and offerings to the graves to sweep the tombs and worship their ancestors. They build soil on the graves and hang money on them to show their respect for their ancestors. Clan members with the same surname take turns to host and have dinner together after visiting graves, which is called "Qingming Festival". In recent years, many Hefei people who live in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and work far away from home have paid homage to the graves of their clansmen on this day despite their hard work. It has become fashionable to sweep tombs during the Qingming Festival, offer flowers and fruits, and plant green pines and cypresses. On this day, students are often organized to visit the tombs of the Dashu Mountain Martyrs Cemetery, lay wreaths, commemorate the martyrs, and receive traditional education.

Dragon Boat Festival The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the Dragon Boat Festival, commonly known as "Dragon Boat Festival" and "Duan Yang". Folk customs include eating rice dumplings, drinking realgar wine, and rowing dragon boats. The wrapping of rice dumplings is very particular, including red bean rice dumplings, ham rice dumplings, etc. Most of the food in urban areas is purchased in the market, and many farmers in villages and towns have become professionals in making rice dumplings and selling them. Folks insert calamus and mugwort upside down on doors and windows. The calamus is shaped like a sharp sword to ward off evil spirits, while mugwort can be used as medicine to cure diseases. Use moxa fumigation in a dark place indoors to avoid plague and eliminate toxins. Dried mugwort can be used for bathing and soaking in children. Rowing dragon boats to commemorate Qu Yuan. In recent years, some places have often held dragon boat competitions to increase publicity or attract investment. During the competition, the government is busy organizing investment negotiations, and the news media is busy with photography, photography, interviews and other activities.

Mid-Autumn Festival The fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar is the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as "Mid-Autumn Festival" and "August Half". That evening, the family sat together, shared mooncakes, and enjoyed the fresh water chestnut root. Mid-Autumn Festival is also an important festival for family reunion. Since the reform and opening up, people abroad often send blessings and greetings to their families by making phone calls, sending text messages, and sending emails. Daughters and sons-in-law have the habit of giving mooncakes to their parents-in-law. Government agencies and units often purchase mooncakes and distribute them to their employees. The packaging box has changed from the original paper package to an iron box package and a vacuum package, and the packaging tends to be luxurious. There are folk customs such as "touching autumn" and playing with torches.

Winter Solstice The 22nd day of the 11th month of the lunar calendar is the winter solstice, which is the day of "Jinjiu". There is a farmer's proverb that "if you eat winter solstice noodles, the day will grow by a thread" (that is, the length of the day and the shortening of the night will begin on this day). Folk customs include winter sacrifices, relocations, breeding, and ancestor worship. There are also customs such as eating pumpkin cakes and eating dog meat.

Laba Festival The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month is Laba Festival, commonly known as the "Laba Festival". Folks use glutinous rice, beans and other grains as well as dates, longan, lotus seeds and other dried fruits to make porridge, called "Laba porridge". It is a good-luck meal for the whole family. It is now customary to meet at the temple to eat Laba porridge.