I am from Jiangsu and my boyfriend is from Guangdong. I want to know more about the customs and customs of Guangdong.

Heyuan is located in the northeastern part of Guangdong Province, at the junction of the coast and the mountainous area. 90% of the people living here are the Hakkas. The Hakkas are the Han people from the Central Plains who originally came to Henan during the war in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. After several difficult journeys and a delay of 1050 years, they migrated to southern Jiangxi, southern Fujian, northeastern Guangdong and other places. On the basis of inheriting certain cultural customs from the original Central Plains region, they formed a unique ethnic group based on their own living environment. The Hakka ethnic group is a branch of the Chinese Han nation, and its most obvious feature is that it speaks Hakka, which is one of the eight major dialects of the Han nation. The Hakka people have their own unique cultural customs and habits, which vary slightly depending on the period and region. Most of the Hakka people live in mountainous areas. There is a saying that "every guest goes to the mountains, and wherever there is a mountain, there must be guests." Because they are less influenced by the outside world, and the Hakka people in each place have their own little characteristics, such as different accents, but they are similar. .

Hakka folk houses

Hakka folk houses were built when the Hakka people migrated to the Lingnan mountainous area. In order to avoid the invasion of wild beasts and tomb hooligans, they absorbed the architectural essence of the ancient Central Plains area. On the basis of this, it is a kind of unique, simple and elegant residential building built by groups living together. Hakka residential buildings have different forms in different periods. According to the different architectural styles and forms, Hakka residential buildings can be divided into Weilong House, There are five phoenix towers, square towers, earth towers, and mansion-style buildings, among which the most representative one is the Weilong House.

The Weilong House, the courtyard house in Beijing, the cave dwellings in Shaanxi, the "rail style" in Guangxi and the "one seal" in Yunnan are known as the five major characteristics of Chinese folk residences. The Weilong House is a mixed structure technology of "lifting beam type" and "passing bucket type" that was more advanced by the Han people in the Central Plains at that time. Generally, hilly areas or slopes are chosen for construction. An ordinary Weilong house covers an area of ​​8 acres or 10 acres, and the largest one covers an area of ​​more than 30 acres. It takes 5 to 10 years to build a complete Weilong house. There are multiple buildings in the house. There are bedrooms, kitchens, large and small halls and living facilities such as water, pig pens, chicken coops, toilets, warehouses, etc., forming a self-sufficient and contented social group. Regardless of the size of the Weilong House, there must be a piece of grass and a half-moon-shaped pond in front of the gate. The grass flat is used for sunbathing, enjoying the shade and other activities. The pond has the functions of fire prevention and water storage.

The Hakka houses in the Heyuan area belong to the mansion style and have a similar structural pattern to the Weilong House. The architecture pays attention to the terrain and seating orientation. The general layout requires the meridian as the central axis, left and right symmetry, and can be divided according to the structure. It is "three halls, two horizontals, and one enclosure". The three halls refer to the front, middle and back halls. The middle hall is a place for major gatherings and festive activities; the back hall is generally the "ancestral hall", which is where ancestors' shrines are enshrined. A special place for worship and worship; there are horizontal rooms on the left and right sides of the front hall door, and then extend backward from the two horizontal rooms to a half-moon or square rear enclosure. Between the back of the ancestral hall and the enclosure is a tower higher than the front The ground at the foundation of the house is commonly known as the "flower bed".

The design and construction of Hakka houses integrate scientific, practical and ornamental aspects, showing the outstanding talents and superb skills of the Hakka ancestors. Hakka folk houses have the following five advantages: First, they are fully economical. The building materials are mainly loess, wood, sand, and stone. They can be rebuilt after demolition and the materials can be reused; second, they have good solidity. The wall base is made of stones. It is built with bamboo slices and wooden strips sandwiched in the wall; third, it has wonderful physical properties. Walls made of earth and wood can regulate air humidity and temperature. Earth wood is a poor conductor of heat, so its temperature changes slowly, and if If the air humidity is greater than itself, it will absorb moisture in the air to regulate the humidity and temperature of the air. Fourth, it has outstanding defensive properties. The walls are solid, there are no windows on the ground floor, the thick hardwood doors are covered with iron sheets, and fireproof water tanks are placed above the doors. The living facilities in the building are complete, which is necessary for them to resist attacks by soldiers, bandits, wild beasts, etc. . The fifth is the unique artistry, mainly reflected in the layout and shape, as shown in the picture:

Hakka Customs

When the Hakkas came to the mountainous areas, they were influenced by the environment and formed Some of the unique living customs and habits of the Hakka people. Over time, some customs and habits have disappeared, some have been retained, and some have been improved or changed. Below are some typical customs listed for everyone to enjoy.

Moving to a new house

When Hakka people build a new house, they usually have to carry out the ritual of "moving into a new house", which is called "Chusha". Only after you ask a Feng Shui master to drive away the "three evil spirits" will you be safe and prosperous.

At about 1 a.m. on the day of moving, a large table was placed in the hall of the main house. Three rice buckets were placed on the table, one for white rice and two for dry grains. The rice bucket was placed in the center, and the Feng Shui master placed the compass. On the rice bucket, the plasterer placed a trowel and a five-footer on the left bucket. The carpenter placed a curved ruler and an ink bucket on the right bucket. A red envelope was enlarged on each of the rice buckets. In the middle of the hall, there are several Eight Immortals tables placed in front of the door. On the tables, several feet of folded cotton cloth are spread out to the door. Mr. Geography's head was wrapped in a red scarf and he was wearing plain clothes. He held a big rooster in his left hand and a seven-star sword in his right hand. He was chanting words in his mouth, and he was very energetic. He cut the rooster to death, sprinkled the blood on the white cloth, and went straight out of the door. , threw the chicken outside the gate, and at the same time, the masons and carpenters used mahogany sticks to beat the cloth vigorously, and they all walked out of the gate. Then they were sent out of the gate with loud cheers of firecrackers, shotguns, and gongs and drums.

At auspicious times in the morning, the elderly couple who are famous and have many descendants are asked to "open the door". The man is on the left and the woman is on the right, standing inside the door. After the door gods are worshiped outside, the old couple will open the door. , when opening the door, you should say auspicious words: "Open the left door, come the rich man; open the right door, come the rich man"; also say "Come the rich man and the rich man together". The owner of the house opens the door with a lamp, and the furniture comes with him. The more particular thing is to lead a big buffalo or a yellow bull into the house, hang a sword and a red cloth on the horns, put on a chain and a plow, and then the descendants of the host family will drive into the house with the plow, and then the housewife will carry the stove and the big pot to the kitchen to light a fire. , furniture and sundries were brought in together, accompanied by gongs and drums, making a fuss about the new house, and the move was completed. A banquet will be held at noon to celebrate, and the elders of the clan or the geomasonry master will be invited to sit at the head of the table. When the banquet begins, the master will say good things, and then everyone will have a banquet and leave happily.

Customs during the New Year: Hakka people also have customs and legends about not using a broom on the first and second days of the Lunar New Year and "giving away poor ghosts" on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

Hakka people have a long-standing custom of not using brooms on the first and second days of the Lunar New Year. "Looking for Strangeness" of the Five Dynasties contains the story of "Wish Fulfillment": Luling Ou Ming passed Pengze Lake and was invited by the lake god Qinghong Jun as a guest. An accompanying petty official secretly reminded Ou Ming that if Qinghong Jun asked what he needed, You just answer "as you wish." Sure enough, Qinghong Lord Ou Ming asked "what do you want", Ou answered "as you wish" according to the official's instructions. Qinghong Lord had no choice but to give Ou Ming one of his maids named "Ruyuan". After Ou Ming brought his wish home, he could quickly get what he wanted whenever he wanted, and he would "be rich in a few years." Later, on the first day of the first lunar month one year, Ru Yuan got up late, so Ou Ming hit Ru Yuan with a broom to get rid of Ru Yuan's anger. From then on, the Ou family gradually declined. From then on, people had the habit of hiding brooms on the first day of the new year. No matter how much firecracker shavings, peanut shells and other debris were on the ground, they would not move the broom for fear of sweeping away the family's wealth.

There is also a legend about "giving away poor ghosts" on the third day of the lunar month. In ancient times, during the reign of Emperor Zhuanxu, a son was born in the palace. He liked to wear rags and would wear new clothes after they were given to him. People in the palace called him "poor ghost". The "poor son" died on the twilight of the first lunar month. When he was buried, people said: "Today the poor son is sent away." The saying of "giving away the poor" has been passed down since then. Later, people swept out the filth in their homes and called it "giving away the poor ghosts".

In Hakka folk houses, when a woman is "confinement" within a month after giving birth to a child, the Hakka people use Hakka wine to cook pork, chicken, eggs, etc. It is said that the wine cooked in this way It has the effects of beautifying, dispelling wind, activating blood circulation, strengthening the body, and promoting lactation. At the same time, ginger wine is also brewed and given to relatives and neighbors as a sign of good news. If the ginger is cut into slices, it means that a girl is born; if it is cut into shreds, it means that a girl is born. boy. If a boy is born in any family, then on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, a large lantern will be hung here, wine will be placed here, and the elders of the family will be invited to worship and write the genealogy.

The main festivals in Guangdong are basically the traditional festivals in my country, such as the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc. Here we introduce the most famous festival celebrations in Guangdong.

Dragon Burning The Lantern Festival in Guangdong is extremely lively. People will gather at the dragon dance field on the festival night to watch the dragon burning performance under the loud noise of cannons.

First, dozens of young people ran around the venue holding burning bamboo cables. Then, a giant dragon filled with fireworks appeared. Dragon dancers held up the dragon and danced in the venue. Finally, the dragon's head began to spit fire, and the dragon's body burned. Then the fireworks were set off, the sound of gongs and firecrackers resounded through the night, and the gorgeous fire dragons flew all over the place. The scene was very spectacular.

Lion dance Lion dance can be divided into north and south. In the south, Guangdong's lion dance performance is the most famous. The lion is made of colorful cloth strips. Each lion is performed by two people, one dancing the head and the other dancing the tail. During the performance, the lion dancers have to use various moves to express southern martial arts, which is very rich. Masculinity. It is the most common performance activity in various festivals in Guangdong.

Hakka women

The Hakka people migrated to the mountainous areas. Due to the lack of basic living materials and the embarrassment of life, they were not allowed to carry out arduous development. In the process, they formed the unique characteristics of the Hakka people. Many excellent qualities and image clothing suitable for their living environment. Hakka women are famous for their virtuous and hard-working people. A family saying: "When choosing a wife, you must choose a Hakka girl" is a good reflection of the quality of Hakka women.

Hakka women’s clothing and headwear. Wearing a straw hat and a large cardigan, carrying a child on her back, holding a plow, and walking barefoot in the fields, this is the traditional image of a Hakka woman. The custom of Hakka women wearing straw hats began in the late Song Dynasty. At that time, the Hakka ancestors moved south from the Central Plains. In order to survive, women farmed and worked like men. But it would be inappropriate for a woman to step out of her boudoir and show herself in public, so she wears a bamboo hat on her head and a black cloth with two small holes to cover her face. Later, when they found it inconvenient in actual use, they cut the cloth short and sewed it around the brim to become a practical and beautiful hat. Later, they even removed the curtains and only wore bamboo hats.

Headgear: All elderly women in the Hakka area comb their hair into a bun on the back of their head, and then put a silver hairpin in their hair. This is a habit developed since ancient times. The origin of this custom It was formed due to its own historical reasons, just like the straw hat worn by Hakka women when working, which evolved into a form of gathering in order to adapt to the environment. Silver hairpins are generally made of silver, about 10 centimeters long, a bit like an elephant ear, slightly narrower in the middle, large at both ends, with sharp ends, carved with fine patterns, small and exquisite. In the past, Hakka people, especially women, were often harassed by local hooligans and hooligans. In order to defend themselves, they would carry a sharp iron tool with them when they went out to do things. Later, due to changes in the living environment, it evolved into a sharp iron tool inserted in the back of the head. In addition to defense, the silver hairpin in the bun has other functions: first, it has the function of curing diseases. When encountering headaches, brain fever and other diseases, the Hakka ancestors would wrap the silver hairpin with cooked egg whites in cloth and keep it hot. Rubbing it back and forth on the patient's body is said to have significant effects. The second is to give it as a gift to the daughter who is about to get married, and repeatedly instruct the daughter that if the groom suffers from "explosive syndrome" during sexual intercourse, a sharp needle at the man's tail vertebra can avert the danger. Third, when bitten by a snake, use a silver hairpin to squeeze out the venomous blood from the bite to prevent the poison from attacking the heart.

Reward: Hakka Niangjiu is a kind of glycol rice wine with low alcohol content brewed from glutinous rice. The brewing process of this kind of wine is complicated, and it becomes more mellow and less sour when used. Once a Hakka woman gives birth to a child, during her "confinement period" within a month, she can use Hakka wine with fried chicken, eggs, etc., which has a good tonic effect. In addition, it has beautifying, blood-activating, lactation-stimulating and other effects. This is a rare reward for Hakka women.

The story of the apron

In the Hakka area in the upper reaches of the Dongjiang River, both old women and young girls like to hang an apron on their chest. Most of the elderly wear blue and gray ones, while Girls like colorful flower aprons. There is a legend about it:

One morning, the villagers of Liujiawan were planting rice in the fields. A young man on horseback passed by. The young man was at the entrance of the village and saw Liu Jiawan. The rice seedlings planted by the young women in Jiawan are as straight as the painter's paintings and the poet's poems, which make people feel surprised, gratified and happy.

The young man thought: The girls in Liujiawan are good at rice transplanting, but I wonder if they will be as smart and capable in other aspects. One day, he approached a young woman and asked, "Mother rice transplanter, are you on your left?" One row on the right, how many hundreds of rows did you insert in one day?" The young woman looked up and saw a young man on horseback, and casually replied: "Horse rider, how many hundreds of miles did you travel in one day?" After hearing this, the young man was speechless and found it difficult to answer. He did not expect that the rice-planting girl would ask him this question. The young man thought deeply for a while and then said, "Girl, I will be a guest at your house in three days. Do you welcome me?" The girl said, "Welcome." "However, I have a condition. I wonder if the girl can agree to it?" Question: "What are the conditions? Just say it!" the girl replied. The young man said: "Please prepare ten kinds of meat dishes when the time comes." "Of course, but we can't break the promise then." The girl replied.

After returning home, the girl told her family about the young man’s visit. After hearing this, the girl’s mother said anxiously: “Silly girl, why didn’t you agree to this matter without discussing it with your mother first? Well! We have chickens and ducks at home, and it’s easy to buy them on the street. But these are only six meat dishes, where can we find them?” “Mom, you don’t have to?” Don't worry, I don't need to kill chickens or ducks, nor do I need to sell beef and mutton on the streets. I will find a way to satisfy the young man when the time comes." The girl's mother always believed that her daughter meant what she said and did what she said, but after hearing this, she also believed. He was doubtful and fell asleep with an uneasy mood. Three days later, the young man arrived at the appointment on time. During lunch, the girl neither slaughtered chickens or ducks, nor went to the street to buy fish or meat. She just went to the vegetable garden to pick some leeks, took an egg, and scrambled a plate of eggs. When he brought the meal to the young man, the young man asked: "Didn't I tell you to prepare ten kinds of meat dishes? Why did you only bring a plate of scrambled eggs?" The girl saw the question and replied: "I asked "Are eggs a meat dish?" said the young man. "Leeks are nine, and one egg is ten. One plus nine is ten, isn't that ten kinds of meat dishes?" After hearing this, the young man smiled and said: "Yes, yes, what I want is exactly the ten kinds of one plus nine." Meat dishes."

After lunch, when we were saying goodbye, the girl sent the young man to the door. The young man stepped on the stirrup with one foot and put the other foot on the ground. He turned around and asked the girl: "Girl, do you know what I am doing now? Should I mount the horse or dismount?" The girl asked, with one foot outside the door and one foot inside the door. "Young man, do you know whether I am going out or coming in?" After hearing this, the young man secretly said, "Human? The girl from Liujiawan was said to be smart and hard-working, and she lived up to her reputation.

When leaving, the young man on horseback took a piece of floral cloth from his horse and gave it to the girl as a souvenir. The girl cut the cloth and put it on. Two flower belts can be worn around the chest to keep out the cold, and can also be used to wipe hands and carry things.

This is the apron that people often see girls wearing around their chests in the Hakka area. .

Hakka folk songs

Any art has its own social background and historical origin. From the overall process, there are both objective and subjective reasons for the production of Hakka folk songs. The Hakka people migrated from the Central Plains to the south. They mainly live in southern Fujian, northern Guangdong, and southern Jiangxi, followed by Hunan, Sichuan, Guangxi and other regions. The terrain of these places is mainly mountainous. Therefore, the life of the Hakka people is closely related to the mountains. Relationship, this is the objective environmental reason for the emergence of Hakka folk songs. There is no strict difference between Hakka women and men as "men do things outside and women do things inside". They work in the mountains for a long time and face the beautiful nature. They will inevitably be disturbed. The desire to be moved and to communicate with others, and folk songs cater to this need. Furthermore, singing in the mountains can be unrestrained. In the past, we were very strictly bound by the old ethics. In the countryside, strict boundaries were maintained between men and women. Because the relationship between husband and wife is too restrictive, singing freely in the mountains can release the suppressed spirit and bring relaxation and comfort to people's psychology. This is the subjective reason why Shange came into being. A lively and free way of expressing thoughts, it is deeply loved by the public and has become a form of entertainment for the public.

Hakka folk songs can be divided into two categories according to the expression form of the lyrics: one is rhymed poetry and quatrain style, usually with seven characters per sentence, and the last words of the first, second and fourth sentences rhyme, and they are catchy when sung. This form of folk songs is also It can be divided into duet forms and non-duet forms. The duet forms are generally love songs. Examples are as follows:

Duet love songs:

1. Male: I have heard about my girl’s beautiful folk songs for a long time, and we meet today. If you love to speak loudly, the colorful butterflies should be in love with flowers. My brother wants to go with his sister.

Female: Butterflies come before the flowers bloom. I laugh at your elder brother for being so stupid. He doesn’t recognize people when he meets you halfway. Flowers don’t bloom randomly until spring comes.

2. Man: The strong wind has blown away the dust on the road. I would like to ask the girl where she is from and ask her where she lives. I will wait for the man to agree.

Female: After crossing the bridge, we dispersed home. Deep in the source of the river is the Ya family. In front of the door is a mountain stream, looking like a flower in Mei County.

3. Man: The mountain flowers are blooming, and there are streams of water everywhere in the green mountains. Why is it so hard for you to find my sister?

Female: My brother wants to pick flowers in the garden, and he is interested in falling in love with his sister. Before leaving, there are only boats docking at the shore, but I have never seen a boat docking at the shore before.

4. Male: Two people who love each other know that their youth is at the right time, and the sound of good music makes them willing to fly together like mandarin ducks.

Female: My brother is from green leaves, my sister is from flowers, my brother is from camellia, and my sister is from yarn, the sun sets on time, I only want flowers to find my fortune.

5. Male: When peach blossoms bloom and plum blossoms bloom, everyone will love them life and death. The same sister sleeps on the same bed when she is alive, and the same sister sleeps on the coffin when she is dead.

Female: Life and death will come together and love will come together. Life and death are all in front of you. Use money to make hydrangeas and throw them around.

Male: I slept until I was unconscious, and the stones in the ground were used as silver. After being dead for three days, he couldn't die. He came back to life when he heard his mother's voice.

Female: I can’t bear to leave my lover and come to look for him. Please tell me not to panic. I dare to do a few big things. The ship is big and has its own sea to install it.

6. Female: My brother went out for a visit, and my sister saw him off at the door. It is difficult to see each other across thousands of mountains and rivers, and it is difficult to reach them across vast oceans.

Male: It’s hard to meet someone across thousands of mountains and rivers, don’t break up your love because of the past; I will change my relationship in three to five years, and my brother will change my relationship as soon as I change my relationship.

Female: It’s hard for Lang to leave his sister now, and she is single all day and night; when she sees someone else having a couple, her eyes are watery and full of love.

Male: I went out to see you today, and my sister likes to let go. Don’t make any mistakes, and come back to reunite with me in the future.

The second category: Free form, this form of lyrics has free form, no strict format, and depends on the situation. For example:

Brother, sister, if you eat Ya's Yong Tau Foo, you won't get diarrhea. If you eat Ya's Yong Tau Foo, you won't have a hard time climbing mountains.

Hakkas are the Chinese nation A special branch of the extended family. After many migrations, the Hakka people were able to live and work in peace and contentment on the land of China. This outstanding ethnic group created by history and experienced the baptism of history will surely shine brilliantly in the history of the Chinese nation with its unique spiritual outlook and rich cultural connotation!