Hongjiang Customs in Huaihua Folk Culture

Hongjiang was a land of "Five Creeks Man" in ancient times, with Miao and Yao customs and simple folk customs. Later, the number of Hakkas increased, and the countryside gradually evolved into a town dominated by the Han nationality. However, most people still follow the old customs, attach importance to clans, talk about elders, be simple and hospitable, prefer sons to daughters, be superstitious about ghosts and gods, and worship ancestors, buddhas and gods devoutly on holidays. Organize weddings, funerals and weddings, choose a month and a day, emphasize family status, stress ostentation and extravagance, and have complicated etiquette; Men are good at management, while women are good at family management, financial management and cooking. After the May 4th Movement, folk customs gradually opened up, which had an impact on the customs of mountain cities.

In the old society, the life of Hongjiang people was very different between the rich and the poor, and their customs were different. Since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, people's living standards have generally improved. People emancipate their minds, change customs, get married freely, help others, respect the old and love the young, and support the army. Civilized manners have become a common practice, and the established language is also full of diverse colors.

Celebrate festivals and practice customs.

Spring Festival: commonly known as "Chinese New Year", in the old society, on the first day of the first lunar month, the whole family paid New Year greetings to the world and ancestors, and the younger generation paid New Year greetings to the elders, and then there was a New Year's Eve dinner. Among family members and relatives, Hongjiang has the saying that "the first son, the second son, the third son and the fourth son worship their mother", that is, the first son and unmarried daughter pay New Year greetings to their elders; The next day, the son-in-law paid New Year greetings to his parents-in-law and elders. On the third day, the married daughter went home to pay a New Year call to her parents. In addition, during the Spring Festival, party and government organs or factories and mines will send new year's condolence letters and hold group worship to reduce the cumbersome etiquette between comrades and people. Some leaders personally went to the homes of veteran cadres and workers to express their condolences and pay New Year greetings, and to close the relationship between the party and the masses.

Lantern Festival: The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, commonly known as "Lantern Festival" and "Shangyuan". Hongjiang has the traditional custom of "Thirty Nights of Fire, Lantern Festival". That night, every household lit up and hung happy lanterns tied at home, and the whole city was brightly lit. At midnight, the whole family eats "Yuanxiao" to show family reunion and happiness. At night, colorful lanterns, dragon lanterns, lion lanterns, clam shell lanterns, colorful lotus boats and other lanterns flock to the streets together, competing with each other, and fireworks are everywhere, colorful and lively.

Tomb-Sweeping Day: In Tomb-Sweeping Day, people want to sweep graves and "hang green". There is a saying that "before March, after February", that is, Tomb-Sweeping Day hangs green in March before Tomb-Sweeping Day, and Tomb-Sweeping Day hangs green in February after Tomb-Sweeping Day.

Dragon Boat Festival: On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (called "Dragon Boat Festival" in rural areas), every household hangs calamus leaves in front of the door, and some households stick red stickers saying "calamus leaves are like spearmint Wan Li, and calamus kills all evils like a knife"; Some sprinkle realgar around the corner wall and water tank to soak pig fat, and then cover garlic with pig fat and hang it in a ventilated place, which can be used as a good medicine to treat blisters.