Today is the beginning of spring. Does anyone know any traditional activities at the beginning of spring?
Spring Cow Pasting
The custom activity of Spring Cow Pasting is started before the beginning of spring. According to the traditional practice, the county government (county government) hires paper-making experts and craftsmen. Before the beginning of spring, people gather in the county town to make elaborate images of spring cows. Generally, bamboo strips are tied into the skeleton of a cow, spring wood is used as the legs, and then paper and paint are used to make the image of a cow. It is said that if there is more red and yellow paper, the harvest will be good that year; if it is covered with black paper, the harvest will be poor. Therefore, the county magistrate arranged to use more red and yellow paper to win the support of the people. After the spring ox is pasted, a consecration and eye-dotting ceremony will be held, an incense table will be set up, and the incense table will be set up to pay homage.
Spring Cow Hunting
There are spring cows made of mulberry wood as the skeleton, which are specially used for the customary activity of "Spring Cow Hunting". On the day after the winter solstice, the earth is taken from the earth and made into a clay body, which is carved into a shape similar to the size of an ox. On it are four o'clock and eight sections, 12 o'clock patterns on 360 days. On the day before the beginning of spring, officials and people first offered sacrifices at the agreed farm altar. Afterwards, the county deacon (county magistrate) personally holds the plow and whips the "spring ox" to indicate the beginning of spring plowing. Then the masses plowed the land. While plowing, they beat "spring cows" and chanted: one dozen, "good weather"; two dozen, "the country is peaceful and the people are safe"; three dozen, "good harvest" and other auspicious words.
Welcome the Spring
In order to welcome the Spring, first choose a land with good Feng Shui in the suburbs of the county and set up a "spring shed" to prepare for the Spring. Spring sheds are usually erected on traffic thoroughfares where people can gather easily. Put colorful flags around.
The Spring Festival activities are held on the day of the Beginning of Spring. The specific time is based on the almanac. Sometimes it is at the hour of the day, sometimes at midnight. The Spring Festival activities usually involve a huge procession of ceremonial guards, carrying the Spring Festival Official Parade to show their power, and they are crowded in front and behind, which is extremely majestic. There are also Baozi, Ma Bian and others dressed in long robes, mandarin jackets, or various fancy costumes, sitting on a single wooden pole carried by two people, performing tricks while doing it, having fun and making people laugh.
The teams welcoming the Spring Festival gather in front of the spring shed from all directions, and then go to the county government (county government) to announce the good news and welcome the Spring Festival.
Spring Outing and Spring Announcement
The Spring Outing starts after the Spring Festival announcement. The gongs and drums teams and honor guards from each village and community walk in front, and the huge Spring Ox statue is carried by four or eight people. in the back. Walking and dancing, gongs and drums roared, and firecrackers blasted. The parade was huge and spectacular. Visit the surrounding villages and streets.
After the spring outing team enters the spring field (inspection venue), they swim around the field twice, and then each line up and stand on the arranged venue. At this time, the county magistrate is respectfully invited to sit in the spring shed and hold a spring heralding ceremony. According to the traditional custom, there is a Spring Announcement Platform, with newspapermen dressed in strange clothes and holding red and yellow flags. The first announcement on the stage is "good weather", and the crowd echoes in unison; the second announcement is "good harvest" , the masses also echoed with one voice; the third report - "Guotai Minan", the masses echoed with the same voice again. Everyone who comes to report will be rewarded.
Chunshe
Chunshe is a day for worshiping the earth god in spring in ancient times. In the Zhou Dynasty, it was held on Jia day, and later it was usually held on the fifth Wu day after the beginning of spring. "Li Mingtang Wei": "This is why Xia Chun, Qiuchang, Dongcheng, Chunshe, Qiu Sheng, and then Dachang are sacrifices to the emperor." Before the Han Dynasty, there was only Chunshe, but after the Han Dynasty, there were only Chunshe and Qiushe. The society is held around the spring and autumnal equinoxes. Social Day is mainly about worshiping gods and also means gathering with neighbors. Liang Zongmao of the Southern Dynasty wrote in "The Chronicles of Jingchu Years": "On the day of the society, the neighbors would form a comprehensive society, sacrifice mash, and make a house under the tree. First, sacrifice to the gods, and then eat the yesterday." Wang Jia, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in his poem "The Day of the Society": " The shadow of the mulberry tree is scattered in the spring, and every family is supporting the intoxicating people." It can be seen that the ancients attached great importance to worshiping the gods of the society. It later became a custom and became a sacrificial activity, which means that the earth multiplies all things and prays for the prosperity of the animals. , a bumper harvest.
Posting Yichun calligraphy and painting
When spring comes, people post Yichun calligraphy and painting on the door wall. This custom existed in Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty. According to records: On the first day of spring, people in Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty often posted calligraphy and paintings on their doors to welcome the spring and wish good luck. The characters were called "Yichun characters" and the paintings were called "Yichun paintings." Such as "welcoming spring", "pleasant spring scenery", "bright spring scenery", "spring flowers are blooming" and so on. Some people also post a blessing message on the lintel to express their wish to welcome the Spring Festival. People who can draw often paint a "Picture of Wintersweet" on the lintel.
Dai Chun Ji
Dai Chun Ji is an ancient custom of the people in Tongchuan, Shaanxi.
Every year at the beginning of spring, the mother makes a rooster about 3 cm long out of cloth and sews it on the top of the child's hat to express her wish for "good spring (chicken)". It is believed that this can prevent young children from getting measles. The former is called "rub rash" and the latter is called "scattered rash".
Wearing swallows
Wearing swallows is an ancient custom among the people in Chang'an and Guanzhong. Every year on the first day of spring, people like to wear "swallows" cut from colored silk on their chests. This custom started in the Tang Dynasty and is still popular in rural areas. Because swallows are messengers of spring and a symbol of happiness and good fortune. Therefore, many wealthy families build swallow's nests in the middle of their living rooms or under the eaves. As long as you can put up a small page under the purlins of the courtyard or on the wall of the eaves and write the four words "Spring Swallows Come to the Court", Swallows can build their own nests. Swallows are migratory birds, flying to the north in spring and south in autumn. "I won't eat your millet, I won't eat your millet, I'll just have a litter of sons in your house." Therefore, people in Xiangyang like to invite swallows to breed in their courtyard houses. Every year on the day of the beginning of spring, people like to wear "swallows", especially children. Their parents have already prepared them for them. They wear them on their chests, dance with their hands and feet, and feel happy and excited. .
Diaochun Sui Sui
Diao Chun Sui Sui is a traditional custom spread in Chengcheng, Shaanxi. Every year on the first day of spring, women weave various colored cloths into ears of cloth, or wrap colorful threads into various shapes of "wheat ears". Then hang it on a child or young person, or on an animal such as a donkey, horse, or cow, to wish for good weather and a good harvest in the coming year.
Stick it alone on the wall to suppress and drive away poisonous scorpions. For example, it is written: "In the middle of the third month of Guyu, the Heavenly Master came to the gate. He held a seven-star sword and killed the scorpion spirit." People in Baishui County also had similar activities during the Guyu Festival. For example, they wrote on the yellow watch: "Grain Rain day, Guyu morning, Please give me three cups of tea and three rounds of wine, General Guyu, and the scorpions will immediately turn into dust." This will help drive away the poisonous scorpions. People in Xixiang, Shaanxi Province, whip the walls with willow branches every year at dawn on the Grain Rain Day to drive away poisonous scorpions.