Rural customs in market towns

In the old society, the head of the family was a powerful man, who was in charge of the family's economic income and expenditure, production and living arrangements, presided over weddings, funerals and foreign affairs. The names of descendants in the family are arranged in the order of generations of the same clan genealogy. And living in a big family, it runs in the family, even four generations and five generations under one roof, is an honor and honor. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), equality between men and women, freedom of marriage and equality of family relations also changed the feudal old habit of men being masters of their own affairs. Except for some rural areas where ethnic groups live together, especially the urban population, it is no longer important to name children and grandchildren according to the generations specified in the genealogy. The kind of big family with three or five generations living under one roof is becoming less and less. Since 1980s, due to the increase in the number of only children, a family of three has become the main part of the family structure. With the development of urban construction, the housing of urban residents has also changed from traditional wooden houses to modular houses of reinforced concrete modern high-rise buildings. Housing conditions in rural areas are constantly improving, and the number of new reinforced concrete buildings is increasing from around cities or towns to remote mountainous areas.

Second, clan.

In the old society, people generally attached importance to the cohesion of clans. People with the same surname and clan are responsible for establishing clan organizations such as "Spectrum Society" and "Qingming Society", building or maintaining ancestral temples, compiling genealogy and genealogy, organizing grave-sweeping activities in Tomb-Sweeping Day every year, and even admonishing the younger generation, mediating and handling disputes inside and outside the clan, and punishing those who violate the clan law. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, clan organizations ceased to exist, and the activities within the clan naturally stopped. After 1980s, new or updated genealogies appeared in some places. From the 1990s to the early 20th century, the activities of new genealogy or genealogy revision gradually increased. Some places also carried out some related family friendship activities irregularly, and some places also held clan friendship activities similar to those in old Tomb-Sweeping Day irregularly.

Third,

First, the marriage between men and women in the old society is still dominated by the feudal custom of "parents' orders and matchmakers' words". In addition to being arranged by parents and married by the media, there are some customs such as "child bride" and "concubinage". "Remarriage" is regarded as a shame and discriminated against, but some widows are forced to remarry because of life. Although the national government also advocated free love and civilized marriage during the Republic of China, it was difficult to change the old folk habits for a while, which only affected a few intellectuals in government organs and units. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), the people's government publicized the implementation of the new marriage law, banned arranged marriages, practiced monogamy, and advocated freedom of love and marital autonomy. Gradually get rid of the red tape in the old marriage customs and implement a new marriage. After 1980s, most urban youths held weddings in hotels and restaurants. The general procedure is as follows: at the beginning of the ceremony, set off firecrackers; The bride and groom appear and bow to their parents, officiating guests, witnesses and guests in turn; The bride and groom bow to each other and drink a toast; Officiating ceremony, witnesses, parents, relatives and friends spoke in turn; The guests gave a congratulatory message; The bride and groom gave a thank-you speech; After the ceremony, entertainment programs were performed at the same time as the banquet ... At the banquet, the bride and groom toasted the guests at each table in turn. After the banquet, the guests dispersed, and the guests attending the dinner were only some close relatives and friends. In the evening, the bride and groom enter the bridal chamber, and the guests make trouble in the bridal chamber, which is generally the same as the old customs. Young people in rural areas have also formed an atmosphere of free love. Although it is held at home, their wedding procedures are roughly the same as those in the city.

Second, fertility.

In the old society, influenced by the feudal tradition, there was a general idea of having more children and preferring sons to daughters. There are some customs before and after delivery, such as "delivery", "washing three", "taking the baby's name", "eating full moon wine" and "grasping the week". After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the family planning policy was implemented. After the 1980s, it was strictly stipulated that a couple could only have one child, and the custom of favoring sons over daughters gradually changed. With the development of medical and health undertakings, the number of babies born in hospitals is increasing gradually. After the baby was born in the hospital, the old custom of "washing three things" has also changed. The custom of taking out birth names was still common in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, but it gradually disappeared after the 1970s and 1980s. As for customs such as "promoting birth" and "grasping the week", they have gradually disappeared, but "eating full moon wine" is still popular among a few people.

Fourth,

I. Shouqing In the old society, the birthday of middle-aged and elderly people was called "Shouqing". Relatives and friends prepared birthday utensils to celebrate their birthdays. The married daughter makes birthday hats and shoes for the elderly, and the host prepares birthday wine to entertain the guests. When children celebrate their birthdays, parents or elders will do some delicious celebrations. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the custom of celebrating birthdays still exists, especially after the 1980s, the living standard has been greatly improved, and more and more people pay attention to celebrating birthdays. People with a slightly better economy lavish banquets and are extremely extravagant. In addition, since the 1980s, most of them are only children, forming a new fashion of making babies for children, and often entertaining guests with feasts. Relatives and friends who celebrate birthdays may send cash, and some children will also send birthday cakes, clothes or toys.

Second, the funeral.

In the old society, burial was advocated, mainly including funeral procedures and customs, such as funeral, burning paper backwards, uncovering curtains, exorcising evil spirits, wearing old clothes cleanly, lighting street lamps for funeral, mourning, funeral, burning for seven times, burning for a hundred years, anniversary and so on. After the founding of New China, new burial was advocated, and the above procedures were gradually simplified. Later, organs, enterprises and institutions held memorial services in fashion (from the end of the 20th century to the beginning of the 20th century, no memorial services were held, but farewell ceremonies were held instead), and black sleeves and white flowers were worn to express condolences. In addition, the party and the government advocate cremation, which is first promoted in cities and suburbs. After 1980s, cremation replaced burial in cities and villages.

V. Social etiquette

I. Title

The old customs called "sir", "madam" and "miss". After the founding of the People's Republic of China, "Comrade" was the most common title in 1950s and 1960s. "Master" and "teacher" became popular after the 1970s. In the late 1980s, titles such as "Mr", "Mrs" and "Miss" gradually revived. It was only in the middle and late 1990s that the title of "Miss" gradually changed from commendatory to derogatory.

Second, greet social gatherings.

When people met in the old society, if they were eating, they would often say, "Please eat!" "Please!" Greet each other; If during the time before and after eating, they will say, "Have you eaten?" "Let's eat! Have you eaten? " Greetings; At other times, according to the specific situation, use the tone of inquiry to say hello, such as "going to the street?" "Buy food?" Almost; Others just nodded. In the late 1980s, people began to ask each other "Hello?" Greeting socializes, and the old greeting words are gradually abandoned.

Third, meet etiquette.

In the past, people greeted each other by shaking hands and bowing. During the Republic of China, Western-style handshake ceremony began to be popular among intellectuals. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, shaking hands has gradually become the main form of giving gifts. In addition to the main form of shaking hands, there are also a few people who like to give gifts with fists or hands.

Fourth, treat.

For weddings, funerals, birthdays, relocations, business opening, building houses and hosting New Year's Eve dinners, invitations should be sent to relatives and friends and family banquets should be held. The wedding reception lasts for three days, the first day is "knowing guests", the second day is "drinking" and the third day is "thanking guests".

Verb (short for verb) gift

In the old society, gifts were given to each other during holidays or weddings of relatives and friends, so as to enhance ties and feelings. There is no limit to the number of gifts, depending on financial resources and personal connections. Wedding, wedding ceremony, funeral, building a new house, moving, birthday ceremony, birthday ceremony, New Year greeting ceremony, Duanyang ceremony, Mid-Autumn Festival ceremony, Moon Festival ceremony, condolence ceremony and so on all have different contents. Although the custom of giving gifts still exists after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the content of giving gifts has changed greatly in both urban and rural areas. Generally speaking, there is no specific format, depending on one's own financial resources, the relationship between the recipient and the specific situation of giving gifts. Since the 1990s, giving cash has gradually become a fashion.

Six, one, Spring Festival

In the old agricultural society, the Spring Festival lasted from the first day of the first month to the fifteenth day of the first month. In the old society, the first month of the lunar calendar was also called "New Year's Day" and "Three Dynasties" because it was a dynasty of years, months and days. Before dawn, fruits and delicacies are placed, incense sticks are lit, paper and silk are burned, and ancestors are respectfully sacrificed. Then, according to the auspicious direction indicated in the almanac of that year, we light incense, set off firecrackers, go out with lanterns, and bow down to the Western God, which is called "welcoming the Western God". Some people will also go to nearby temples with strong incense to worship bodhisattvas and pray for the coming year. When you get home, close the door and wait for dawn. This is called "closing the door of wealth". On this day, I only worship my father and brother's clan. On the second day of the second day, I began to pay New Year greetings to my relatives and friends, including meat, noodles, fruits, cakes and so on. If dozens of people in the clan neighborhood welcome guests along the door, it is called "Happy New Year". From then on, until the fifteenth day of the first month, there were lion dances and dragon dances, flutes and drums sounded in unison, firecrackers sounded in unison, and tourists came in an endless stream ... On the fifteenth day, people called it "Lunar New Year", also known as "Lantern Festival" or "Shangyuan Festival", and there were activities such as dragon dances, lion dances, solve riddles on the lanterns and playing lanterns. On this day, every household should eat glutinous rice balls, which symbolizes the full moon and all the best. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), the Spring Festival has not changed, but changed slightly with the changes of social structure and socio-economic development. For example, the state stipulates that government agencies, schools, factories, mines, enterprises and institutions will only take three days off, and the rural areas will be shortened accordingly, especially when evaluating the Dazhai work site. New Year greetings between relatives and friends also lack the old-fashioned ceremony, depending on the specific situation. However, on the fifteenth day of the first month, the old customs such as having a reunion dinner, giving children lucky money, setting off firecrackers, dancing dragons and lions, and eating dumplings are still followed as always. At the same time, new forms have emerged, such as the Year of Units and Groups, condolences to army martyrs, recreational activities and the Lantern Festival. It's just that during the Cultural Revolution, only one family got together to eat something delicious during the Spring Festival, and all the old and new activities stopped invisibly. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, ancestor worship was revived. After the mid-1980s, the old custom of worshipping Buddha in temples on the first day of the Lunar New Year gradually recovered. After watching the Spring Festival Gala on New Year's Eve, many people go to temples (such as the nearby Lohan Temple or Lingguan Temple in jiangyou city) to worship the Bodhisattva, vying to burn the incense of children, and there is an endless stream until the afternoon.

Second, Tomb-Sweeping Day.

There is a folk custom of sweeping graves to worship ancestors, but it is usually held a few days before Tomb-Sweeping Day. After the founding of the people's Republic of China, it gradually fell out of favor and gradually recovered after the mid-1980 s.

Third, Dragon Boat Festival.

Legend has it that the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the anniversary of the death of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. On this day, Ai Chen and Acorus calamus were hung on every door, sulfur smoke was put in the house to ward off evil spirits, and medicines such as camphor and borneol were hung on the children's chests and made into sachets in the shape of chickens, monkeys, dogs, apples and peppers. Drink realgar wine at noon, eat wrapped eggs and amaranth, and have dragon boat races. This custom still exists today, but since the 1970s, the number of people drinking realgar wine has gradually decreased.

Fourth, Mid-Autumn Festival.

Commonly known as "July 30th", it refers to the period from July 1 1 day to 15 of the lunar calendar. Originally a Buddhist bonsai, but Jiang Youmin

Occasionally used to worship ancestors, offering offerings, burning incense, burning paper money. Ancestor worship usually takes place on the first 1 1 to14th day, and has roots.

It varies according to the customs of each family. /kloc-burn paper money on 0/5, and Sami gives alms to ghosts and gods. This custom established this country.

After gradually disappearing, it gradually rose after the 1980 s.

Verb (abbreviation for verb) Mid-Autumn Festival

On the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, after the autumn harvest, moon cakes, pears, dates, walnuts, peanuts and sweets are prepared in the evening to celebrate the harvest. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the moon god stopped offering sacrifices, but the custom of eating moon cakes and enjoying the moon still existed.

Sixth, the Double Ninth Festival

On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, there is an old custom of climbing mountains, and people also steam double ninth festival cakes on this day to brew chong yang wine. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), this custom disappeared. It was not until the 1980s that the government or units offered condolences to veteran cadres, held symposiums, presented souvenirs and had dinner together, and gradually formed a festival to respect the elderly.

Seven, Laba Festival

On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, every household cooks "Laba porridge" with indica rice, glutinous rice, meat, beans, dried bean curd, noodles, red radish, cabbage and other vegetables. It is said that this custom came from India with Buddhism. After six years of asceticism, Sakyamuni saw the stars on the night of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month and became a Buddha. Later generations did not forget his sufferings before becoming a Buddha, so they ate porridge on this day to commemorate him.

Eight, the day of offering sacrifices to the stove

On the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, every household cleans up, lights and candles are lit at night, and fruit cakes are placed to offer sacrifices to the kitchen god. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the custom of offering sacrifices to the kitchen god disappeared, but the custom of cleaning still existed.

Nine, New Year's Eve

The last day of the twelfth lunar month. On this day, couplets, door gods and New Year pictures are posted. After the ancestor worship, the family has a reunion dinner, and then the elders give the younger generation lucky money, and then spend their old age "around the stove". At night, the lights are bright, the candlelight is brilliant, and firecrackers are endless. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), the old customs still exist. Since CCTV 1984 broadcast the Spring Festival Evening program, it has become a new custom to watch the Spring Festival Evening program on New Year's Eve. At the end of the year and the beginning of the year, every household sets off firecrackers. After the mid-1990s, it was once forbidden to set off firecrackers, but it gradually resumed after the turn of the century.