What are the manifestations of urbanization in Fuqing in recent years?

Fuqing, abbreviated as "Rong", is located in the central hub of the West Coast Economic Zone of Fujian Province and the southern wing of the provincial capital city of Fuzhou. It is an ancient but young city. As early as the late Neolithic period more than 4,000 years ago, there were ancestors living on this land. It was established as a county in 699 AD and was removed from the county to establish a city in December 1990. It currently governs 20 towns and 1 street, with a total city area of ​​2,430 square kilometers, including a land area of ​​1,519 square kilometers and a population of 1.217 million. It is one of the first batch of comprehensive reform pilot counties and cities in the country. National pilot counties and cities for village and town construction.

1. Fuqing’s regional characteristics

First, it is rich in mountain and sea resources. The northwest of Fuqing is mountainous and the southeast is close to the sea. The mountainous area is 1.02 million acres, rich in seasonal fruits such as loquats, longans, and lychees; the shallow beach is 920,000 acres, stocked with seafood treasures such as razor clams, clams, oysters, fish, and shrimps; and there are large reserves of mineral resources. Fuqing's coastline is 348 kilometers long, accounting for 13% of the province's total. It has excellent port construction conditions and can build more than 100 high-quality deep-water berths of 50,000 to 300,000 tons. The 5,000-ton Rongqiao Container Terminal, the 30,000-ton Yuanhong General Terminal, and the 50,000-ton Jiangyin Port Area Berth 1 Container Terminal have been built. The second phase of Yuanhong Terminal and Jiangyin Port Area 2 and 3 are also under construction. No. berth and thermal power project and other professional terminals, it is a national first-class open port.

The second is the special location of the region. The national highway and Fuquan Expressway run through the north and south, connecting Fuqing with the provincial capital Fuzhou and Xiamen, Zhangquan and other economically active areas in the province. Facing the Taiwan Strait to the east, and only 84 nautical miles away from Hsinchu City in Taiwan, it is an important window for Fujian Province to cooperate with Taiwan and foreign countries.

Third, there are many talented people who love their hometown. Fuqing people have always had the spirit of loving to fight, daring to win, and emphasizing love and justice. There are currently more than 780,000 overseas Chinese and new immigrants distributed in 112 countries and regions including Southeast Asia, Europe, America, Australia, and Africa. There are also nearly 100,000 Yurong sons and daughters active in the main battlefield of economic construction across the country. The vast number of people living abroad never forget to benefit their homeland when they get rich, or they return to their hometowns to donate to charity, invest in factories, or actively build connections to help attract investment. They have made outstanding contributions to Fuqing's economic development and social progress and made great achievements. Fourth, there is a collection of cultural attractions. There are many places of interest in the territory such as Shizhu Mountain, a national 4A tourist scenic spot, Wanfu Temple, the ancestral hall of the Huangbo Sect, one of the three major Buddhist sects in Japan, the ruins of the Southern Shaolin Temple, Lingshi National Forest Park, and the Maitreya Buddha statue in Ruiyan Mountain, a national key cultural relic. Fuqing is the ancestral home of the national hero Lin Zexu, "the first person to see the world with his eyes open." A large number of outstanding historical figures, such as Zheng Xia and Ye Xianggao, have won the reputation of Yurong Ancient Town as a "state with famous literature".

2. Current Development Status of Fuqing

After more than 20 years of reform and opening up, especially more than 10 years since the founding of the city, with the progress of the Republic of China, millions of Fuqing people have taken the lead in opening up. Taking advantage of policy-driven policies and leveraging the geographical advantages of Qiaotai, we have bravely stood at the forefront of reform and opening up, enriched the people and strengthened the city, and made strides forward, building a strong foundation for Fufu's economic development in the new century. In 2004, Fuqing's economy and society continued to maintain a strong momentum of development. The main economic indicators continued the upward trend of recent years and reached the best level since the beginning of the new century. Fuqing's various undertakings have reached new and higher development levels. Platform, the whole city presents a good atmosphere of uprightness, harmony and prosperity. First, the economic aggregate has increased significantly. The "234" goals and tasks for economic development proposed by the Municipal Party Committee in early 2004 were fully exceeded. The total fiscal revenue reached 2.038 billion yuan, the regional GDP was 30.328 billion yuan, and the industrial output value above designated size reached 47.097 billion yuan, an increase of 23, 15.56 and 45.06 respectively. , the increment and growth rate of major economic indicators rank among the top among counties and cities in Fuzhou.

It is particularly worth mentioning that the national economy achieved "three historic leaps" last year:

First, the regional GDP exceeded 20 billion yuan from 2001 to 30 billion yuan in 2004. It took 3 years; secondly, the total fiscal revenue basically doubled from 1.027 billion yuan in 2001. It only took 3 years to become the second province in the province with fiscal revenue exceeding 2 billion yuan and national tax revenue exceeding 2 billion yuan. One of the three counties and cities with 1 billion yuan; third, the city's per capita GDP was close to 25,000 yuan last year, equivalent to 3,000 US dollars, which means that Fuqing has taken the lead in realizing the per capita domestic production of building a comprehensive moderately prosperous society proposed by the central government 16 years ahead of schedule. Economic indicator of total value. To achieve these breakthroughs, the industrial economy plays the most obvious role and the leading position of industry is more prominent. Last year, the city achieved an industrial output value of 62.43 billion yuan, an increase of 32.28%. The added value of the secondary industry with industry as the main body accounted for as much as 10% of the regional GDP. 58.96.

Second, the “three major demands” are growing strongly. Investment, consumption and exports, as the "three major demands" that drive economic growth, have all grown rapidly. Fixed asset investment in the whole society has grown strongly, with a total investment of 6.694 billion yuan completed throughout the year, an increase of 53.4%; the results of the "Family Project" are gradually showing, and the "three teams of Fuqing people" overseas, domestically and in Fuqing have become a driving force for Fuqing's economy. The backbone of development, the actual domestic capital received last year reached 2.149 billion yuan, an increase of 5.253%, and the actual utilization of foreign capital was 203 million US dollars. Foreign trade exports grew rapidly, with a total export value of US$3.415 billion for the whole year, an increase of 6.495%. The commercial market is becoming increasingly prosperous, with the introduction of large chain commercial enterprises such as Gome Electrical Appliances and Tuofu Building Materials Supermarket. The modernization level of Fuqing's commercial circulation has been further improved. The total retail sales of consumer goods for the whole year was 7.228 billion yuan, an increase of 10.

The third is the rapid advancement of industrial parks. The "national-level" brand advantage of Rongqiao Development Zone has been further highlighted. The development of the southern area and the application and construction of the display industrial park have been steadily advanced. The construction of the export processing zone has been launched; industrial clusters represented by electronic information and automotive glass have begun to take shape. , the industrial output value above designated size reached 36.6 billion yuan, accounting for 77.7% of the city's industrial output value above designated size; the output of TPV and StrapLink monitors exceeded 20 million units, ranking first in the world; Fuyao Auto Glass has achieved zero "Chinese famous brand products" in our city Breakthrough, the first float glass production line was successfully put into trial production. Fuyao Company was selected into the top 50 listed companies with the most development potential in the 6th CSI Asia Business, and ranked 7th. The Yuanhong Investment Zone’s town-street bundled investment promotion and “enclave” industrial development have achieved remarkable results. Many economic indicators have achieved exponential growth. The first phase of 100,000 square meters of standard factory buildings has been fully completed and investment promotion has basically been completed. The construction of various infrastructures in Jiangyin Industrial Concentration Zone is in full swing. The construction of No. 2 and 3 berths, preliminary steel projects, Guodian Phase I and other key projects has officially started. Emerging industries represented by Fukang and Fuxing Pharmaceuticals are taking shape. Various types of Projects are being gathered at an accelerated pace; the opening of Jiangyin Port has passed national acceptance, and three new international routes have been opened: West America, Europe, the Mediterranean and Japan. In addition to the West Africa route opened in 2003, there are currently four international routes opened. New progress has been made in the construction of key township industrial concentration areas, and the effects of industrial agglomeration and industrial agglomeration have become more obvious, becoming an effective carrier for promoting the economic development of towns.

Fourth, the development pattern is more coordinated. The three industries developed simultaneously, agriculture and rural economy grew steadily, and the total agricultural output value reached 6.094 billion yuan. The income of urban and rural residents continued to grow, and people's lives further improved. The per capita disposable income of urban residents was 10,964 yuan, and the per capita net income of farmers was 5,963 yuan, an increase of 9.4 and 10.28 yuan respectively. The balance of residents' local and foreign currency savings reached 23.3 billion yuan. The strategy of revitalizing the city through science and education has been fully implemented. Last year, the college entrance examination pass rate and the high school entrance examination excellent rate reached the best level in recent years, taking the lead in achieving the goal of basically universalizing high school education in the province one year ahead of schedule; Axiata established Fuqing's first national postdoctoral Scientific research workstation, the output value of high-tech enterprises (including strapdown) accounts for 52.7% of the total industrial output value.

The appearance of the city has further improved, and the construction of municipal infrastructure has been continuously intensified. The construction of urban trunk roads such as Qingsheng Avenue, Fuye Avenue, and Zhonghuan Road has been launched, the widening and reconstruction of Yuanhong Road has been completed, and Longshan Park and other mass leisure activities have been built; The traffic situation in the urban area has been further improved, and the "smooth flow project" has reached the national second-class city standard. It has successively won the honorary titles of National Advanced County and City for Scientific and Technological Progress, National Strong Food Industry City and Provincial Sanitary City.

Life Customs

Section 1 Clothing

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, men and women in Fuqing wore coarse cloth with double-breasted and wide-breasted clothes, with wide sleeves and long clothes. Knees; trousers worn down to the insteps, with wide leg openings. Wealthy men wear long gowns, mandarin jackets, and beaded hats. Winter and summer clothing changes significantly, while spring and autumn only decrease and increase in winter and summer clothing. The cloth is finely woven and comes in blue, cyan, red, green, yellow, white, etc. colors. The colors of clothes and trousers are intertwined with each other, and the contrasting colors are obvious. They are mostly blue clothes and blue trousers. Generally, unmarried women wear pants instead of skirts, while married women wear red skirts. In the Longgao Peninsula, you can still see elderly women wearing red dresses while their husbands are still alive. If a woman is widowed after marriage, she will not wear red clothes or red skirts for the rest of her life. In the first three years of mourning, she must wear green clothes and white skirts. In the next three years, she must wear green clothes and white skirts, and the skirts must cover her feet. The coast is windy and sandy, so women often wrap their heads and necks with towels when they go out to farm or go to the sea. Men wear trousers with wider legs, which is easier for them to work in the sea. Girls wear single or double braids and insert one or two flowers or tie red velvet ropes at the ends of the braids. Married women wear long buns and decorate them with gold and silver jewelry.

During the Republic of China, Chinese tunic suits became popular in towns and intellectual circles, and many women wore cotton gowns. Among college and middle school students, men wear suits and women wear cheongsam.

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Soviet lifestyle was advocated. Women had short hair and men had "one-sided" hairstyles. In rural areas, elderly farmers mostly wear plain clothes with cloth buttons folded in half and casual trousers without pockets. The colors are mainly blue and green; middle-aged and elderly women mostly wear large-breasted clothes and casual trousers underneath. With the improvement of farmers' lives, Chinese tunic suits, youth uniforms, and military-style casual clothes have become popular throughout the county since the late 1950s.

During the "Cultural Revolution", grass green, yellow and gray military-style casual clothes became popular throughout the county.

After 1978, especially in the 1980s, fashion has been constantly updated. As a hometown of overseas Chinese, Fuqing is particularly influenced by foreign fashion. The main fashions popular in Fuqing in spring, autumn, summer and winter are spring and autumn, summer and winter fashions. The collar of women's spring and autumn outerwear is mostly a small stand-up collar or a round suit collar, with a straight waist and shoulder pads. The coat is long to the thighs and knees, and the trousers are straight-leg trousers. Skirts are mostly popular in summer. In the late 1980s, some young girls wore dresses and woolen vests. Men's spring and autumn tops are mostly straight-collared, broad-shouldered, button-down, or zipper-style, and their trousers are straight-leg.

In summer fashion, women like to wear dresses. After 1985, there was a big contrast, that is, black, gray and white were matched with each other. Skirts include suit skirts, sundresses, suspender skirts, denim skirts and triangle skirts, etc. In addition, various suit shorts, denim shorts, Bermuda pants, towel shirts, Sachiko shirts, etc. are also very popular. Men's fashionable clothing is still a stand-up collared shirt paired with suit shorts.

In winter fashion, women like windbreakers, woolen coats, bat shirts and ski shirts in different colors. There are also a wide variety of knitwear items. Sweater outerwear is a new trend. Men generally wear suits, hunting suits, riding suits, travel shirts, ski shirts or sportswear, as well as long and short woolen coats. Farmers mostly wear Zhongshan suits and military-style casual clothes.

Fashion is easily accepted by young men and women, but the clothing in rural areas, especially in remote and poor areas, has not changed much. In the 1980s, some still retained the clothing of the 1950s.

Section 2 Diet

People in Fuqing eat three meals a day, usually light in the morning and evening and dry at noon. In some areas, all three meals are light. The staple food is rice and sweet potatoes (potato chips), and the non-staple food is mainly meat, seafood and vegetables. The condiments are sauce, □, MSG and a small amount of sugar and wine.

Eating both meat and vegetables has been followed to this day. Except for monks and Buddhists who are taboo on meat and only eat vegetarian food, most people in Fuqing like to eat meat such as pig, sheep, beef, fish, and shrimp. After 1984, wealthy families paid more attention to nutrition.

The food of some families has gradually shifted from a coarse diet to a refined diet based on fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and milk.

The snacks are rich and colorful, mainly including flat meat, fish balls, taro cakes and oyster cakes. Fuqing cake is crunchy, delicious and has a long-standing reputation. Other snacks evolved from Fuqing cake include cooked meat, cooked razor clams, cooked clams or seaweed sandwiched in the middle of the cake to make it more delicious. It is a popular flat meat made from swallow skin or flour and stuffed with lean meat. Fuqing fish balls are made of fine fish as the skin and lean meat as the filling. The high-quality fish balls are elastic, crispy and delicious. After 1978, fish balls from the Longtian area were also exported to Hong Kong and other places, earning foreign exchange for the country. Meat meal, fish meal, oyster meal, razor clam meal, etc. mixed with sweet potato powder are also favorite snacks of Fuqing people.

The specifications for weddings, funerals, annual festivals or other banquets and banquets have become increasingly high-end since the 1980s. The ones that are too greasy and poorly prepared have been eliminated and replaced with "high, refined, clear and sharp" lean meat, pork liver, pork belly and shark's fin, sea cucumber, nostoc, shrimp, mushrooms, octopus and other delicacies from the mountains and seas. feast. There are combination dishes (that is, combined dishes) and image dishes, accompanied by four fruits (pears, apples, bananas, citrus) and four dishes (melon seeds, candy, olives, and candied fruits). Refined Phoenix cold dishes, eight-treasure whole chicken, shredded mandarin duck fish, peacocks in full bloom and other tricks have emerged. The banquet usually lasts for 10 plates, and as many as 16 plates. There are two snacks (famous pastries) and two sweet soups (peanut soup, pineapple soup, and loquat soup) in the middle and at the end respectively. Among the dishes, there must be cucumber fish and eggs, which symbolize peace and longevity and plenty every year.

In terms of beverages, Fuqing people generally drink hot tea and boiled water, and tea lovers can be found almost throughout the county. Some people also specialize in teahouses to attract tea customers. When guests come, the host cannot do without tea. But Fuqing people’s habit of drinking tea is to drink it in big sips, and they are not good at tasting it. After 1985, various colas, coffees, and juices flooded the market and became rich drinks. Dongzhang and Yidu mountainous areas are rich in white plums, which are processed into sour plums and are also a good drink in midsummer.

Wine, some people in Fuqing cannot live without wine for three meals, and some women cannot live without wine during confinement. In worship ceremonies or banquets, the consumption of wine is even more alarming. Most people drink rice wine and sweet potato wine. After 1985, many people also like to drink beer, fruit wine, liquor or imported wine.

Section 3 Residences

Most of the farmhouses in Fuqing are old-style four-door houses. Generally, there is a hall in the middle, rooms on both sides, and earring rooms on both sides facing each other. There is a small courtyard in front of the hall. . Most of them are earth, brick and wood structures. The houses are surrounded by rammed earth walls (coated with shell ash inside and outside) or red brick walls, mostly based on bluestone, and the roofs are all tiles. Most houses are two stories. Due to the strong sea breeze, Longtian and high mountain areas have many stone and wood structures, which are strong and beautiful.

Wealthy people built large six-door houses, and their designs were basically the same as four-door houses. There were two rooms on each side of the hall, making the space more open. Some six-door rooms are three in a row, with three entrances connected, and some have as many as fifteen entrances. The "Fifteen Fall" in the county seat is the relic of this kind of group architecture. They usually cover an area of ​​2,000 to 3,000 square meters, or even tens of thousands of square meters. There were archways and stone lions in front of the house, but most of them are gone now.

Xincuo and Yuxi, which border Putian, are influenced by Putian's architectural style. Most of them build palace-style houses with carved beams and painted buildings, which are magnificent.

In the Dongzhang and Yidu mountainous areas, local materials are used, and almost all internal roof trusses, rafters and walls are made of wood.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially in the 1980s, the four- and six-door ancient architectural forms were gradually eliminated and replaced by modern houses with windows on all sides and balconies in the front. Houses range from one to five or six floors. In the late 1980s, a large number of houses with reinforced concrete structures appeared in urban and rural buildings. There are also suites in the collective dormitories of government agencies, enterprises and institutions.

Section 4 Walking

In ancient times, people in Fuqing mainly walked on foot. The candidates from Fuqing who went to Beijing to take exams in previous dynasties were inseparable from the burden of walking and shouldering. Only wealthy officials are allowed to ride horses, bamboo poles or sedan chairs. In areas close to mountains and rivers, sliding poles, bamboo sedans and ferry canoes are important means of transportation. In plain areas, wealthy families sit in cool sedans or large sedans carried by two or four people.

The government relies on "Pegasus" to transmit information and military information over long distances. Stations are set up along the way, which are called post stations, also known as post houses and official posts. Guanyi Lane in the county seat is the former site of the inn.

During the Republic of China, pallets appeared, followed by rickshaws, bicycles, bicycle backs and four-wheelers (commonly known as "rat tail"), which could carry people and transport goods. Vehicles using animal power and wind power are also common in Fuqing. Horses and donkeys are used to pull carts on flat roads, and sampans, tented boats and wooden sailing boats are used on the sea, both for passengers and freight.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, motor vehicles gradually replaced the ancient means of transportation among the people. Especially after 1978, the transportation system was reformed, and individual, collective, and state-owned enterprises developed together. Large tractors, walking tractors, and large and medium-sized freight trucks ran on all roads in the county day and night, and various passenger cars continued to flow.

People can buy tickets and take the bus at any time when they go out. Those going to Hong Kong and Macao can take luxury buses. Many government agencies, enterprises and institutions bring their own jeeps or large and small cars. In the 1980s, bicycles were the most common type of private vehicles and were used in almost every household. Domestic and imported motorcycles are also becoming increasingly popular.

Industry Customs

Section 1 Farming

In the Qing Dynasty, many women in Fuqing had bound feet and could only do housework, spinning and weaving. All farm work was done by men. There is a saying that men farm and women weave. During the Republic of China, the number of women with bound feet decreased year by year, and the number of women helping men in the fields increased year by year. In order to make a living, women from poor families also work as men, but there are not many of them. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, men and women were equal. Women, like men, receive equal pay for equal work and become one of the main laborers in farm work.

In Fuqing's paddy fields, no matter whether the fields are large or small, they are planted in rows in the middle. The person who goes to the field first must be the more skilled rice transplanter among several people. After planting a few rows, others can go to the field. Follow and insert. Some seedlings can be inserted straight back without holding the string, showing superb farming skills. When weeding, kneel between the seedlings and pull out the roots with your hands. For late-season rice, ditches (ditches) must be dug beside the rice fields before the white dew to drain the water from the fields. Since transplanting and harvesting are tiring, sumptuous meals are prepared every night. When the early and late rice harvests are over, bowls of delicious vegetables are prepared for a hearty meal to celebrate the harvest.

Section 2 Building a House

When building a house, most families in Fuqing choose an auspicious day to break ground and lay the foundation. In rural areas, neighbors and people take the initiative to help with work, which is commonly known as donated work. When a house is completed, relatives and friends prepare candles, cannons, dough balls or cloth couplets to congratulate them. When the beams were installed, the homeowner set off firecrackers to celebrate. Red cloth and baskets (now changed to red lanterns) sent by relatives are hung on the beams, and red cloth sachets are tied on the beam heads and beside the gate for good luck. In the evening (sometimes after the work is completed), a banquet is held, commonly known as the Liangjiang Wine or the Finished Wine, to entertain the civil engineering and masonry workers, the neighbors who donated the work, and the congratulatory guests, as a way of thanking them. In rural areas, as soon as a house is built, even if it is not decorated, the owner should have someone move in and live in it. It is said that if it is inhabited and not occupied by ghosts and gods, the family can prosper. After moving to a new home, relatives and friends send egg noodles or other gifts to express their congratulations.

Section 3 Boating

On the second and sixteenth days of every month, fishermen along the coast of Fuqing prepare sumptuous food and wine, facing the sea, on the beach or at the Tanah Lot Temple, Dragon King Offerings are placed in front of the temple, firstly to reward the God of the Sea and the Dragon King for their past graces, and secondly to pray to the God of the Sea and the Dragon King to bless them for their safety when sailing on the sea in the future. According to the legend that sea turtles can float on the sea surface and save fishermen from danger when fishing boats are in danger, sea turtles are used as totems. Whenever fishermen accidentally catch a sea turtle, they always engrave their name and the time of release on the shell of the sea turtle, and then put the sea turtle back into the sea, hoping that it will be rescued by the sea turtle in case of danger. When sailing, if a corpse is found floating on the sea, they will try their best to fish it ashore and bury it according to customs. Fishermen also regard boats as sacred objects and do not allow women to board the boats or even cross the ropes of the boats, believing that this will contribute to the safety of the boats.

Etiquette and Customs

Section 1 Marriage

In the old days, marriages between men and women were subject to the orders of their parents and the words of matchmakers. Child brides and early marriages were common in rural areas.

In 1951, the Marriage Law was promulgated to implement the autonomy of marriage, and parents and others were not allowed to interfere with arrangements. However, in folk marriages between young men and women, matchmakers are still the first to propose marriage. According to marriage customs, if the matchmaker proposes marriage within three days, it is considered a good sign that the two families are safe and sound. If it is a "combined marriage", the girl's family will check the husband's property, and the man will go to the girl's house for a blind date. After both parties agree, the man has to pay a "half gift" (half of the bride price) to the woman's family, which is regarded as an agreement to get married. When getting engaged in rural areas, the man and woman are usually accompanied by young men and women from their neighbors (or relatives) and go to the town to take engagement photos. The man buys daily necessities for the woman as a sign of engagement.

Before getting married, the husband’s family needs to repair the house and make furniture. One or two days before the wedding, the male and female families exchange peach charms and paste red couplets, and the groom's family is decorated new. Both sides were crowded with guests. Most of the guests from the woman's family use clothes as gifts (i.e. add boxes), while the guests from the man's family all use money as gifts.

In the 1950s, most weddings in Fuqing were relatively simple, and superstitious wedding ceremonies were almost eliminated. There has been a new trend in which the woman does not want the man's bride price and the man does not want the woman's dowry. In the late 1960s, old habits gradually emerged and many people behaved in a conventional way. The woman asks the man for a bride price, a sewing machine, a bicycle, a watch, a radio and other gifts, which is called "three turns and one ring". By the 1980s, the requirements were even higher. The man had to pay a high bride price and hire a car when welcoming the bride in town. The woman sent the groom's home with more than a dozen items including a TV, electric fan, washing machine, dual-use radio, large cabinet, chest of drawers, and sofa.

There are several unique customs in folk marriage:

1. Holding the sedan chair

The groom goes to the bride’s house to welcome the bride, which is called “inviting the bride” in Fuqing. On the way back, people can block the way with chairs, etc., and the bride and groom must not be angry. In the old days, the bride sat in a sedan chair, accompanied by a band, and the groom had to share melon seeds, candies, etc. with the people blocking the sedan chair. Nowadays, the sedan is no longer used, and the band is used as a tape recorder. Those who block the way may ask the bride and groom to sing, or ask them to distribute cigarettes and candies to the blockers. No matter in the past or now, only by satisfying those who block the way can we let them pass. The more people blocking the way, the more it means that the bride's talent and beauty are famous far and wide, and the groom will be more glorious.

2. Avoidance

When the groom welcomes the bride to his door, the groom’s family will set off firecrackers to welcome the bride. At this time, the bride is helped into the door by the well-off elderly women from the groom's relatives or neighbors and the bride's wife. The other female relatives of the groom's family stay away temporarily and can only meet the bride after she enters the hall. This custom is called hedging.

3. Closing the bride’s room

Before the bride arrives at the groom’s house, the groom’s family selects a smart boy to wait at the door. As soon as the team waiting to receive the bride arrives, the boy will go up The new toilet in the dowry is taken over in front of the bride. This is called lifting (lifting) the toilet. The boy should also enter the bridal house, close the door tightly with the boys and girls who were inside beforehand, and ask the groom to pay for cigarettes and candies before he can open the door. At this time, the bridegroom and the bride pay homage to their ancestors, parents, and aunts. After the wedding, Xi Niang takes the lead in introducing the new house, so the door of the house must be photographed. In the old days, Xi Niang would sing "The Song of Purchasing the Door" when closing the door. Nowadays, the groom usually bargains with the person who closes the door. The longer the bargaining time is and the more patient the groom and the bride are, it means that the couple will be loving each other longer in the future. Finally, the groom agreed to the request of the children who closed the door, and then the children opened the door and let them enter the house. The bride's new toilet contains many gifts as a reward for the toilet boy.

4. Making trouble in the house

It is evening, and both families prepare a sumptuous banquet to entertain the guests. Among the guests, the groom's uncle is the most distinguished. He must be treated with utmost respect and courtesy, and he should sit at the head of the banquet. It was night, and there was a lot of commotion everywhere. Relatives and friends usually take part in the quarrel. The content of the drama is to poke fun at the newlyweds by asking some embarrassing questions for the bride and groom.

5. Returning home

In the old days, on the third day after the bride got married, her natal family would send someone to invite the newlyweds to return to their natal home. This custom exists in all parts of Fuqing. It was formerly called Guining, also called "Please come back to the door", and is commonly known as "Please go to the first party". In the late 1950s, instead of being invited back to your home on the third day after marriage, you were invited back to your parents' home on the second day. On this day, the bride’s family will send her family to invite the groom and bride back to their natal home. A banquet was held at the woman's home to entertain her son-in-law and daughter. Egg noodles are served before the banquet, and the son-in-law is asked to cut the hard-boiled eggs with a spoon before the feast can begin.

Family banquets are usually held in the afternoon or evening, and are mostly accompanied by the woman's family members. During the dinner, the parents introduce the son-in-law one by one and tell him his title. According to the old custom, after the bridegroom returns home, the bride must stay with her natal family for a month. Nowadays, it is often changed to return the next day or the same day.

Section 2 Childbirth

Women give birth in confinement, which is called Yueli in Fuqing. During this period, outsiders are generally not allowed to enter the maternal room, which is commonly known as the forbidden room. In fact, they are afraid that outsiders will bring in germs and cause postpartum diseases.

On the 14th day after delivery, there is a folk custom in Fuqing to announce the good news, that is, the mother's family distributes red eggs and a bowl of noodles (now distributed candies) to relatives and friends. Relatives and friends should give gifts such as chicken, meat, eggs and noodles to the mother before the full moon, which is commonly known as moon gift. On the full moon, the mother's family will give gifts such as children's clothes, hats and cradle to the newborn grandson. Other relatives and friends should also send gifts to the child to express their congratulations. According to old customs, a banquet was held to entertain relatives and friends who came to congratulate a child, called a full-moon wine. After the banquet, red eggs are given to relatives and friends to show that everyone is happy.

Customs such as announcing the good news, sending moon gifts, holding full-moon drinks, and sharing red eggs were only limited to the addition of boys in the feudal society that favored boys over girls. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, although some remote places still followed the old customs, in most towns and cities, the same rules were followed for the birth of boys and girls.

Section 3: Birthday celebrations

There is a custom in Fuqing where daughters celebrate birthdays for their parents. Every year on the birthday of an elderly person (that is, over 50 years old), his married daughter should give eggs, noodles, pig's feet, clothes, etc. to her parents on the birthday of the elderly person. There is also the custom of men celebrating their 9th birthday and women celebrating their 10th birthday. It is even more lively on the 10th birthday. Birthday celebrations are mainly organized by children. Before a birthday, all married daughters must make birthday gift cakes and distribute them to relatives and friends of the mother's family. If there are several married daughters, they must share several portions. After receiving the birthday cakes, relatives and friends prepare red envelopes, candles, cannons, noodles and other gifts to congratulate them on the day of their birthday. Some also give birthday screens, longevity scrolls and other items. Son-in-law and grandson-in-law must give longevity peaches, which means longevity and longevity. The host’s house should hang red lights and post birthday couplets. In the old days, banquets were held, and old people who were celebrating their birthdays would sit in the hall to receive congratulations from their descendants, relatives and friends.

Section 4 Funeral

Folks in Fuqing call funerals white weddings (as opposed to marriages). There are many unique customs in funerals, from birthday celebrations to funerals, burials, and mountain burials, which are still followed today.

1. Happy birthday

Fuqing countryside mostly has earth burials, so making coffins is a big deal. When an old man reaches his birthday, he is eligible to have a prefabricated coffin, which is called a happy birthday (sometimes a longevity board). On her birthday, the married daughter wants to buy eggs and congratulate her in person.

2. Going out of the hall

When the elderly are dying, they have to move from the bedroom to the ancestral hall, which is commonly known as going out of the hall. Relatives should accompany and protect you. Relatives in foreign lands also rushed back as much as possible to see them one last time and listen to their last words. If an old man dies outside and has no time to move to the ancestral hall before his death, he generally cannot leave the hall. If a person dies before his life expectancy, he is not eligible to go to the ancestral hall, and can only build a simple shed outside the house to place the body.

3. Encoffining

When the deceased is dying, relatives must comb his hair, change clothes, put on shoes and hats. The clothes worn by the deceased are called shrouds, which are usually made by the married daughter. Folk custom is to wear singles rather than doubles, and avoid wearing woolen clothes. The old custom of covering one's face with white paper and covering one's eyes with copper coins has been gradually abolished. During the burial, the eldest son holds his head, and his daughter, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren hold their waist, knees, and feet. After the burial, the children and grandchildren gathered around the coffin and cried. Then the men followed the women, each holding a candle, and circled the coffin three times to the left and three times to the right. This is commonly known as ringing the coffin. Finally, relatives see the deceased again and close the coffin lid. The ring coffin is a form of farewell to the body, which is still practiced today. After the burial, the straw mat where the deceased slept and the things he used should be burned by the roadside.

4. Funeral

Funeral is a big event in Fuqing and is usually held at noon. The funeral ceremony is performed by a more prestigious person. Before the funeral, family members and relatives first cry and offer sacrifices in front of the mourning hall. Children, children and grandchildren wear sackcloth and mourn in accordance with customary customs. They kneel down and worship in front of the coffin in turn. Relatives and friends bow three times before lifting up the coffin and going out. In some places, prestigious people among relatives and friends will deliver memorials. Relatives and friends wait for the coffin to leave and pay their respects in front of the door or on the road, which is called a road sacrifice.

The funeral procession is usually led by a white spiritual flag, followed by wreaths, elegiac couplets, and a funeral sedan (with a photo of the deceased inside) sent by relatives and friends; followed by the band and relatives, friends, and tribesmen. The children carry the coffin and follow the funeral procession, and behind the coffin are other relatives of the deceased. The relatives and friends are escorted to the main intersection, and after receiving the filial piety gift from the deceased's children, they can disperse. Children and relatives of the deceased must be sent to the cemetery. When passing ditches, bridges, or bridges on the road, the children of the deceased have to cry out, which not only expresses their grief, but also reminds the coffin bearers to pay attention to the roadblocks.

5. Burial

The children and relatives will take the coffin to the cemetery and place it in the dug grave. Then the eldest son leads the way and leads other descendants and relatives around the tomb three times to the left and three times to the right, while sprinkling a little soil on the coffin. This ceremony is also called ringing the coffin, which is intended to express the children's condolences to the deceased before covering it with earth and burying it.

6. Huilong

After the burial, the Bailing flag is replaced by a red flag, the mourning clothes are changed into auspicious clothes, and the tools for burying the deceased are pasted with a piece of red paper, and they line up to return, commonly known as Huilong. dragon. After returning to the hall, the spirit is sacrificed, and the elders lead the whole family to kneel or bow to the portrait of the deceased. In the evening, a banquet is held to thank relatives and friends who attend the condolence and funeral. This banquet is called the Downhill Dinner.

7. Fushan

On the day after the burial, the bereaved family goes to the cemetery to burn paper to pay homage and build earth, which is called Fushan. The funeral service ends here.

It was the Lunar New Year's Eve that year. A blue paper was posted on the door of the bereaved family with the word "Shou Zhi" written on it, and they did not participate in the celebration activities.

Bereaved families should wear mourning. Sons and wives must observe mourning for three years. The daughter takes off her filial piety on the anniversary and changes into auspicious clothes. A wife has to serve her husband for three years, and a husband has to be his wife for one year. A son should wait a hundred days before shaving his hair, which is commonly known as leaving it for a hundred days.

There is also a custom of collecting bones in Fuqing. A few years after the deceased was buried, due to infrastructure, water conservancy and other land use, or the location was chosen to have good feng shui, the bereaved family dug up the bones of their ancestors and buried them in another place.

Nowadays, simplicity of funeral arrangements and funeral reform are advocated. Some old superstitious customs have been gradually abolished, and memorial services and other forms are gradually used to commemorate the deceased. Cremation has also begun to replace burial.

Fifth Setsubun Family

Most families will separate their families at a certain stage, either to make a fortune or to deal with the relationship between sisters-in-law, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The division of a family is presided over by the father and mother, and the uncle or a reputable elder in the clan is asked to make a decision. The eldest grandson is treated as the last son and gets a share of the family property. In the 1980s, after the promulgation of the "Succession Law", more and more families in cities and towns were divided according to the inheritance law, and the eldest grandson did not enjoy the treatment of the last child. After a family separation, relatives send gifts such as noodles and eggs; the daughter-in-law’s parents’ family sends a set of kitchen utensils to their daughter and son-in-law, which is commonly known as giving congratulations.

New Year's Day

The first Spring Festival

1. New Year greetings

The first day of the first lunar month, also known as New Year's Day, happens just after midnight , someone set off firecrackers. It means getting up early on the first day of the new year and getting up early all year round. For breakfast on the first day of the Lunar New Year, every household eats noodles and a pair of Taiping eggs, hoping for long life and peace throughout the year. It has become a habit to eat more noodles or eggs in the first bite of this meal instead of drinking soup first. Therefore, there is a saying that when it rains when you go out, it is because you drink noodle soup.

After dinner, everyone goes out to pay New Year greetings, and the host or housewife stays at home to receive guests. When paying New Year greetings, guests bow to their hosts and wish them all the best and peace to their families. The host also bows to congratulate the guests, and then invites the guests to enjoy fruits and melon seeds. On this day, everyone who meets acquaintances on the road, regardless of whether they are friendly or not, should nod in greeting, congratulate each other, and wish each other peace and prosperity.

There are many taboos on the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the main ones are:

(1) Avoid sweeping the floor. Afraid of losing wealth. Later, it was changed to sweep in from the gate, and the garbage would not be dumped out until the third day of junior high school started.

(2) Avoid doing surgery. I'm afraid it will be bad luck to use the knife. This taboo is to prevent accidental injuries to hands and feet on the first day of the Lunar New Year and ruin the joyful atmosphere of the festival.

(3) Avoid saying unlucky words. Free