Folk Customs of Henan

Henan Province is located in the hinterland of the Central Plains in the central and eastern part of the motherland. It is located in the east of central my country, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, at 110° east longitude

21′～116°39′, between 31°23′～36°22′ north latitude, adjacent to the six provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Anhui and Shandong, with a length of about 580 kilometers from east to west and a span of about 550 kilometers from north to south. The province has a land area of ??167,000 square kilometers, ranking 17th among all provinces and municipalities in the country. Because most of the area is south of the Yellow River, it is named "Henan", or "Yu" for short. It is also known as "Central Plains" and "Zhongzhou". Henan Province has many folk customs. Let’s introduce a few for everyone to browse.

1. Geji Braised Cake

Mr. Ge Minghui, the founder of Geji Braised Cake House, was a man from the Manchu Xianghuang Banner in the Qing Dynasty. He was born in 1882. He entered Beijing when he was 10 years old. When working in the palace, he once drove a carriage for the prince, which was highly appreciated by the prince. He is diligent and eager to learn. In his free time, he often helps cook in the royal dining room and is familiar with cooking skills. At that time, there was a staple food in the palace called Thousand Layer Cake, and there was also a dish named Jar Pork. One day, the prince returned to the mansion and felt hungry, so Ge ??Minghui went over to cook a plate of cakes for the prince with a jar of meat, and made a bowl of soup with mustard and turnips. The cakes were soft and the meat was fragrant, and the soup was refreshing. Add appreciation. In the early years of the Republic of China, when wars broke out, Ge Minghui and his two sons came to Henan to make a living. During the crisis, he remembered the jar braised meat cakes that the prince praised, so with the help of friends, he opened a "jar meat braised cake restaurant" near Zhengzhou Railway Station. Ge Minghui stood at the stove in person and his two sons helped. After liberation, Ge Minghui and his second son passed away one after another, and the eldest son Ge Yunxiang continued the business. He inherited and carried forward his father's cooking skills, so that the cooked meat was fragrant as soon as it was opened and could reach two miles away. After many years of hard work, he , thus making Geji braised cake a famous snack.

Geji Jar Meat Braised Pancake is made of pancakes, special jar meat and vegetables. The cake is baked into a thousand-layer cake with soft dough, and then cut into curtain stick shapes after cooling. The meat in the jar is made from streaky pork with skin. Cut it into 2 cm square cubes, put it into a pot and add water to boil, skim off the foam and impurities, take out the meat and put it into a jar, add eight major ingredients, add fragrant fermented bean curd, pour in the broth to seal, and bring to a boil over high heat. , switch to a slow simmer and simmer until thoroughly cooked. When the altar is opened, a strong fragrance overflows, and passers-by stop to smell the fragrance. It is known as the "fragrance of opening the altar". When simmering pancakes, lay the bottom of the pot with green vegetables, put pancake strips and jar meat on top, add stock and simmer for a while. The meat has a mellow aroma, is fat but not greasy, and the cake is soft and delicious, suitable for all ages. When braised pancakes, in addition to mung bean sprouts, more seasonal vegetables are used as side dishes, such as garlic moss, Chinese cabbage, four-season plums, wild rice, etc. Soup for braised pancakes. In addition to pork soup, chicken soup and duck bone soup are also used. Therefore, the braised cake is soft, fragrant and not greasy, delicious and delicious.

2. Land Boat

Land Boat, as the name suggests, is a game played on land. It is a form of Han folk dance. Most of the land boats in Kaifeng are made of bamboo, wood, and straw. They are covered with colored cloth on the outside and a pair of artificial feet are installed inside the boat. When playing, the boat gaiter is tied around the waist of the costumed performer. The performer holds the sides of the boat with both hands and walks slowly and swaying, as if he is sitting on the boat. Another person or two people pretend to be the boat master. Hold the paddle in your hand, behind the boat or on both sides of the boat, and row while walking, just like a boat on the water. Land boat play usually consists of several land boats forming a team, accompanied by gongs, drums and ditty, making the running and dancing lively and interesting. Before the 1950s, most of the actors were men, and the young wives and eldest girls sitting in the boat were also played by men. Later, women also joined the ranks of land boating. On festival days, land boats, stilts, big-headed men, gongs and drums, etc. are often mixed into teams to perform at the same time.

3. Kaifeng February 2

Kaifeng February 2 The second day of the second lunar month is the Zhonghe Festival. According to folklore, the dragon wakes up from its slumber on February 2, raises its head and rises into the sky, moving like clouds. It rains, so it is also called "dragon raising its head" among the people. Kaifeng area has always been prone to droughts in spring, and water is as expensive as oil. In the old days, Dragon King temples were built in both urban and rural areas of Kaifeng to pray to the Dragon King for rain to ensure a good harvest of agricultural grains in summer. Therefore, the custom of worshiping the dragon on February 2 continues in Kaifeng. Every second day of February, every family will eat "fried jelly", which means that the dry and cold winter is coming to an end and the warm and rainy season is coming. On February 2nd, there is a local custom of eating fried steamed buns in Kaifeng, which are stuffed with eggs, shredded pork, green onions, sweet sauce, etc. It is believed that eating fried and roasted food can prevent the infestation of various poisonous insects.

4. Henan Opera

The most representative cultural heritage of Zhengzhou is Henan Opera, which is listed as one of the top ten drama types in China.

Plays such as "Mulan", "Mu Guiying Takes Command", "Qipin Zhima Guan", "Chao Yang Gou" and other plays are popular all over the country and are well-known to every household. In different periods, Henan Opera has some high-level masterpieces, such as "Xiao Erhei's Marriage", "Arhat Money", "New Conditions", "Liu Hulan", "Hunting Foot", etc. in the early 1950s; in the late 1950s, There are "Chaoyangou", "Cover", "Winter is gone and spring is coming", etc. In the 1960s, a large number of excellent modern dramas appeared. Although opera was in trouble in the 1980s, Henan's modern opera produced a number of more influential plays such as "The Golden Rooster Attracts the Phoenix" and "The Unlucky Uncle's Marriage". There are also more and more audiences who love modern plays. In many places, the number of audiences for modern plays exceeds the number of audiences for ancient plays. At the same time, in the process of its development, Henan Opera has cultivated a large number of performing artists with profound artistic attainments such as Chang Xiangyu, Yan Lipin, Ma Jinfeng, Niu Decao, Wang Shanpu, Wei Yun, Ma Lin, Gao Jie, etc. His skills and exquisite performing arts are praised by people.

5. Zhengzhou International Shaolin Martial Arts Festival, China

Zhengzhou International Shaolin Martial Arts Festival, China. From September 1st to September 5th every year, Zhengzhou will hold it to "promote Chinese martial arts and expand The China Zhengzhou International Shaolin Martial Arts Festival aims to open up to the outside world and promote economic development. During the Wushu Festival, in addition to the grand welcome ceremony, large-scale cultural and sports performances, Shaolin Wushu Elite Arena Competition, artistic performances, tourism and other activities will also be held.