"In China, it is a common custom to celebrate New Year's Eve by family reunion, having dinner and chatting around the stove." . According to historical records, this custom originated in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. "It's night, it's forbidden to set off firecrackers in the mountains, and voices can be heard outside. In the house of ordinary people, sitting around the stove, Da Dan can't sleep. " Then it gradually became popular. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong, wrote a poem "Shousui": "Cold words and winter snow, warm with spring breeze." To this day, people in China are used to keeping vigil on New Year's Eve, setting off firecrackers outside, sitting around the fire or watching TV indoors, talking and laughing.
2. Paying New Year greetings is a traditional folk custom in China, and it is a way for people to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and express their blessings to each other.
In ancient times, the original meaning of the word "Happy New Year" was to pay New Year greetings to the elderly, including kowtowing to the elderly, congratulating them on a happy New Year and greeting their lives. In case of friends and relatives of the same generation, you should also salute and congratulate.
New Year greetings usually begin at home. On the morning of the first day, after getting up, the younger generation should first pay a New Year call to their elders, wishing them a long and healthy life and all the best. After the elders worship, they should distribute the "lucky money" prepared in advance to the younger generation. After paying New Year greetings to the elders at home, people should greet each other with smiles when they go out to meet, and exchange auspicious words such as "Congratulations on getting rich", "Best wishes in the four seasons" and "Happy New Year". Neighbors or relatives and friends also pay New Year greetings to each other or treat them to drinks and entertainment.
In Volume 6 of A Dream in Tokyo, the elder Meng described Bianjing in the Northern Song Dynasty and said, "On October 1st, Kaifengfu was closed for three days, and scholars celebrated each other early. In Volume 5 of Miscellaneous Notes in the Garden in the Mid-Ming Dynasty, Lu Rong said: "In the Chinese New Year in Beijing, people crossing the road from the imperial court to Shu Ren for several days are called' New Year greetings'. However, everyone in Shu Ren worships his relatives and friends. When dealing with North Korean officials, they are more caring than experts. Gu Tieqing, a native, described in Lu: "Men and women pay homage to their parents, and the Lord leads them to humble their children, pay homage to their neighbors, or stop sending their children congratulations, which is called' New Year greetings'. For those who don't see each other for a lifetime, it's also goodbye to each other at this time. "
In ancient times, the literati in the upper class used the custom of greeting each other with famous cards. Hui Zhou, a poet of the Song Dynasty, said in Qingbo magazine: "During the reign of Emperor Yuanyou of the Song Dynasty, people were often stabbed with servants in the name of Chinese New Year." . At that time, the scholar-officials had a wide circle of friends, and it took time and energy to pay New Year greetings everywhere. Therefore, some close friends did not go in person, but sent their servants to take a card cut with plum blossom stationery, two inches wide and three inches long, with the recipient's name, address and congratulations written on it. In the Ming dynasty, people visited instead of paying New Year's greetings. Wen Zhiming, an outstanding painter and poet in the Ming Dynasty, described this in his poem "New Year": "I don't want to meet each other, but I want to talk, and my famous articles are full; I also throw a few pieces of paper at people. The world is too simple and empty. " The "famous thorn" and "famous divination" mentioned here are the origins of today's New Year cards. New Year cards are used to connect feelings and exchange greetings, which are convenient and practical and still popular today.
From about the Qing Dynasty, the form of "group worship" was added to the New Year greetings. In "Jade Tan with a Side Hat", the Lord of the Qing Dynasty said: "At the beginning of the year, the capital must make a routine group worship to unite the friendship of the New Year and show the nostalgia." "Every year, guests are booked with the value of new year's goods, and a banquet is held to celebrate the future."
With the development of the times, the custom of New Year greetings is constantly adding new contents and forms. Nowadays, in addition to following the previous way of greeting the New Year, etiquette telegrams and telephone greetings have mushroomed.
Keeping the age is the most important custom, which was recorded in Wei and Jin Dynasties. On New Year's Eve, the descendants of China people still attach great importance to staying up late with their families, getting together for drinking and sharing family happiness, which is a custom. After the first cock crow, the new year began. Men, women and children wear holiday clothes. First, they celebrate the New Year's birthday for their elders. Then they visit their relatives and friends and congratulate each other. At this time, the land of China is shining everywhere. From the first day to the fifteenth day, people are immersed in a festive atmosphere of joy, peace and civilization.
"In China, it is a common custom to celebrate New Year's Eve by family reunion, having dinner and chatting around the stove." . According to historical records, this custom originated in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. "It's night, it's forbidden to set off firecrackers in the mountains, and voices can be heard outside. In the house of ordinary people, sitting around the stove, Da Dan can't sleep. " Then it gradually became popular. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong, wrote a poem "Shousui": "Cold words and winter snow, warm with spring breeze." To this day, people in China are used to keeping vigil on New Year's Eve, setting off firecrackers outside, sitting around the fire or watching TV indoors, talking and laughing.
According to folklore, the fifth day of the first month is the birthday of the God of Wealth, so after the first day of the first month, the next most important activity is to visit the God of Wealth. The night before the god of wealth's birthday to 3 o'clock. Come, every family will hold a banquet to celebrate the God of Wealth. There are many legends about the god of wealth:
During the Song Dynasty, Cai Jing was very rich. According to folklore, he was born a god of wealth. He happened to be born on the fifth day of the first month, so people regard him as a god of wealth. After Cai Jing was demoted, people converted to the God of Wealth. At that time, the national surname of the Song Dynasty was Zhao, and this mysterious word was an integral part of the word "Lan", so they gave a new name to show their worship.
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, Zhao Xuantan is the most respected. Many shops and houses are dedicated to his woodcut statues: the Xuan altar looks like the bottom of a pot, holding Strafe in his hand and riding Hei Hu, which is extremely powerful.
In addition to Zhao Xuantan being honored as "God of Wealth", there are folk sayings that "God of Wealth is partial", "God of Wealth" and "Wu Caishen" are holy emperors. The belief in the God of Wealth is popular in Yuan Qiu, Dexing, Jiangxi. The initials of the titles of the five brothers are all "immortals", so they are called "five immortals". Rob the rich and help the poor before death, punish the evil and promote the good after death, and bless the poor. There are five temples of God of Wealth outside Andingmen in Beijing.
The "literary god of wealth" is also called the "god of wealth". His paintings are often juxtaposed with "Fu", "Lu", "Shou" Samsung and XiShen, and together they are Fu, Lu, Shou, Wealth and Happiness. With long white hair and a cornucopia in his hand, the word "the way to make money" came from this. Most people will hang this painting in the main hall during the Spring Festival and pray for good luck.
"Wu Caishen" Guan Jun is Guan Yunchang. It is said that Guan Yunchang managed the military horse post station and was good at counting, which made his invention increasingly thin and focused on credit and loyalty, so he was worshipped by merchants. Generally speaking, businessmen regard Guan Gong as their patron saint, and Guan Gong is also regarded as the god of wealth. On the fifth day of the first month, shops open. In the early morning, golden gongs, firecrackers and sacrifices are used to welcome the god of wealth. Gu Tieqing, a poet in A Qing, quoted a poem by Cai Zhuzhi in Jia Qinglu, describing the scene of Suzhou people welcoming the god of wealth on the fifth day of May: "Seek financial resources for five days, and be willing to pay for one year; Beware of meeting God early elsewhere, and hurry all night. " "Holding the road" means "welcoming the God of Wealth". Businessmen who believe in Guan Di Sheng Jun will sacrifice, set off firecrackers and burn gold paper for Guan Gong on the fifth day of the first month, and ask Guan Di Sheng Jun to bless a prosperous year.