Taixing folk custom The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, commonly known as "Chinese New Year", which is the most grand and lively ancient traditional festival among the people. As the New Year's Spring Festival, it was called Xinzheng, Yuanri, New Year's Day, Zheng Dan and Sanyuan Festival before 19 12 years ago. After the Revolution of 1911, in order to change feudalism, break the dynasty calendar, implement the western calendar, and use the AD calendar to synchronize with the world time. Because the lunar calendar conforms to the agricultural season and is convenient for people's livelihood, China implements the parallel of the lunar calendar and the solar calendar, and names the solar calendar 1 month 1 day as New Year's Day, and the first day of the first lunar month as the Spring Festival. In Taixing, people call the Spring Festival "Year", and celebrating the Spring Festival is of course called "Chinese New Year". As the name implies, the Spring Festival, a Spring Festival, is coming and everything is changing, so people have enough reasons to celebrate the "Year of the Year" festival by singing and dancing. So, how did this year come? According to legend, there was a monster named Nian in ancient times, with long tentacles and blue fangs, which was fierce and unusual. This monster lives in the depths of the sea all the year round, and only climbs ashore on New Year's Eve every year, devouring livestock and killing people. Therefore, on New Year's Eve every year, people should help the old and take care of the young and drive cattle and sheep to safety. On New Year's Eve this year, people in Taohua Village went out to take refuge in droves. Suddenly, an old beggar came from outside the village. He saw a cane in his hand, a bag on his arm, an elegant silver beard, and a Ma Taixing in his hand, watching from the door. People ran away in a hurry and panic. Ma Si's voice could be heard everywhere, and no one took care of the old man. An old woman in Zhuangdong saw it and quickly gave him something to eat and advised him to run for his life. But the old man is not in a hurry. He smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, please let me stay at your house for one night. I must drive this fierce beast away today! " My mother-in-law was surprised to find that the old man was young, tough, wise and distinguished. But she continued to persuade, begging the old man just smiled. My mother-in-law had to leave home to take refuge. In the middle of the night, after a gust of wind, the monster Nian broke into the village in an attempt to plunder. But it found that the atmosphere was different from previous years: the village owner was brightly lit, red paper was stuck on the door, and people were shaking. Nian beast roared, landed on all fours and pounced on his huge body. At this moment, suddenly "banging" sounded in the courtyard, shaking the earth, and Nian beast trembled with fear. It turns out that animals are most afraid of red, fire and explosion this year. At this time, the gate of her mother-in-law's house was wide open, and I saw an old man wearing a big red robe laughing. Nian beast was so frightened that he thought he was doomed and turned around and fled for his life. Never dare to disturb the world again. The next day is the first day of the first month. People who took refuge went home one after another, and they were very surprised to see that the village was safe and sound. The old woman suddenly realized this and told the story of meeting the fairy last night. When people came to their mother-in-law's house, they saw red paper on the front door, several big red candles still lit in the house, and the unburned bamboo in the yard was still crackling ... People knew it was a fairy's blessing, and they would worship even if they fell to the ground. Thank God! In order to celebrate the auspicious arrival, the ecstatic villagers put on the latest clothes, put on the most beautiful hats, took out the most beautiful wine and vegetables and enjoyed themselves. At the same time, friends and relatives in the neighborhood congratulated each other, singing and dancing, and at one time everywhere became a sea of joy! The good news of Taohua Village spread in all directions, the land of China. From then on, every New Year's Eve, the whole family got together, posted red couplets, set off firecrackers, and stayed up all night by candlelight to celebrate the Spring Festival. Over time, it has become the most solemn festival for people. Myths and legends are all heard for nothing. In fact, China is an agricultural society. For thousands of years, the maturity of crops marks the completion of a production cycle of "spring ploughing, summer harvesting and winter storage". In the off-season when spring returns to the earth, it is reasonable for people to relax, enjoy fruitful results, seek new hopes and celebrate festivals. At 0: 00 a.m. on the first day of the first month, just as the bell rang, firecrackers exploded and shook the earth, announcing the official start of the longest traditional festival in a year. In the old custom, the whole family, old and young, wear new clothes and eat brown sugar, jujube tea and white soft steamed bread first in the morning to show family harmony and sweet life. Then set off firecrackers, light candles and burn incense, and open doors for families to "make money". Every household should also bring incense sticks as soon as possible, and rush to the village land temple to burn incense, and pray for the land god to bless the whole family with a safe population, a bumper harvest of crops and a prosperous livestock in the new year. The younger generation pays New Year greetings to their elders and congratulates the older generation on their health and longevity. From New Year's Eve, clans, neighbors, relatives and friends "congratulate each other on getting rich and all the best". People are wearing red and green clothes, beaming, holding their children and worshiping each other, whether in cities or rural areas. At noon and evening of the first day of junior high school, you must eat leftovers from last year (New Year's Eve), which is called "eating old grain and burning old grass". Having more than one year means that your family is rich and your life is rich. In the evening, before sunset, they eat noodles, because it is said that mice and girls get married on this day, so they should not light the lights and must go to bed early. From the second day of the first month, I visited my uncle, father-in-law, relatives and friends to pay a New Year call to them. Most of the gifts are tea, peach cakes, dates, fruits and other foods. Friends and relatives get together, have fun, drink for fun and enjoy playing cards. The whole family also entertains tourists with all kinds of sweets and sweet tea, such as persimmons (representing all the best), oranges (representing good luck), jujubes (representing early birth), peanuts (representing longevity) and so on. The host and guest exchanged "red envelopes" for their children, and there was a happy and harmonious atmosphere inside and outside. The fifth day of the first month, also known as "Breaking Five", is the day of the God of Wealth and is said to be the birthday of the God of Wealth. Since midnight, every household has set off firecrackers to grab the "head incense", so it is also called "robbing the God of Wealth". Shops are even more pious in praying, burning incense and worshiping, in order to prosper and open their doors. On this day, some people beg for "money" and hold clay sculptures to "send the god of wealth" to wish the family a prosperous New Year. "When the God of Wealth arrived, the whole family laughed; Money comes in, treasure comes in, and big ingots roll in! " The host is happy to give alms. In the old days, Taixing and Huangqiao engaged in selling water, and delivered water to their owners as early as the first day of May, which was called "for-profit cities", and the owners thanked them with "red envelopes". Everywhere is full of "wealth", showing a strong atmosphere of rolling financial resources. On the seventh day and the eighth day, I saw the "Seven Stars" (called the Pleiades in astronomy). At dusk, the first quarter moon is in the middle of the sky, and "seven clusters of stars" appear near the moon, but their positions are different every year. People often predict that the year will be full according to their own position, and think that "the upper corner is full, the lower corner is dripping, the mouth of the moon is armed, and the moon is barren." In the first month, there is also the custom of inviting "Nianjiu", also known as "inviting Chunbi", to entertain the teachers of Fang's newly married wife and children. Some of them have lasted for decades, and the saying "You invite me to eat winter wine and I invite you to eat Nianjiu" comes from this. During the Spring Festival, relatives and friends play mahjong, cards, poker and chess together during the holiday reunion until the first day of the first month. In addition, artists such as dragon lanterns, playing with lions, singing unicorns, walking on stilts, and jumping the god of wealth come along the street, flowing endlessly; After liberation, every village and street has entertainment propaganda teams beating gongs and drums, swinging boats on the lake, carrying flowers, "weaving jars", "herding cattle" and knocking on "Taixing Flower Drum" to perform in turn. There were many onlookers and the atmosphere was warm. The scene of singing and dancing will last until the Lantern Festival. With the passage of time and sequence, many old customs during the Spring Festival gradually die out, and new forms of fashionable New Year greetings are increasing. Many government agencies and units hold collective worship, Spring Festival tea parties, get-togethers and so on. And local government leaders issue "New Year greetings" to model workers, families of martyrs, the elderly and retirees, and express condolences to overtime workers. After 1980s, people used New Year cards, telephones and telegrams. Instead of visiting New Year. Nowadays, people keep pace with the times, and it has become a routine to pay a New Year call by phone or text message. Everyone wants peace and good luck, so there are many taboos out of the psychology of seeking good luck and avoiding evil spirits. The first month is the first month of a new year, so there are many taboos. For example, from the first day to the fourth day, no washing clothes, no scissors, no sewing, no sweeping, no fighting, killing, illness, death, broken, bad, light, ghost, stealing, losing, poverty, finished and other words. And there are no pots, bowls, spoons, basins, etc. Once it's broken, say "Peace every year" at once, and don't spend money (except giving lucky money), borrow kindling from others, kill people or collect debts. In the first month, if there are obituaries of relatives and friends, you need to tear a corner to break the law to get rid of bad luck, and so on. Some taboos still exist today.