Why do we eat dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month? The meaning of eating dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month

Why do we eat dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month? The meaning of eating dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month
The first month of the lunar year in China also has its own traditional food. So, let’s take a look at why we eat dumplings on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar year? An introduction to the meaning of eating dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month. After the Spring Festival, the various festivals in the first month of the lunar calendar will soon follow. Following the 2021 first month special topic of Shuimoxiansheng.com, let’s count how many important traditional festivals and customs there are in this month.

Why do we eat dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month?

In addition to eating dumplings for the New Year’s Eve dinner, dumplings are also eaten on the fifth day of the first lunar month, which is called “Po Wu”. There is a saying that there are many taboos from the first to the fifth day of the New Year, and people should not "act rashly". After the fifth day, the New Year is basically over and there are no more taboos, so people have to eat dumplings to celebrate. What is special is that in today's Tianjin and nearby areas (such as Cangzhou City), there is still a custom of "making dumplings and pinching the mouths of villains", which is said to make the villains shut their mouths and say less bad things in the coming year.

The meaning of eating dumplings on the fifth day of the first lunar month

Meaning 1:
There are many taboos from the first to the fifth day of the New Year, and people are not allowed to "act rashly". After the fifth day, the New Year is basically over and there are no more taboos, so people eat dumplings to celebrate.
Meaning 2:
In today's Tianjin and nearby areas (such as Cangzhou City), there is still a custom of "making dumplings and pinching the mouths of villains", which is said to make the villains shut their mouths and say less bad things in the coming year.
Meaning three:
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, people welcome the God of Wealth and eat dumplings in the shape of ingots, which symbolizes getting rich. The dumplings made on the "Po Wu" festival are made with meatballs as the filling and are flat and round in shape, very similar to the ingots that symbolize wealth. In addition, some dumplings are filled with money, dates, sugar, etc., which symbolize getting rich, good luck, sweetness and beauty. The whole family gets together to eat dumplings on the fifth day of the Po Wu festival, which means that they can increase their wealth and live a better life in the new year.

Should we send away poverty on the fifth day of the first lunar month?

Yes, there is also a traditional custom of sending away the poor on the fifth day of the first lunar month. “Sending away the poor” on the fifth day of the first lunar month is a very distinctive seasonal custom among the ancient Chinese people. On this day, each family makes a woman out of paper, called "Sunshine Sweeping Lady", "Five Poor Women", or "Five Poor Lady". She carries a paper bag on her back and sweeps the dirt in the house into the bag, which is then sent outside the door to be blown up with firecrackers. This custom is also known as "sending away the poor soil" or "sending away the poor wife". In Hancheng, Shaanxi, people are forbidden to go out on the fifth day of the New Year. Instead, they roast fresh meat in a pan and stir-fry dried potatoes until they crack and make noises. They believe that this can help get rid of poverty and bring in wealth. In addition, in the old days, people would eat especially well on New Year’s Eve or the fifth day of the first lunar month, commonly known as "filling the poverty pit." The widely popular custom of sending away poverty among the Chinese people reflects the traditional mentality of the Chinese people who generally hope to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new, to bid farewell to the poverty and hardship of the past and to welcome a better life in the new year.

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