What are the folk customs of the Spring Festival in Fujian? Interpretation of the Spring Festival customs in various parts of Fujian

What are the folk customs of the Spring Festival in Fujian? Interpretation of the Spring Festival customs in various parts of Fujian
Introduction: The abbreviation of Fujian is "Min". The southern Fujian region is the Xiamen-Zhangzhou-Quanzhou Delta, which is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road; the western Fujian has the distinctive Hakka culture; and the northern Fujian is the location of the provincial capital "Fuzhou". Each region in Fujian has its own distinctive characteristics and regional culture. So, how do different parts of Fujian celebrate the Spring Festival? What are the Spring Festival customs in Fujian? Let’s take a look at the specific content below! The festive culture of the Chinese New Year is rich and colorful, and extraordinary. If you want to know more related content, just search in the Spring Festival special topic carefully compiled by Mr. Shui Mo!

Putian Spring Festival Customs

"Celebrating the New Year" and "Writing Spring Couplets on White Foreheads" are unique New Year customs in Putian, Fujian. Putian and Xianyou counties under the jurisdiction of Putian City belonged to the same army, road and prefecture of Xinghua during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, so they are customarily called Xinghua. According to the custom of Xinghua people, starting from the morning of the first day of the first lunar month, relatives and friends visit each other, which is called "New Year's greetings", and say auspicious words. This custom is the same throughout China. But in Xinghua, the custom of "celebrating the New Year" and pasting "white-brown spring couplets" is still followed - "celebrating the New Year" In November of the 41st year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, Japanese pirates invaded Xinghua, killing and looting, and did not retreat until the end of the next year. The city was littered with corpses, and it was a horrible sight. On the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, people who had gone out to seek refuge returned one after another, with mixed feelings of sadness and joy, celebrating for the survivors but also mourning for the dead. At this time, relatives and friends would first visit each other, then wipe away their tears, celebrate the Spring Festival again, make up for the New Year, and celebrate the recovery. Since every family did not celebrate the New Year, they decided to make up for it on the fourth night of the New Year. In order to commemorate that tragic history, people later agreed to regard New Year's Eve as the "Little New Year's Eve" and the fourth day of the first lunar month as the "Big New Year's Eve", also known as "celebrating the New Year" (in Xianyou, the "Big New Year's Eve" is celebrated on the fifth day of the first lunar month). The second day of the first lunar month is designated as the "Dead Visit Day". People do not visit each other on this day to express their mourning for their deceased relatives. Later, because people felt that it was inconvenient not to visit each other during the Spring Festival, they adapted to the situation that if they had visited relatives and friends to pay New Year's greetings on the first day, they would not have to be superstitious on the second day. "White-headed Spring Festival Couplets" Spring Festival couplets in all parts of the country are all red, except for Xinghua Spring Festival couplets, which have a two-inch long white header, alternating between red and white, and are particularly eye-catching. According to legend, after the Qing army entered the pass, they implemented a high-pressure policy and killed innocent people indiscriminately. Many families posted white couplets when holding funerals. It was the Spring Festival, and the Qing government forced every household to post red couplets to symbolize "peace and prosperity for the country and the people." When some people paste red couplets, they intentionally leave a small part of the white couplet on the door exposed to show their sorrow. Every family followed suit, and thus the custom of "white forehead spring couplets" became popular and has been passed down to this day.

Ningde Spring Festival Customs

The Spring Festival is called "New Year's Day" in Ningde County. People regard it as the most important festival of the year and therefore celebrate it with great grandness. Spring cleaning. (It is called "sweeping the dust" in the local dialect) Generally, starting from the 16th day of the 12th lunar month, every household will start to clean the house inside and out. It is called "clean year and clean month". Worship the Kitchen God. December 2 is the Spring Festival, which is called "New Year's Day" in Ningde County. People regard it as the most important festival of the year and therefore celebrate it with great grandness. Spring cleaning. (It is called "sweeping the dust" in the local dialect) Generally, starting from the 16th day of the 12th lunar month, every household will start to clean the house inside and out. It is called "clean year and clean month". Worship the Kitchen God. December 23rd and 24th are the days for worshiping the Kitchen God. After dinner, each household prepares rich New Year's candy (called "Kitchen God candy" in the local dialect), New Year's fruits, and New Year's wine, and respectfully arranges them on the clean stove. They burn incense, light candles, and fire salutes, sincerely sending the "Kitchen God" to heaven. Pray to the Kitchen God to "present good deeds to heaven and return to bestow blessings." After the sacrifice, the whole family sits together to drink Kitchen God wine and eat Kitchen God candy. The children were especially happy because, in addition to feasting on their food, they could also get a share of New Year candies and cookies. Everyone was happy. Next year. Starting from December 25th, big red lanterns are hung high on the doorways of every house. Wealthy families would "invite" out rusted portraits of their ancestors and hang them upright in the living room. A series of sacrificial utensils such as incense burners and candlesticks are placed in the middle. Four palace lanterns were hung on the front porch. The "coffee table" and "merit chairs" are arranged on both sides, looking solemn and dignified. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Four city gates welcome the gods. From the ninth to the twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month, people at the four city gates, east, west, south and north, hold a parade ceremony for the gods they worship. The blast of cannons, the loud sound of drums and music, and the dignity of the ceremony become another scenic spot. Especially the God Shennong in the Yanmin Palace at the east gate; the King Yinghui Chen Gong Taiwei in the Taiwei Palace at the west gate; the King Lingjie Huang Yue in the Xiaochang Palace at the south gate; and the City God Weiling Gong in the City God Temple at the north gate are more prominent. People in some streets even "block cannons" and arrange "offerings" to welcome them. After the parade, opera troupes are invited to perform, and the excitement lasts for five or six days.

Sanming Spring Festival Customs

The Spring Festival in Sanming actually starts from the "sending off the Kitchen God" on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month and ends after the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Sending Off the Kitchen God The 23rd or 24th day of the twelfth lunar month is the day when the Kitchen God goes to heaven. Every household washes the stoves and cooktops clean, lights candles, burns incense, sets off firecrackers in the evening, and offers sacrifices to the Kitchen God with wine, rice, kitchen sugar, kitchen cakes and other vegetarian offerings. It is said that this is to shut the "Kitchen God" up and ask him to "report good things to heaven and return to the palace to ensure safety." There is another saying about sending off the Kitchen God in Sha County: "The civilians take three, the soldiers take four, the Zhao family takes twenty-five." According to legend, one year Zhao Kuangyin went out to fight in a war and missed the time for "worshiping the Kitchen God" when he returned home. So he stipulated that farmers' families should "send off the Kitchen God" on the 23rd, military families on the 24th, and the Zhao family's royal family on the 25th, and bring back the "Kitchen God" on New Year's Eve. This rule has been passed down in Sha County to this day. It is said that in the past, every family in Sha County would light a bamboo "Bagua Lantern" when "sending off the Kitchen God", which would remain burning until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and was called the "eternal lantern". There is a folk custom of "sweeping the dust" on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month (or the 25th day or other days). "Sweeping the dust" not only means sweeping away dust, but also means driving away evil spirits and eliminating disasters. On this day, every household dusts and sweeps the house, and cleans the window sills, door panels, tables, and cupboards. In places like Jiangle, there is a saying that "Whether you have money or not, you can celebrate the New Year cleanly." After that, relatives and friends start giving each other New Year gifts, which is called "fennian" in Sha County; each family starts steaming rice cakes, frying tofu, pounding glutinous rice cakes, and slaughtering chickens and ducks to prepare for the New Year; because there is a custom of "no debt collection in the first month of the year", each family must settle the economic accounts of social transactions for the past year before the New Year. There is also a proverb in Datian County: "Sweep the house on the 24th, slaughter pigs on the 25th, go to the market on the 26th, beg for money on the 27th, pound fruit on the 28th, and celebrate the New Year on the 29th", which vividly reflects the folk customs of Sanming before the New Year. New Year’s Eve is the Chinese New Year’s Eve on the 30th night of the twelfth lunar month. Wuling and Zaoxing in Daejeon have the custom of celebrating the New Year one day in advance. All men and women who are away from home must return home to reunite on New Year's Eve. Early in the morning of that day, every household put up Spring Festival couplets on their doors, hung New Year pictures in the living room, and pasted red stickers with words such as "Longevity and Prosperity", "Abundant Harvest", and "Prosperity of Livestock" on the kitchen, barn, and pigpen; red paper strips were pasted on cupboards, tables, chairs, water tanks, etc. to show the celebration. Before noon, three kinds of animals and wine are used to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and the Kitchen God, and the Kitchen God is respectfully invited to return to the palace to take charge of affairs. Before dinner, the people of Taining would place a fire basket with charcoal in each bedroom and sprinkle some salt inside to make it crackle, symbolizing prosperity; while in Shaxian, some people would use tongs to hold a red-hot iron "ingot" and walk around the dark corners of the house while dripping vinegar and soy sauce on the "ingot" to let it evaporate, which was called "releasing fragrance" to drive away the foul air. After setting off firecrackers, we started eating the New Year’s Eve dinner. The whole family sits in a circle, with the elders sitting in the upper seats, accompanied by children and grandchildren. Those who are away from home leave empty seats and set out bowls and chopsticks to show reunion. There are often two bowls of fish on the table, one of which cannot be touched, indicating "abundance every year". After the meal, the adults give new year's money to the children. The housewife cooks "last year's rice" and saves it for the first day of the new year to show that there will be surplus food in the year. Hard wood is used to contain fire in the stove, symbolizing continuous fireworks and a prosperous family. New Year's lanterns are also lit in the hall and the kitchen, and the adults stay up all night to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. Since the 1980s, it has become a new custom for the whole family to watch the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. When the clock strikes midnight, every family sets off firecrackers to welcome the New Year. However, people from Putian living in Sanming area celebrate the New Year on the fourth day of the first lunar month, which is called "making up for the New Year." According to legend, at a certain year end, every household in Putian was busy preparing for the New Year, when suddenly Japanese pirates launched a surprise attack, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of atrocities in Putian. Ordinary people were hiding or escaping and could not celebrate the New Year at all. It was not until the Japanese pirates were driven away that the common people were able to celebrate the New Year. People from Xianyou who live in Sanming celebrate the New Year on the fifth day of the first lunar month for the same reason, and every household sets off firecrackers to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, adults and children get up early in the morning, wear new clothes, fire cannons to open the door in the hope of good luck. People in Youxi make ginger and brown sugar tea before breakfast to taste the "sweetness". Breakfast is all vegetarian, either vermicelli or soup balls, symbolizing longevity and reunion; Shaxian breakfast must include garlic, tofu, red cabbage (spoon spinach), etc., implying that everything will be profitable, prosperous, and prosperous in the new year. In the old days, on the first day of the New Year, people often went to temples to pay homage to the gods, worship their ancestors and pray for peace. When neighbors met, they bowed to each other and said "Happy New Year" and "Congratulations on making a fortune" to each other. On this day, adults and children were forbidden to say unlucky words. If a bowl is broken, people would say "broken (year) broken (year) peace"; if a child falls down, people would say "picking up ingots"; if someone is injured and bleeding, people would say "seeing blood is a sign of happiness"... On the morning of the first day of the New Year, people in a certain village in Jiangle have the custom of rushing to the well or the stream to fetch the first bucket of water, which is called "kaotou shui", meaning everything comes first in the new year; women of the She ethnic group in Datian have to go to the upper reaches of the river to "draw new water" early in the morning, which means "everything is renewed"; children have to go to the bamboo forest to shake bamboos in the hope of "growing up quickly". Now on the first day of the New Year, colorful group visits, New Year greetings to the families of martyrs, model workers and workers who stick to the front line of production, art performances, garden parties, lantern riddles and other activities have greatly enriched the festive life. People can play everywhere in the joyful and peaceful atmosphere and have fun. Starting from the second day of the New Year, people begin to visit relatives and friends and wish each other a happy new year. Generally, those who pay New Year's greetings cannot go empty-handed. They must bring cakes, candies, etc., and they must bring brown sugar for their elders. When the visitors return, the host family must send gifts of equal value in return. This is called "reciprocity." In the past, the She people in Youxi had the custom of wearing ethnic costumes and going to neighboring villages to "collect rent" from the Han people on the second day of the first lunar month (asking for two glutinous rice cakes). The more they collected, the better their luck would be in the coming year; the Han people were also happy to give, hoping for a good omen. In the past, the She people in Ninghua would go hunting in the mountains on the second day of the Chinese New Year, and they had to get something in order to pray for good luck in the new year. In Yong'an and Shaxian, families start hosting banquets for relatives and friends from the third day of the first lunar month, and the celebrations continue until the fifteenth day or even the end of the first lunar month. The Lantern Festival The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, also known as the "Shangyuan Festival" and the "Shangyuan Heavenly Official Blessing" day. It is the most exciting, lively and memorable festival during the Spring Festival. During the Lantern Festival, people eat Yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls), the skin of which is made of glutinous rice flour and the fillings are either sweet or salty, in order to pray for family reunion. Sha County also makes local snacks such as spring rolls and taro buns, and calls the Lantern Festival "Shou Nian". 1. Hakka Yanxiang Lanterns In the old days, eating vegetarian food and worshiping gods were an indispensable part of the Lantern Festival. In addition to the common gods and bodhisattvas, Mingxi also welcomes the statue of "Lady Huili", while Jianning welcomes the statue of "King Zhaoxian". The eight districts of Qingliu Chengguan take turns to be the deacons. Every year they hold a spring prayer ceremony in the City God Temple to send away the plague god and hold banquets to spread blessings. The "plague ship" is used to send away the God of Plague. The plague ship is made by wrapping a wooden frame about 1.5 meters long, 1 meter wide and high into the shape of a boat with grain wrapping, pasting it with colorful paper, and placing a row of paper-made domestic animals on it, with a pole passed through the waist of the boat. On the morning of the Lantern Festival, people would wrap animal hair, poultry hair, boiled black beans, sesame seeds, etc. in paper envelopes and throw them into the "plague ship", symbolizing the sending away of the source of the plague. In the afternoon, the earthen cannons at the altar were fired together, and the deacons carried the plague boat and three statues of the City God and Bodhisattva, and rushed out of the temple with earth-shaking shouts, paraded along the street, and were sent to the riverside of the East Gate amid the sound of firecrackers. After the Taoist priest drew talismans and chanted spells and slaughtered pigs as sacrifices to the gods, four men who were good at swimming lifted the plague boat naked and brought it to the center of the river, where they lit it on fire and let it burn and drift downstream. In the evening, every household in each neighborhood holds a banquet called the "Sanfu Banquet". Even strangers who come to the door to congratulate are allowed to join the banquet. Guests come and go, and it is very lively. In Datian County, there is a custom of "stealing" scallions and vegetables on the Lantern Festival night. "Stealing scallions will marry a good father-in-law (husband), stealing vegetables will marry a good son-in-law." The owner of the vegetable not only does not scold, but also considers it good to hear any harsh words. The most unforgettable thing about the Lantern Festival is the colorful folk "lantern festival". Many Lantern Festival activities in urban and rural areas begin on the 13th day of the first lunar month. Every household is decorated with lanterns, and the streets and villages are full of colorful lights. Dragon lanterns, flower lanterns, revolving lanterns, dragon and phoenix auspicious lanterns, unicorn fertility lanterns, good luck lanterns, birds paying homage to the phoenix lanterns, peony lanterns, pine and crane longevity lanterns, mandarin ducks playing in the water lanterns... the dragon lantern alone has derived into candle bridge dragons, bench dragons, incense dragons, grass dragons, etc., all of which are brilliantly lit and in various shapes and forms. Not only are there endless lanterns to behold, but there are also lively and cheerful dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, land boat rides and other amusement rides that are beautiful beyond measure. During the Lantern Festival, every household in Mingxi city and country hangs a lantern at the door to show good luck. One of the largest events was held on the evening of September 5, 1945, to celebrate the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. There were dozens of kinds of lanterns, including flower pot lanterns, drum lanterns, five-star lanterns, revolving lanterns, lotus lanterns, palace lanterns, and thousands of other lanterns. In the early 1950s, a few families followed the old custom and hung lanterns at their doorsteps to celebrate the Spring Festival or Lantern Festival. During the Cultural Revolution, lantern festivals were considered "Four Olds" and were banned. The Lantern Festival was resumed in 1982. From 1983 to 1987, the city held four Lantern Festival competitions. During the Lantern Festival in 1985, government agencies, schools, factories and mines dispatched 44 floats (cars), nearly 2,000 lanterns, as well as bridge lanterns and dragon lanterns from Pingbu and Nanshan. People from dozens of miles around the city also came to watch the lights. The city was crowded with people, firecrackers were roaring, gongs and drums were blaring, lights and fireworks were shining brightly, creating an unprecedented grand occasion. Many large lanterns are equipped with electric or mechanical automatic or semi-automatic devices, with unique shapes and novel contents. The floats also traveled to Shaxi, Gaiyang, Hufang, Hanxian and other townships, attracting tens of thousands of spectators. On the evening of the 14th and 15th day of the first lunar month in 1985, Youxi held the Spring Lantern Festival in Chengguan with the participation of more than 8,000 people from 158 units. More than 30 cars and 94 carts were deployed. There were 81 colorful lanterns, 4 dragon lanterns, 2 high-angle lanterns, more than 1,000 large and small lanterns, as well as flower drums, land boats, stilts, lion dances, etc. Many lamps have small automated or semi-automated devices, each with its own unique content, allusions and images. The audience reached more than 60,000 people, and Fujian Provincial Television went to the scene to record the video and broadcast it as a TV program called "Five-mile Lights Illuminating the Sky". Today, with the reform and opening up and the economic development, many local governments still organize fireworks displays on the night of the Lantern Festival, which are beautiful and spectacular. The colorful activities on the Lantern Festival night attracted adults and children to come out in droves, and the streets were crowded with people and full of laughter. Xin Qiji, a famous patriotic poet in the Song Dynasty, wrote "Qingyu'an". There is a poem called "Lantern Festival" which goes: "The east wind blows thousands of flowers into bloom at night. It blows down stars like rain. The road is filled with the fragrance of BMW and carved carriages. The wind flutes sound, the jade pots shine, and fish and dragons dance all night long." The grand scene of the Lantern Festival in cities in the past, with fireworks and flowers and the whole country celebrating, is no longer a rare thing in China today.

Longyan Spring Festival Customs

The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival, commonly known as "New Year" or "New Year". So what are the customs of Longyan Spring Festival? Let's take a look at the customs of Longyan Spring Festival: On the first day of the first lunar month, each family chooses an auspicious time to open the door, set off firecrackers, burn incense and light candles, worship their ancestors, men, women, old and young dress up in new clothes, and say auspicious words to each other. In a building where families live together, the most blessed person is first invited to open the door and say "Good luck in opening the door"; when people walk out of the door, they say "Everyone will benefit from it" and set off long-hanging firecrackers; then, every family opens the kitchen door, sets off firecrackers and says good things. Breakfast is generally vegetarian, with reunion dumplings, red dates, peanuts, and glutinous rice. People don’t sweep, wash clothes, or fetch water. Children set off firecrackers for fun, and adults go from house to house to offer congratulations. In order to entertain relatives and friends who come to pay New Year's greetings, most families put out candies, peanuts, sugar cane, kumquats, sweet dates, plums, raisins, etc. The Hakka people prepare meatballs, chicken, lean meat, tea eggs and rice wine for their guests, which is called "eating soup noodles". They show enthusiasm by persuading guests to drink until they are drunk. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the local government and various social organizations collectively beat drums and gongs to wish the families of martyrs a happy new year. Various government agencies and units hold group visits in a warm, festive and civilized atmosphere. In recent years, people have tended to set off firecrackers, visit parks and amusement parks, take photos, or gather together to enjoy music and radio and television programs. On the second day of the Chinese New Year, I went back to my parents' home to visit relatives, and my parents-in-law gave me a warm welcome. Longyan and Zhangping began to use fried eggs and vermicelli as snacks and then hold banquets. If it is a new relationship, it will be even more grand. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, folk entertainment activities emerged, with tea-picking lanterns and lion dances performed in urban and rural areas of Longyan. Lion dancing, boat lanterns, dragon lanterns, drums, gongs and drums, and folk artists’ “beating the New Year drum” are popular among the Hakka people. Every household and government agency welcomed the guests with firecrackers, watched the performances, and then bid farewell with red envelopes and firecrackers. On this day, Hakka people cook and eat "New Year's rice" to honor gods and ancestors. This day is also called "Sending Away Poverty Day", which means that the garbage in the house is regarded as "poor ghosts" and is swept out. The family is reluctant to go out and does not welcome guests. On the fifth day, Longyan and Zhangping call it "the fifth day of the first lunar month" and the Hakka call it "Kai Xiaozheng". They began to "pray to the gods", praying for peace and prosperity throughout the year, and burned the curtain paper hanging on the gate. From the fifth to the tenth day of the first lunar month in Shanghang city, the whole family gathered for a reunion banquet, each eating a plate of red eggs and encouraging each other with auspicious words. On this day, you can carry a urine bucket and do some farm work. Some places have started traditional activities to welcome the gods. There is a folk saying in Liancheng that goes "On the first day, pay New Year's greetings to the ancestors; on the second day, pay New Year's greetings to the young masters; on the third and fourth days, pay New Year's greetings to the wild son-in-law (meaning that the third and fourth days are too late); on the fifth and sixth days, there is wine but no meat (meaning it is even later)". In fact, people often have fun until the middle of the first lunar month. A Hakka proverb goes: "Whether you have food to eat or not, you can chat (and play) until the 20th day of the first lunar month." Hakka food welcomes tourists, Hakka rice wine intoxicates tourists. Hakka people are warm and hospitable, and of course food and fine wine are indispensable when entertaining guests during the Spring Festival. Tourists who celebrate the Chinese New Year in Hakka will have a feast for their appetites and can taste a variety of Hakka dishes and snacks, such as Liancheng's "Shabu-shabu Nine-Ingredients" and "Baiwu Duck Soup", Changting's "Roasted Big Pieces" and "Hetian White-Cut Chicken", Yongding Beef Series and many more. Hakka rice wine has a mellow base, a refreshing fragrance, and a sweet taste that makes people intoxicated. Friends who spend the Spring Festival here may as well drink rice wine, play drinking games and guess drinking punches like the Hakka people do, and forget all the hard work of the year.

Nanping Spring Festival Customs

As the festive atmosphere of the New Year grows stronger, farmers in Songxi County, Nanping, begin to make malt sugar, a custom that has been followed in the local area for a long time. Ye Wenhong is 65 years old this year. He is from Meikou Village, Zhengdun Town, Songxi County. He has been making maltose for decades. He introduced that maltose is made from rice and malt, without adding any other raw materials. During the production process, the wheat is first poured with hot water to become malt. After the temperature rises and ferments, it can be manually squeezed and refined. After that, it is continuously pulled and rubbed to make maltose, which takes a whole day. Old man Ye said that young people nowadays are unwilling to do this, and only old people like them do it. In addition to making some money, it also does it to pass on this craft. "Next, I plan to improve the production tools to increase the sugar yield." Hakka people have the custom of celebrating the New Year with "New Year Soup" to worship their ancestors. The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in our country. The Hakka New Year celebrations start on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month and end on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month. In other words, the New Year celebrations start with the traditional "Little New Year". After the Little New Year, every household prepares New Year's goods, such as fried rice noodles, rice candy, fried tofu, as well as buying chicken, duck, fish, meat, incense, candles, firecrackers and the like. In addition, you must take time to clean the yard, wipe the doors and windows, etc. On New Year's Eve, every family puts up spring couplets and New Year pictures early and then prepares the New Year's Eve dinner. The most important dish in the New Year’s Eve dinner is the “New Year’s Soup”, which mainly consists of pork, radish, meatballs and mushrooms. There are two things to do before eating the New Year’s Eve dinner: one is to serve the steaming hot “New Year’s soup” to the elders; the other is to burn incense to worship ancestors and set off firecrackers. Afterwards, the whole family will have the New Year’s Eve dinner together. They must eat some rice for this meal, which means they have eaten the “New Year’s Eve dinner” and have grown one year older. After the meal, the elders will wrap auspicious "New Year's money" for the children, and the New Year's Eve is considered over. In the early morning of the first day of the first lunar month, the men get up early, wash themselves, light incense and candles, set off firecrackers, and wish their elders a happy new year. Afterwards, a plate of rice noodles, rice candy and peanuts is served. These must-eats indicate there will be a "food road" in the new year. There are many things to pay attention to on this day. No one should scoop out rice, sweep the floor, fetch water, or say anything unlucky. Breakfast is also vegetarian, with celery and tofu as the main dishes, which means hard work leads to wealth. On the second day of the first lunar month, the most important thing for the Hakka people is to kill a castrated chicken and pour the chicken blood on the "paper money", which is called "blood money". After breakfast, the whole family dressed neatly and went to the grave to worship their ancestors with incense, candles, firecrackers, tea, wine and vegetarian meals. After the sacrifice, family members began to visit each household to wish each other a happy new year, saying blessings and drinking hot wine. On this day, the new bride has to rush back to her parents' home with her husband. On the third day of the first lunar month, Hakka people start visiting relatives. On the fifth day of the first lunar month, markets across the country began the first market day of the new year, commonly known as "Kaixu". On this day, people are busy rushing about. There are a lot of toys and snacks, as well as lion and dragon dances, making the scene extremely lively. Early in the morning of the seventh day of the first lunar month, every household cooks porridge with seven kinds of condiments such as fried fruit, fried tofu, and cured meat, commonly known as "Seven Treasures Soup". Hakka people believe that eating "Seven Treasures Soup" will keep them healthy and free from disasters for the whole year. The traditional Chinese New Year celebrations are not considered to be over until the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Nowadays, the New Year has added a lot of content, feudal customs have been significantly reduced, people hold various cultural activities and sports competitions, and the traditional festival has taken on new colors. Western Fujian: Eating "Wrist Tube" and "Longevity Vegetables" on New Year's Eve The Hakka people in Western Fujian start their New Year holiday on the 25th day of the lunar year and celebrate the Little New Year until New Year's Eve, which is the preparation stage for the New Year. On New Year's Eve, the main thing for Hakka people is to "put on red" (paste Spring Festival couplets and red paper) to indicate prosperity. Afterwards, people put up door gods, worship their ancestors, prepare New Year’s Eve dinner, stay up all night, etc. In the New Year's Eve dinner, "Wrist Tube" and "Longevity Vegetable" are indispensable dishes for the Hakka people in western Fujian. "Wan Zi Tong" is braised pork trotter, which is very special. Not only is the meat tender, but it is also fragrant and delicious. Some of the ingredients are local plant roots and stems, so the aroma is unique; "Longevity Vegetable" is actually a whole chicken or a whole piece of pork put into the pot and cooked, and then a whole radish and a whole mustard greens are added in. The meaning here is very profound. At the table, Hakka people also have their own rules for eating. The chicken head is eaten by the elders, the wings are given to men who go out, and the chicken arms (legs) are eaten by children who study. Spilling wine on the table is seen as fortune, breaking a bowl is seen as the birth of a child, dropping chopsticks is seen as good luck in eating… Staying up all night to see the New Year is also known as lighting the New Year’s fire. The Hakka people would light three special oil lamps in the living room, door and stove until dawn. If the night is bright, it means good luck and peace in the coming year, and everything will go well.
Summary: The above article content is what the editor wants to introduce to you about the different Spring Festival customs in various regions of Fujian. You can feel it. You may as well travel to Fujian to experience the New Year atmosphere of Fujian for yourself!

<<:  What should Sagittarius pay attention to when greeting the New Year in 2017?

>>:  How will Sagittarius have good fortune in 2017, the Year of the Rooster?

Recommend

Is it a good idea to renovate your house on the seventh day of the winter solstice in 2020? When is the winter solstice?

Introduction: Generally speaking, you need to choo...

Can I set up my bed on Grain in Ear on June 5, 2020? What does the word Grain in Ear mean?

Introduction: It is necessary to choose an auspici...

Is it a good idea to get married on the ninth day of the eighth lunar month in 2020? Is it an auspicious day?

The eighth month of the lunar calendar is also kno...

Is the beginning of winter in 2017 a good day? Is it a good idea to open a new store?

Introduction: Our country is a traditional country...

Is May 21, 2020 an auspicious day? What are the steps to choose an auspicious day?

Introduction: Every day has its good and bad luck,...

Are children born on July 18, 2021 in the lunar calendar Virgos?

Whether a child is a Virgo is related to the Grego...

Is the 16th day of the eighth lunar month in 2019 a good day for worshiping ancestors?

The days in the eighth month of the lunar calendar...

What zodiac sign does a baby born on the fourth day of the seventh lunar month in 2017 belong to?

Introduction: Constellation is one of the attribut...

Is it okay to pick up the car on April 25th of the lunar calendar in 2020?

Is it okay to pick up the car on April 25th of th...

Is the third day of February in 2022 a good day for Jingzhe? Is it an auspicious day for engagement?

The second month of the lunar calendar is the seco...

Is September 20th of the lunar calendar in 2021 an auspicious day for travel? When is the best time?

In the old days, transportation was inconvenient a...

Is the 26th day of the seventh lunar month in 2019 Virgo? Which zodiac signs can control Virgo?

Introduction: Virgo’s birth date is from August 23...

The eighth day of the second lunar month in 2019 is a good day?

If you want to know more about the second month o...

What is the zodiac sign of people born on the seventh day of the first lunar month in 2018?

Generally, the annual holiday is held on the seven...

Is June 19th of the lunar calendar 2019 a good day? Analysis of the good and bad luck of today's time!

Introduction: Different days unfold differently, a...