What are the unique customs of Xiyang Spring Festival?

Shanxi is rich in coal resources, which is bound to have various connections with the local people's food, clothing, housing and transportation. Therefore, the role of coal has penetrated into customs and people's feelings as early as ancient times, among which making a fire is a custom in northern Shanxi.

On New Year's Eve and Lantern Festival, every household should build a tower in front of the courtyard with large pieces of coal, which is called Wanghuo, to be auspicious and congratulate the prosperity throughout the year. Put firewood inside, and put a red note on the outside, which says "full of anger" Just wait until midnight, when the firecrackers are ringing, light the fire. After being ignited, the flame spouted from countless small holes, just like a floating picture, which is both cold-proof and spectacular. Adults and children gather in a circle, some play games, some set off firecrackers, and all men, women and children will come to keep warm so as to "fly into the sky." Children can also walk around the street, watch and comment on the size of the fire. Whoever has a big fire will flourish and have a strong spirit. As the Qing Dynasty's "Datong County Records" said: "Every New Year's Day, every family cuts firewood and lifts the base, just like a small floating picture. Send it in time, called Wanghuo. "

Nowadays, the customs and habits of flourishing fire have developed again. Not only during the Chinese New Year, but also during weddings, funerals and major festivals on weekdays. Some people are born in winter to keep warm. Some people are lucky in summer. If the scale of Wanghuo is grand and the shape is exquisite, then Huairen Wanghuo should be the top priority. It has four characteristics: first, excellent coal preparation. Pre-select high-quality raw coal before the Lantern Festival and carefully cut it into neat squares; Second, the shape is beautiful. Master Gao Ming must be hired to build Wanghuo into a vase with a small bottom and a big belly and an empty top. Only in this way can it burn completely without collapsing the flourishing fire. Third, it is increasing year by year. In order to achieve a better metaphor year by year, it is required to make a fire higher every year than the previous year. The specific increase depends on the expectations of the owner. Fourth, the scale is huge. Every year, fifty or sixty huge fires are built on the streets of Huairen County, the largest of which is made of 80 tons of coal, with a height of more than 10, which can be described as huge. At the beginning of the Lantern Festival, all these flourishing fires spit out long fire tongues and lick the sky of the earth. The red light is dazzling and brilliant, just like a flying dragon swallowing clouds, swimming in the splendid world, bringing people the omen of "good luck" and "getting rich". Therefore, there will be hundreds of people in Fiona Fang to watch Wanghuo, and some people will turn around the biggest Wanghuo three times and turn it upside down three times, so as to make the whole family safe and auspicious and all their wishes come true.

Leiwanghuo is a traditional Spring Festival custom in Inner Mongolia and Shanxi. In the folk, Wanghuo Cave means prosperity.

The fire of society:

There is a folk custom in urban and rural areas of Shanxi. The Spring Festival of the Lunar New Year is only on the fifteenth day of the first month, so the year is not over yet. The annual Lantern Festival social fire is the most lively, festive and joyful moment for people at the end of the year.

Shanxi folk social fire has a long history. Textual research mainly stems from the ancient people's awe of earth and fire. Society, land god; Fire is the ancestor of fire and the legendary Vulcan. As a result, the folk custom of offering sacrifices to society and burning fires has emerged, and it has been passed down year after year. With the passage of time, today's social fire has gradually evolved into a folk entertainment activity in the first month.

Shanxi folk social fire is rich in content and diverse in forms. There are about 200 species in the province, which can be divided into gongs and drums, yangko, sedan chair, stilts, colored lights, simulated animals and animals, simulated ghosts and gods, martial arts and so on.