Chaoshan folk custom, June 6th Bridge Festival taboo.

The sixth day of June every year is the traditional "Bridge Festival" in Chaoshan. When the old man dies, he has to worship the bridge on the sixth day of June, which is 100 days.

Crossing the bridge, also known as Naihe Bridge, originated from an absurd story in The Journey to the West's tenth and eleventh chapters: Emperor Taizong was invited by Yan Luowang to fight against the underworld because of the accusation of King Jinghe, and Prime Minister Wei Zhi wrote to Judge Cui Jue to extend Li Shimin's birthday for 20 years. Li Shimin promised to repay Yan Luowang with melons and fruits, while Yan Luowang said that he had eaten melons and pumpkins, but never watermelon. Taizong promised to send someone to deliver watermelons as soon as he got back. After Emperor Taizong came back from the dead, he recruited a man named Liu Quan to give his life to send watermelons to the nether world so that he could meet his dead wife in the underworld. I was very happy after receiving the watermelon, and gave Mr. and Mrs. Liu Quan to Yang. However, Liu's wife died for many years and her body was gone. The prince also arranged for the girl who had just finished her life in the neighboring village to become the soul of Liu's wife.

Since then, the story that Yin Si and Rebecca like watermelons has been passed down from generation to generation. When Chaoshan people arranged a bridging ceremony for their deceased relatives, watermelon became the protagonist. But according to folklore, some slackers don't want to help themselves pick watermelons, but want to catch able-bodied men on the road to pick watermelons that night, so Chaoshan people have the habit of not going out in early June. In addition, there are many taboos.

It is forbidden to buy watermelons. From the first day of June, buying watermelons belongs to mourners. In addition to watermelon, peaches, plums, lychees, grapes and wampee are also forbidden to buy when crossing the bridge to worship.

It is forbidden to go back to one's mother's family when marrying a daughter. From the first day of June to the sixth day of June, going back to her mother's house means mourning, so it is unlucky for a married woman without a family to go back to her mother's house.

It is forbidden to visit relatives and friends. Similarly, if there is no worship mission at home during this time, there will be no relatives and friends to visit.

Don't go out at night. The night before liberation, the streets were empty. After liberation, feudalism was broken and gradually became lively. However, some people insist on not going out at least on the fifth night, especially the children with shallow foundation.

Cooking is forbidden. Those who have the task of worshipping should make bridge slabs and "five feasts", that is, long bowls, round bowls, bean bowls, turrets and group bowls, for worship before the spirit. Among them, the bridge deck is very particular. It is necessary to use three kilograms of 62 meters of rice, divide it into seven parts, make it into the shape of soles, and fold it into the shape of dominoes when worshipping. After the worship, you must eat or feed the pigs before noon in the sixth day of junior high school, otherwise the dead will be delayed to cross the bridge.

There used to be a silly woman in Chaoshan countryside. On the fifth day of May, she forgot her wife. When she saw the funeral home in early June, she thought it was a holiday again, and she didn't ask why, so she followed her. The neighbor asked her, no one in your family died. What is she doing? The silly woman replied: I can't make it on the fifth day of May, but I will definitely make it on the sixth day of June. Later, this sentence became a folk saying in Chaoshan.