The custom of sending sheep in Anyang

That is, every year in the fifth month of the lunar calendar, every daughter who becomes a mother after marriage will go back to her mother's house with a gift to "see the sheep."

There is a custom in Anyang-sending sheep. That is to say, every year in May of the lunar calendar, every daughter who becomes a mother after marriage will go back to her parents' house to "see the sheep" with gifts. In June of the lunar calendar, grandma's family will give the sheep to her grandchildren, which is called "sending the sheep". The times have changed, and sending sheep has evolved into sending sheep, but the family relationship remains the same. There is a custom of "sending sheep" in northern Henan. Daughters will go "sheep watching" in May of the lunar calendar after they get married and have children. There is a folk saying that "when the wheat is cut and the battle is finished, whose daughter doesn't look at her mother." Look at your mother, not your mother, but let her watch the sheep at home. "In short, 24 sheep-shaped pasta (8 large, 8 medium and 8 lambs) were steamed with white flour by the bride and sent to her daughter's home. The picture shows the happy scene of "herding sheep" by 100 people in Anyang on July 7, 2008, and letting children "herd sheep".

The custom of sending sheep festival is mainly that grandpa and uncle send sheep to their grandchildren or nephews. If grandparents die, uncles and nephews will send sheep. There is a folk saying that "sheep can't fall". The time to send sheep is generally before June 20 of the lunar calendar, and the sheep sent after June 20 are called lame sheep. This move takes the meaning of "the lamb kneels and suckles" and teaches the grandson to be filial to his parents when he grows up. Some only give it for three years, some give it to my nephew after he gets married, and some give it as long as my nephew keeps giving it. Linzhang County, Hebei Province and Anyang City, Henan Province attach great importance to this custom. This custom is found in several places in southern Hebei and northern Henan.