What are the customs of Shanghainese during the Spring Festival?

The custom of celebrating the New Year in old Shanghai

The Spring Festival has lasted for thousands of years in China. But for a long time, the term "Spring Festival" refers to the "beginning of spring" among the 24 solar terms in a year. It was not until the Revolution of 1911 overthrew the rule of the Manchu Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China that Sun Yat-sen ordered the whole country to switch to the solar calendar. Subsequently, the New Year should also be changed to New Year's Day in the solar calendar. However, after all, the Lunar New Year has become a traditional festival celebrated by the whole people, and the solid and profound local customs and national culture are hard to change. The celebration of the Lunar New Year is still endless and strong year after year. As a result of a new New Year's Day in the solar calendar, since the Republic of China, the Lunar New Year has been called "Spring Festival" in solar terms.

In the old days, the Chinese New Year began on December 23rd of the lunar calendar, and it lasted until the Lantern Festival on the 15th of the first month, and a set of fixed procedures was formed. Let's look at how Shanghai celebrated the New Year in the old days.

The 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, that is, the 24th day of December, is the day when "Kitchen God" plays things in heaven. Therefore, on the 23rd night, every household will "send a kitchen stove" and "offer a kitchen stove" to celebrate the New Year. At night, every household worships the kitchen god in the hall, and more often, on the kitchen stove with the image of the kitchen god, wine and fruit are served, and water chestnuts, clams, good fish and good meat are also provided. There is a bamboo branch saying: "Fame and fortune prosper with little right and wrong, and all of them are dependent on God." There is nothing to offer at present, and fish buy fresh meat to buy fat. "

The kitchen god went to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor the quality of human beings and human faults in a year. In order to prevent him from going too far, people also provided sugar ingots made of caramel when giving away the kitchen stove. It is said that in order to make him eat and stick to his teeth, he could not speak clearly, so that he could say less and not speak ill of the world. At the time of "giving away the stove", all the main points were lit with incense sticks. It was night, the cigarettes in the house were filled with dazzling offerings, and the atmosphere of celebrating the New Year came at once.

The 25th day of the twelfth lunar month is the day when the gods go down. Traditionally, every household dusts inside and outside, removes the accumulated dust for one year, and cleans up the sundries that are usually piled up. This move is quite serious, and in today's words, it can be called an active and well-regulated mass health movement. After this day's work, every household is dirty, its supplies are better than before, and its appearance is fresh inside and outside, which is like a new year's eve.

From this day on, every household began to be busy with all aspects of the Spring Festival. The first thing is to buy and prepare all kinds of food for the New Year. Every household must also grind flour to make glutinous rice balls, and some families make homemade rice cakes with flour. The former means "round and round", while the latter can be "happy" and "high year after year". The second is to prepare new clothes, new hats and new shoes. People may wear old things all year round, but they must look over their "clothes" in the New Year. Once again, I began to buy Spring Festival couplets, New Year pictures and "door gods" to post them on the doors, upstairs and downstairs. During this period, in order to meet the needs of the public, there were many kinds of these things on the market. Each family also needs its own things. For example, if you buy Spring Festival couplets, the store will choose "business is booming all over the world, and the financial resources are flourishing up to the Three Rivers", while the average household will choose "days increase, people live longer, spring is full, and Kunming is full of happiness".

This period is also the busiest time of the year. On the one hand, business is booming and sales are booming. On the other hand, at the end of the year, it is the period when each family cleans up the current accounts for one year and asks the debtors for the arrears. So each family sent a special person to handle this matter, and a large-scale "debt collection" team appeared in the city: "carrying the bill in a cloth bag, crossing the street from east to west. When you step into the heavy door, you are busy calling for it, and your husband should return to Qi. " There are many people who can't repay their accounts on time for various reasons. Debt collectors bear heavy responsibilities and pursue hard, often acting day and night, regardless of the cold of the night.

among those who can't pay their bills on time, there are actually many people who are completely unable to pay their bills. In addition to the debts owed to the store, these people are likely to owe personal debts. The end of the year is also the time when most of the debts are repaid, so these people are faced with the pressure of asking for money in two aspects. However, according to the usual practice, debt collection and collection can only be done until New Year's Eve, and it is not allowed to be done in the New Year. It is unlucky to blame yourself for "bad luck". Therefore, New Year's Eve is the last pass for those who evade their accounts and debts. If they escape this pass, it will be another matter next year. So they have been dealing with debt collectors and doing everything possible to get through this New Year's Eve: "The creditors who are riddled with holes come, and it is difficult to get back without any plans. I have to go on stage to avoid it today, and I will get rid of it after dawn. "

However, except for the above-mentioned poor people, on the whole, when the New Year comes, everyone is inevitably extremely jubilant and in high spirits. After all the preparations mentioned above, the New Year's Eve, which we are looking forward to every day, finally comes to our eyes, and the celebration of the New Year has reached a climax.

the beauty of new year's eve is at sunset. In the evening, all families gather indoors, even those who are far away from home, try to go home and spend the New Year with their families before. Everyone sat together under the lights, ate the "New Year's Eve", ate and drank, talked and laughed, and the meal lasted for a long time. This is a year of hard work to enjoy family happiness, hence the name "family fun".

This night is next to the New Year, so many family elders don't go to bed after the New Year's Eve, and stay around the stove for the New Year. Also talking and laughing, eating omnivores. People won't feel that this night is deeper and longer. At midnight, some people will go to the temple in the city to burn "head incense".

When the cock crows at the first light of day, all households, men, women and children wear new clothes, hats and shoes, and worship the heavens and the earth and ancestors in the hall where offerings have already been arranged. Then, the young and the old paid New Year greetings to their parents, who distributed the lucky money that had been prepared years ago to their children. This was the long-awaited hope of the children, and they finally got it in their pockets with joy. Then open the door and let off the explosion to welcome the new year, and the neighbors meet each other to celebrate the new year.

From the first day of junior high school onwards, it is a period for relatives and friends to return and pay New Year greetings. Guests bring more gifts, and guests must be invited to drink "Yuanbao Tea", which is to put olives in the tea or put a olive on the top of the tea cover. He also offered fruit in a golden lacquer plate, and said, "Congratulations!". And I will treat you to wine and rice. At that time, the elders had to send lucky money whenever they saw their younger generation, which was inevitably a big burden for those who were financially strapped. However, this kind of New Year greeting was simplified in Shanghai in the late Qing Dynasty. People who have many contacts go out to pay New Year's greetings often don't come in the door, but only throw a thorn in their behalf, so that they can save entertainment and expenses: "In exchange for new peaches and colors, the robe is short to the door. Who is most afraid of frequent waist folding, throwing thorns in a hurry to celebrate the New Year. "

In the New Year, except walking around each other to mark the New Year, the rest of the time is "celebrated" with various excursions and entertainment activities. Some people go out for a stroll, and the most places they go are the City God Temple and the connected West Garden (that is, the Yuyuan Garden): "There is nothing to do in the New Year, and you can walk across the zigzag bridge in the garden. Suddenly I heard the children clap their hands together, and the kite shook for a long time. " However, since the establishment of the modern concession, the colorful Shili foreign exchange has become a fascinating place for amusement in the New Year, especially for those who live outside the foreign exchange: "People in the city love foreign exchange, while people outside the city compete for the temple garden. At the same time, it is generally willing to look at it, and everyone is speechless. " Others go out to watch plays, listen to books and drink tea. After the opening of the port, there was a lot of prostitution inside and outside the Shanghai foreign exchange, and some people took advantage of this period to have a wild trip, so they were busy with the fireworks fields everywhere: "The weather mirror in the New Year is newly polished, and money is thrown like a shuttle. There are thousands of Chu pavilions in Qin Lou, and there are many laughter at the opening of the fruit bowl "; Of course, more people often stay at home, and indoor fun can be found by themselves, such as inviting relatives and friends to build a "square city", playing drums and playing the piano, singing by themselves, and so on: "Good food, fresh clothes, and happiness make you older, and thousands of people cast thorns to borrow common names. Every household is closed for three days (referring to businesses), not the sound of cards or drums. "

on the fifth day of the first month, it is the birthday of the god of wealth (commonly known as the "road god"), and there are actions of "connecting with the god of wealth", "connecting with the god of wealth in five ways" and "connecting with the god of wealth in five ways" all over the country. The god of wealth is all about "wealth", and everyone is concerned, especially the merchants who start business for wealth, so their celebration is the most energetic. Shanghai has long been a prosperous commercial city in the southeast, and businesses can be seen everywhere. It is conceivable that the celebration of the fifth day is particularly fierce. Merchants receive more than three sacrifices from the God of Wealth: pig head, carp and rooster. Carp lovers, homophonic "Liyu", are particularly popular. As early as a few days ago, villagers from rural areas in the streets and lanes sold fresh carp to various pockets. Carp was also called "silver ingot fish", so it was called "sending silver ingots."

On the fifth day of junior high school, a new portrait of Marshal Zhao was hung in the middle of the merchant hall. Except for three sacrifices, the other offerings were extremely rich. The incense sticks were lit and the house was full of light. Then, firecrackers were set off indoors and outdoors, one after another, and the city roared and the sound shook for hundreds of miles. And continuously, its sound and power are too strong for the morning of the first day: "firecrackers can't be connected, and the god of wealth is busy fighting for it." I just want business to be good this year, so why not pick up and drop off at the fifth watch? "

It's the fifteenth Lantern Festival at last. The expiration of May coincides with the reunion, which is for good luck. On this day, every family must eat "Yuanxiao", that is, glutinous rice balls, which also means reunion and good luck. However, the prosperity of Lantern Festival lies in "lights", so it is also called "Lantern Festival". It is a big lantern in front of every household and shop, in temples, gardens, squares and other public places. After sunset, all the lights are put together, and even the city is connected, and the red light shines brightly. There are various shapes of lanterns, including various kinds of lanterns, plant lanterns, animal lanterns, character lanterns, story lanterns, etc. The most common lanterns in Shanghai are rabbit lanterns, ingot lanterns and lantern lanterns, and the biggest and most wonderful one is the "dragon lantern": the dragon body has a head and a tail, scales are flashing, and it is * * * long with a long handle, which is held by dragon dancers. Also, a special person holds a "rolling lantern" like a big ball, playing with the dragon body, chasing and even fighting, and they dance in the streets of Shanghai.

At that time, men, women and children will appear in groups. The Town God Temple and the West Garden are also the center of an activity. It is a pavilion decorated with colorful lights, which is bright inside and outside. In the garden, there is a big rockery and high rocks, and fireworks are also set off, which is the most attractive. The audience who came here jostled shoulder to shoulder, all smiling. In addition to watching the lights, this Lantern Festival enjoys a special "popularity": the so-called "ten-mile bead curtains are not rolled, and the people who watch the lights look at the people who watch the lights" is that unique artistic conception. The midnight snack will last until late at night, and when the lights are off, everyone will slowly walk home. There is a saying that this day happens to be the day when the kitchen god returns, so when he goes home, he just catches the kitchen master.

In the coming dawn, this year's Spring Festival celebration has come to an end. (Text/Zheng Zuan)

Chongming Spring Festival Customs

The Spring Festival is a major festival in China's folk tradition. It is the first festival in all seasons, so it is especially valued by people. As the saying goes: "A hundred miles of different winds, a thousand miles of different customs". Due to the unique region of the county, the customs of the Spring Festival vary slightly from place to place. Now I collect some scenes and shots around the Spring Festival in the past years, and get drunk together with readers.

Twenty-four nights

Since the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, people who have worked hard for a year have been busy to celebrate the Spring Festival. On the 13th or 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, they are collectively called "24 nights". According to legend, this day is the day when the kitchen god goes to heaven, and there is a custom among the people to send the kitchen god to heaven. On this night, the people used "rolled silver bags" (cooked with green vegetables, arrowheads, tofu, etc. as stuffing, and then wrapped with venetian blinds), "twenty-four sweets" and red bean rice as sacrificial food, lit incense sticks to offer sacrifices to the kitchen king, prepared paper money, tied colorful bridges, kowtowed to worship, then set off firecrackers, and put the kitchen king statue with the front curtain (commonly known as "happy string") This custom has been eliminated now, but the ancient custom of eating red bean rice and rolling silver bags still exists. After 24 nights, every household became busier and busier, cleaning up inside and outside, commonly known as dusting eaves, washing bedding, brewing wine, frying peanuts and broad beans, and purchasing food. People in urban and rural areas of the island generally have to mill steamed cakes, and this custom has continued to this day. Because "Gao" and "Gao" are homophonic, people are looking for a good oral color that is high every year. The methods of making cakes vary from place to place in this county. The upper sand is mainly steamed sponge cakes, the middle area is steamed sticky cakes, and the lower sand is mainly steamed pu sole cakes. Poor families use sorghum flour and white corn as the main raw materials for steamed cakes. In addition, people should prepare some things like tin foil, paper money, incense sticks, gold ingots, tea and fruit as sacrifices to worship God. A few days before New Year's Eve, people will also put up new Spring Festival couplets, hang their ancestors, hang the portraits of their ancestors on the main wall of nave, arrange sacrifices, and light incense sticks when the New Year's Eve arrives, so that the younger generation can pay their respects. Before New Year's Eve, people also play hoards, that is, put lime in sacks and print it on the ground, hoping for Man Cang in the coming year. These activities are now gone. Some farmers also put the garbage and useless chores and weeds in the city into the outfield and set them on fire, so as to be auspicious and safe in the coming year.

New Year's Eve

December 3th of the lunar calendar is New Year's Eve, commonly known as New Year's Eve. On this day, all the furnishings for the New Year are arranged properly, such as writing Spring Festival couplets and sticking to the door. In the evening, the whole family, old and young, gather together for dinner, and the dishes are much richer than usual. The main dish is cooked with Chinese cabbage and tofu and wrapped in venetian blinds, which is called the money-rolling bundle to show that the financial resources will come in the coming year. This night is the happiest day for children, because parents and elders send lucky money. In the old society, it was hard for people who had no money on this day. According to the old rules, the debts were paid off in the same year, and the debts could not be collected at the end of the year. They could not be forced to collect debts until the lights went out in early February, so the creditors sent people around to collect debts, and those who could not pay their debts had to hide everywhere, and they could not return home until the first day of the year. Therefore, in the past, there was a saying that "grain farmers are better off in the year, but they are sad when they have no money".

Spring Festival

The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, commonly known as Chinese New Year. The first thing every family does in the early morning of 28 is to set off firecrackers, which is called "opening the door cannon". Its original intention is to exorcise evil spirits, and later it means to open the door and get rich. During the Spring Festival, adults and children put on new clothes and neatly dressed, and the whole family sat around the table. * * * There was a hearty breakfast, which was mainly vegetarian, with glutinous rice balls and sugar rice cakes to show the family reunion, and a bowl of red bean rice was mixed into the breakfast last 24 nights, commonly known as "old rice", which means a good meal every other year. After breakfast, the children greet their neighbors, relatives and elders one by one. On the first day of the first month, there are many taboos. You can't move knives, splash water, go to the water bridge to wash rice, sweep the floor, open the back door, move firewood, swear words, hit people, sleep too late and so on. Even firewood for cooking and cooking should be crackled with sesame stalks and soybean stalks in the furnace hall. The brighter the fire, the more auspicious it will be. In addition, every family should cook breakfast on the morning of the third and fifth days of the year, and light incense sticks before meals, so as to pray for the prosperity and safety of the whole family.

In the old days, there were more beggars during the Spring Festival. There was a beggar who didn't go begging because his family was poor. There is a gate of death for the elderly to live to 9981. Only by eating "a hundred meals" can they get through it safely. So the filial sons and daughters with old people go out to beg for food for their parents on the first day of the New Year. There is also a beggar, commonly known as "beggar". The way they beg is funny. Some beggars wrap the heads of vegetables in red paper and hang them on bamboo poles. Every time they come to the door, they say that the heads of vegetables have arrived, business is good and they beg for alms. Some people hold a branch of holly or cypress and hang some small bells on the branch to show that their families will be like cash cows in the new year. This is called a "cash cow". Some corporate beggars dressed in Buddhist shirts and statues masks, disguised as the Buddha of Wealth, rushed to the houses of various houses to show that the Buddha of Wealth was coming. This is called "jumping the God of Wealth"