How did people in Song Dynasty spend New Year's Day?

New Year's Day was also celebrated in the Northern Song Dynasty. However, at that time, New Year's Day was the first day of the first lunar month, which was called New Year's Day, also known as January Day, Zheng Dan, Jacky, Nianchao and so on. New Year's Day is the beginning of a year. Zi Mu of Song and Wu said in his dream: "The first day of the first month is called New Year's Day, commonly known as the first day of the New Year's Day." At that time, officials and people regarded it as a big festival. The series "Wild Guest" says: "The solstice in winter, Jacky (the first day of the New Year's Day) and cold food are official and private holidays, with seven days off." In other words, the "New Year's Day" in the Northern Song Dynasty is equivalent to the current Spring Festival. At that time, the national "Holiday Office" issued a notice to give "office workers" a seven-day holiday.

On New Year's Day, a large-scale court meeting was held in the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, and hundreds of officials congratulated the emperor. People call it "the battle against righteousness". At this time, diplomats from Liao, North Korea, Xixia, Khotan and Uighur often came to congratulate the DPRK. Senator Meng said in "Dream of China in Tokyo": "The Great Liao envoy wore a golden crown, and the back eaves were as long as lotus leaves, wearing a narrow purple robe and golden; The agreement is wrapped in a gold belt, such as Hanfu. When the ambassador bows down, he stands with his left foot, kneels with his right foot, and holds his right shoulder with his hands as a bow. This agreement is like a China instrument. ..... Uighurs have long beards, high noses, silks on their heads and messy clothes. Yu Kun came with his wife and son, a small golden flower felt hat, a gold silk shirt, a drawstring, a camel and a copper cloak. Among them, the envoys of Liao Dynasty will burn incense in Suoguo Temple the next day and shoot arrows in Nanyu Garden the next day, and the court will choose an excellent archer to accompany them. With the shooting victory, Shijingcheng Jingerdu Road presented slogans and the audience was blocked. " It can be seen that New Year's Day was celebrated in Beijing at that time.

On the morning of New Year's Day, every household in Beijing should get up early, freshen up, put on new clothes, visit relatives and friends, wish each other happiness and drink to celebrate.

Since New Year's Day, the government has allowed people to take part in the three-day Guanpu Competition. The so-called "closing the shop" is a gambling game. The two parties involved in the game agreed on the price, threw the copper coins in the crock or on the ground, and judged the winner according to the number of subtitles of the money. The winner can fold the money and take the things he throws, and the loser has to pay. You can bet a lot on closing the shop. Cars, horses, houses, singers and dancers can all be used as gambling funds.

Guanpu was simple and clear, and it was very popular among the people at that time. However, only on such a big festival as New Year's Day, the government allows "closed robots" to open, and generally bets on food, daily utensils, fruits, firewood and the like. On New Year's Eve, women from rich families either go to the stadium to watch gambling or go to the store to hold a banquet. "Dream of China in Tokyo" said that such things are "used to it, and it is not surprising to laugh at each other".

On New Year's Day during the Northern Song Dynasty, many bustling streets in Beijing were decorated with lanterns, covered with hats, combs, pearls, jewelry, clothes, flowers, collars, boots and shoes, toys and other commodities, as well as dance halls and karaoke bars, and horses and chariots flowed in an endless stream. At the same time, there were many eating customs, for example, most families had to eat vegetarian cakes. "Tokyo Dream of China" said: "(Kaifeng on New Year's Day) all decoct soup and drink, and burn Atractylodes rhizome to get rid of the epidemic." Many people also "use one hundred, one persimmon and one orange, and break them in the middle for everyone to share, thinking that one year old is a good omen." From this point of view, the New Year's Day in the Northern Song Dynasty is really full of festive atmosphere and very lively.