The fifth day of the Lunar New Year, commonly known as the Breaking Five Festival, is one of the traditional Chinese festivals with a long history. On this day, there are many folk activities with local characteristics, such as sending the poor, grabbing the road, etc., and the most interesting and mysterious of them is the taboo and custom of "breaking five". This article will detail the origin, customs, and meanings of the fifth day of the first lunar month, as well as the advice of the ancients, in order to give readers a better understanding of this traditional festival.
1. The origin of the broken five sections
There are various theories in history about the origin of the broken five knots. One of the theories is that the breaking of the five festivals originated from the ancient custom of sending the poor. According to the record of "Trivia of the Year", ancient Chinese folk believed that the fifth day of the first lunar month was the "birthday of the God of Wealth", and this day was "not suitable for ruin", so every household had to "send the poor". There are many ways to send the poor, such as sweeping the floor, taking out the garbage, etc., to show that the poor are sent away. It evolved into a festival to celebrate the New Year and pray for good luck.
Another theory is that the breaking of the five festivals is related to the Han Dynasty's custom of "driving away the Wu". It is a ritual of exorcising evil spirits and avoiding disasters in ancient Chinese folk, which is generally held on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. "Tokyo Menghualu" recorded: "On the fifth day of the first month, it is also called 'over the five', and the carriage and horses are sheng. On that day, they sold the Five Emperor Talismans, Fortune Horses, Rhino Skins, Whips, Five-colored Pingjin and Masks, and Sedan Chairs. It can be seen that the people of that time believed that evil spirits could be driven away and prayers for peace could be made by exorcising them.
Second, the custom of breaking the five festivals
1.Send the poor.
Sending the poor is one of the most important customs of the Fifth Festival. On this day, people clean their houses and take out their garbage as a sign of sending away poverty. In addition, a piece of red paper should be cut out, and the words "poor souls collect their feet" should be written and pasted on the corner of the wall to show that the poor god will be sent away. In some places, paper money and firecrackers are burned to pay tribute to the poor gods. Although there are different ways to send the poor, they are all rituals performed by people to pray for freedom from poverty and hardship in the new year.
2.Grab the roadhead.
Grabbing the road head is also one of the important customs of breaking the five festivals. On this day, people rush out to go to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings, and grab the head incense. In some places, the three animal wine ceremonies are also placed on the side of the road to pay tribute to the road god. The custom of grabbing the head of the road originated from the ancients' emphasis on road safety, hoping to pray for a safe and smooth trip in the new year by paying tribute to the god of the road.
3.The taboo of breaking five.
There are also some taboos and customs in the Breaking Five Festival. For example, on the day of breaking five, it is not advisable to break the ground, break the dishes, splash water, etc. These taboos and customs are meant to pray for a safe and prosperous new year. In terms of food, traditional foods such as dumplings and rice cakes should be eaten during the fifth festival, which means reunion and auspiciousness.
3. The Advice of the Ancients
In ancient times, people attached great importance to the Breaking Five Festival, believing that this day had a very important significance. The advice of the ancients mainly includes the following:
1.Don't be overly extravagant and wasteful. In ancient times, material conditions were relatively scarce, and people's living standards were low. Therefore, the ancients believed that on the day of the Fifth Festival, we should avoid excessive luxury and waste, not extravagance and waste, cherish our possessions, and consume rationally. This is also the consumption concept that modern people should follow in their daily lives.
2.Be mindful of your words and actions. On the day of the fifth festival, people should avoid bad behaviors such as quarrels and quarrels, so as not to cause unnecessary troubles and disputes. In addition, it is necessary to avoid swearing, foul language and other uncivilized language, and maintain good manners and moral cultivation. This is also the basic etiquette and moral norms that we should abide by in modern society.
3.Keep the room tidy. On the day of the fifth festival, people have to clean the house, tidy up the house, and keep the room clean and hygienic. This not only reduces the occurrence of diseases, but also helps to improve the quality of life and work efficiency. This is also a good hygiene habit and lifestyle that we should develop in modern life.
4.Be socially active. In ancient times, it was believed that the festival was an important social festival, and people should actively participate in various social activities to expand their personal connections and enhance friendship and unity. In modern society, we can also expand our relationships and enhance our social skills by participating in various social activities.
5.Travel safely. On the day of the Fifth Day, people should pay special attention to safe travel and avoid traffic accidents and other accidents. Before traveling, it is necessary to check the condition of the vehicle, obey the traffic rules, keep a safe distance and other safety measures to ensure a safe and smooth trip. This is also the safety precautions that we should always pay attention to and follow in modern life.
In short, the advice of the ancients mainly revolved around cherishing possessions, words and deeds, hygiene habits, social activities, and safe travel. Although these advice originate from the living environment and cultural background of ancient societies, they are still significant and instructive in modern societies. We should conscientiously absorb the spiritual connotation and practical value of these advices, and integrate them into modern life, so as to better pass them on.
On the way home is the New Year