On the fifth day of the first lunar month, according to the ancient tradition, people will thoroughly sweep the garbage from their homes and put them in bags. Next, the garbage is blown up by setting off firecrackers. This process is figuratively called "sending the poor". The older generation believes that in this way, they can sweep away the poverty and obscurity of the family and welcome the new year with a new attitude. This is not only a custom, but also a great hope for a better future. The fifth day of the first lunar month is also the birthday of the God of Wealth, and people will pay special respects to the God of Wealth and pray for good fortune. In the course of the sacrifice, two sacrifices, sheep and fish, are indispensable. The sheep symbolizes auspiciousness and foreshadows a bright future; Fish, on the other hand, represents a surplus of years and is a symbol of wealth. When fresh lamb and live fish are carefully placed on the offering table, accompanied by the sound of cigarette smoke and pious prayers, people's hearts are filled with eager anticipation and infinite hope for the future.
On this day, there are several important principles to follow. First of all, people generally don't visit each other because they fear that they will bring misfortune and poverty to each other. In addition, New Year's greetings were also suspended, as the day was mainly used for sacrifices, sending off the poor and welcoming wealth, and all activities revolved around these themes. Finally, on this day, everyone will not be lazy, and we are convinced that hard work is the key to a smooth and successful new year.
Although these traditional customs have evolved into a cultural symbol, the profound meaning behind them and people's yearning for a better life have never changed. In the hearts of the ancestors, the new year is filled with endless prayers and the pursuit of self-discipline. They express their desire for wealth, good luck, and prosperity through specific customs, such as the "Four Robs" and the "Five Ways God of Wealth." "Four robberies" refers to the night of the fourth day of the first lunar month, when people rush to welcome the arrival of the God of Wealth. In the early morning of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, people go to the road, light incense candles, cannonballs and bonfires, and worship the God of Wealth with devout worship, hoping to be favored by the God of Wealth and obtain wealth and good luck. This traditional custom symbolizes people's ardent yearning for a better life. In addition, the folk divide the God of Wealth into five roads: east, west, south, north and middle, collectively referred to as the "Five Roads God of Wealth". On the fifth day of the first lunar month, people will worship the god of wealth on these five roads, praying for prosperity and prosperity. These gods of wealth have their own meanings, some are the god of literature and wealth, the god of righteous wealth, the god of martial wealth, etc., and some are recognized by local customs such as Zhao Gongming, Bigan, and Chai Wangye. By worshipping these gods of wealth, the ancestors pinned their hopes for wealth and happiness. These traditions not only demonstrate the ancestors' quest for wealth and good fortune, but also reflect their strong beliefs and aspirations for a better future. On cold nights, people hold candles, cigarette smoke fills, cannons illuminate the dark streets, and prayers are heard, and the scene is filled with a yearning for a better future. And when the statue of the god of wealth is slowly displayed in the sacrificial ceremony, people pray sincerely, hoping to usher in the blessing of the god of wealth from the five directions and realize the good wishes of prosperous wealth and abundant wealth. These customs are not only a kind of faith, but also a beautiful expectation for people's life in the new year.