As we all know, New Year's greetings are an important part of traditional Chinese festivals, which are not only a traditional custom, but also reflect our respect and care for our elders. In the northern region, when the younger generation pays New Year's greetings to the elders, they must kowtow. So, where does this custom come from? What is the profound meaning of this? Let's have a chance together!
Let's first understand the word "New Year's greetings". The word New Year's greetings was first seen in Zuo Chuan, which means to congratulate the elders on the New Year, and later gradually evolved into a form of exchanging New Year's wishes and greetings between relatives and friends. And kowtow this action, in ancient times called "worship Ji Shou", first appeared in the "Zuo Chuan" Xuan Gong 12 years, when the Jin State to Qi State New Year, it is stipulated that the New Year's worshipper should kneel three times, the first time to worship with the head to touch the ground, the second time to worship with the head to touch the knee, the third time to worship with the head to the ground. Since then, "New Year's kowtow" has become a custom for younger generations in northern China to pay New Year's greetings to their elders.
Why do you want to kowtow to your elders to greet the New Year?
In ancient times, the head represented respect, status, and dignity. The younger generation kowtows to the elders, expressing respect and obedience to the elders, and also showing the respect and awe of the younger generations for the elders. This custom, to a certain extent, also reflects the inheritance of the spirit of "filial piety" in traditional Chinese culture.
So, do modern people still insist on kowtowing to their elders? The answer is yes. In today's society, with the acceleration of the pace of life and the dilution of traditional concepts, many people choose to express their blessings and care for their elders in a more convenient and fast way. However, the custom of kowtowing to the New Year is still inherited and carried forward in some northern regions. It is not only the inheritance of traditional culture, but also a kind of adherence to traditional virtues such as family, friendship, and filial piety.
Here, we wish you all happiness and health in the new year!