The wax moon is the last month of the lunar calendar, and it is also the most lively month of the year. The origin and customs of the wax moon have a long history and rich cultural connotations. During this month, people prepare various items and food for the New Year, worship ancestors and gods, sweep away dirt and bad luck, bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and pray for good luck and happiness in the coming year.
There are two versions of the name of Layue. One is to say, wax is the ancient sacrifice to the ancestors and the gods of the "sacrifice" name, that is, the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties fixed on the eighth day of the first month of December, the Han people have to hunt birds and beasts to hold a big sacrifice activities, worship the gods and ancestors, in order to pray for blessings and longevity, avoid disasters and welcome auspiciousness. This ritual is called the "hunting festival". Because "wax" and "hunting" are on holiday, "hunting sacrifice" is written as "wax sacrifice", so the December at the end of the year is called the wax month. The other is that the original meaning of wax is dried meat, because the climate of this month is dry and rainless, suitable for air-drying to make cured meat, so it is called "wax moon". Either way, it reflects people's awareness and adaptation to nature and society.
The customs of the wax moon vary from place to place, but they all have some common characteristics. The first is to make and eat all kinds of cured meat, such as bacon, preserved fish, preserved chicken, preserved duck, etc., to show a good harvest and abundance. The second is to drink Laba porridge, that is, porridge made with a variety of ingredients on the eighth day of the lunar month, also known as Qibao five-flavor porridge, to show auspiciousness and reunion. The third is to sacrifice to the stove, that is, to pray and worship to the god of the stove on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of the lunar month, thank the god of the stove for a year's protection, and also ask the god of the stove to report the good and evil of the family to the Jade Emperor, hoping to get the gift of the Jade Emperor. Fourth, it is necessary to sweep the house, that is, to clean the environment on the 24th or 25th of the lunar month, clean all kinds of utensils, dismantle and wash the bedding and curtains, sprinkle and sweep the courtyard of Liulu, dust and dirt nets, and dredge the nullah culverts, so as to show the removal of the old cloth and the new and welcome the arrival of the new year. Fifth, it is necessary to paste the Spring Festival couplets, that is, on the 28th or 29th of the lunar month, write auspicious words on red paper and paste them on the door to express good wishes and expectations for the New Year. Sixth, we should keep the New Year, that is, not sleep on Chinese New Year's Eve, eat Chinese New Year's Eve dinner with our families, set off firecrackers, watch the Spring Festival Gala, and wait for the New Year's bell to show reunion and joy.
The wax moon is the most memorable month of the year. Because, entering the wax moon, the air is filled with a smell of festivals. In the month of Layue, people who have worked hard for a year can take a little rest and recuperate, in order to start from scratch in the coming year. Whether it is a city person or a village person, the happiness and satisfaction of the common people will spread silently in this static painting, and it will also convey such a message to the people who are still selfless and busy: the wax moon has come, the new year is not far away, and those who are busy walking forward should also rest. Walking into the wax moon, the New Year is not far away. The taste of the wax moon is the taste of joy, but also the taste of the year.