In the Chinese New Year, every day carries a rich folk tradition and profound cultural implications. Among them, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is an important node in the Spring Festival holiday, and its unique customs and activities are not only rich in the deep meaning of auspicious prayers, but also a vivid embodiment of the folk beliefs and life wisdom of the Chinese nation. The following is a detailed description of some of the most typical traditional customs on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year and the symbolism behind them.
The fourth day of the Lunar New Year is the day when the Lord of the Stove returns to the world, and the Lord of the Stove is regarded as one of the guardian saints of the family, in charge of the family's food and fireworks. According to tradition, on Chinese New Year's Eve, King Stove would go to the Heavenly Court to report to the Jade Emperor on the family's good and evil words and deeds in the past year. On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, every household will hold a solemn ceremony to welcome the god of the stove to welcome the king of the stove back to his home, praying for a prosperous stove, a good harvest and the health of the whole family in the new year. This custom embodies people's yearning for a harmonious life and devout prayer for the well-being of the family.
On the other hand, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is also a day to bid farewell to the god of fire. The god of fire has played an important role in traditional Chinese culture, especially Zhurong, who is revered as the earliest god of fire, representing light, warmth and vitality. Worshipping the god of fire expresses their awe and gratitude for fire, as well as praying for peace and good luck in the new year. In some places, the fourth day of the first lunar month will hold a corresponding ceremony to send the god of fire to take away the calamities of the old year and welcome the new auspiciousness.
Eating origami is a unique custom on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, and the so-called "origa" refers to the leftover food chowder during the Spring Festival. On this day, people gather the leftover food from the previous day's feast and recook it and share it with the whole family, which is not only to cherish the food but not to waste it, but also to imply the hope that there will be more and more in the coming year. In addition, "throwing away poverty" is a symbolic act, which usually involves cleaning the house and discarding old things, etc., in order to express the determination to bid farewell to the poverty and hardship of the old year and usher in the new year of prosperity and auspiciousness.
In some areas, the custom of "connecting the five roads" is also prevalent, that is, on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the god of wealth in the five directions of the southeast, northwest, and central directions, hoping for prosperity and prosperity in the new year. Merchants and individuals often prepare offerings at specific times and perform sacrifices to pray for abundant wealth.
Although the main custom on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is biased towards the worship of the gods, during this period, family and friends continue to pay New Year's greetings and visit each other. However, some regions follow the ancient precept that it is not advisable to travel far on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, because it is the day of receiving the gods, and it is advisable to guard the family house in order to better complete the rituals, while also emphasizing the importance of family reunion.
To sum up, the traditional customs of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year are an important part of Chinese New Year culture, and they are intertwined with ancient myths and legends, ethics and morality, and the expectations of real life. These customs are not only a retrospective and commemoration of the past years, but also the expectation and blessing of a better life in the future, which are deeply rooted in the spiritual world of the Chinese people, and radiate new vitality with the arrival of the New Year every year.