With the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival becoming stronger and stronger, the third day of the Lunar New Year is quietly coming. On this day, in the ancient land of China, there are many distinctive traditional customs. Among them, "sending poor ghosts" is one of the most important activities on this day, and along with this custom, there is also the emphasis on "doing 3 things and avoiding 3 things". Let's take a closer look at these interesting traditions.
Send the poor ghost
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the folk have the custom of "sending poor ghosts". It is believed that in the first few days of the New Year, some bad luck, or so-called "poor energy", may accumulate in the home. In order to drive away these bad luck, people will send the "poor ghosts" out of their homes through specific rituals and activities on the third day of the Lunar New Year.
There are many ways to send poor ghosts, and some places will set off firecrackers, which means that the sound and light of firecrackers will scare the "poor ghosts" away; In some places, the garbage will be swept away, and all the waste in the home will be thrown away, symbolizing the "poverty" to be swept away; In other places, rituals are held to pray to the gods to take away the "poor ghosts". Regardless of the method used, the purpose of sending the poor ghost is to pray for good fortune and good fortune in the new year.
Do 3 things
Dust sweeping: On the third day of the Lunar New Year, people will carry out dust sweeping activities. This is not only to keep the family environment clean and hygienic, but more importantly, it means saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, sweeping away all bad luck and misfortune, and welcoming the good luck and happiness of the new year. People will thoroughly clean the inside and outside of the house, including the courtyard, utensils, etc., to give the home a new look.
Burning the door paper: In the old days, there was a custom of burning the door paper on the third day of the Lunar New Year. The door god paper is a statue of a god pasted on the door, which is used to ward off evil spirits and protect the safety of the house. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, people will take down the old door god paper and burn it, implying that they will bid farewell to the old gods and welcome new gods to protect their homes. This custom reflects people's reverence for the gods and good expectations for the new year.
Worship ancestors and gods: The third day of the Lunar New Year is also an important day to worship ancestors and gods. People will set up altars in their homes or temples, place offerings, and burn incense to pray for blessings. Ancestor worship is a remembrance and respect for ancestors, and worship to the gods is a prayer and gratitude to the gods. This custom is not only the inheritance of traditional culture, but also the embodiment of the identity and cohesion of the family and the nation.
Avoid 3 things
Do not visit relatives and friends: On the third day of the Lunar New Year, there is a saying of "Red Dog Day", believing that it is not appropriate to go out to visit relatives and friends on this day. Because "red dog" symbolizes bad luck in ancient culture, people choose to stay at home on this day and avoid going out in order to avoid being exposed to the bad luck of "red dog". This taboo embodies the awe of the unknown and the desire for a peaceful life.
Do not use knives and scissors: On the third day of the Lunar New Year, there is also a custom of avoiding knives and scissors. It is believed that sharp objects such as knives and scissors can easily cut off wealth and good luck, so try to avoid using them on this day. This taboo is both a cherishing of wealth and a desire for a peaceful life. If you do need to use tools such as knives and scissors, try to be cautious to avoid accidents.
Don't light the lamp: In ancient times, there was a legend of "the third rat marrying", so people would turn off the lights early at night to go to bed early to provide a venue for the rat to marry, so as not to disturb their marriage and cause trouble. Although this taboo may seem absurd in modern times, it embodies the reverence for the natural world and the wisdom of living in harmony with all things. Of course, in modern society, this taboo has gradually faded, and people see it more as an interesting traditional cultural phenomenon.
In general, the customs of "sending poor ghosts" and "doing 3 things and avoiding 3 things" on the third day of the Lunar New Year are important parts of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. They not only enrich our festival life, but also let us feel the charm and value of traditional culture in joy. In the new year, let's follow these traditions and pray for more auspiciousness and happiness for the new year!