The festive atmosphere of the New Year of the Dragon is still blooming with bright fireworks in the nine days, like a golden dragon leaping between the jade and the sky, heralding the new year, and the fields are full of hope.
Time flies, and people can't help but feel emotional, this short and precious Spring Festival holiday is quietly coming to an end. With the passing of the "Breaking Five" festival, many people have begun to pack up and prepare to embark on the journey back to work, with eager expectations and firm beliefs for the new journey of the Year of the Dragon.
The Chinese New Year's Eve night and the warm reunion of the Spring Festival, which once haunted my heart and warmly celebrated, have now turned into a beautiful chapter in my memory, precipitated into the warm echo of recent days.
At this moment, we ushered in the far-reaching day of the sixth day of the first lunar month, also known as the "Horse Day". At this moment, we ushered in the far-reaching day of the sixth day of the first lunar month, also known as the "Horse Day".
At this seasonal node with great characteristics in traditional folk customs, people from all over the country follow the ancient precepts and hold a ceremony to send off the poor, bidding farewell to the troubles and fatigue of the old years in their own unique ways, and conveying the ardent yearning and active pursuit of a rich and harmonious life in the new year.
Through this series of colorful customs and activities, people not only send away material hardships, but also wash away spiritual troubles, so as to refresh and welcome a new year full of infinite possibilities.
The eight customs of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.
Snatch the God of Wealth mascot
In some regions, twelve-year-olds dressed in festive costumes and carrying five small dolls of fortune are carefully selected to role-play the meaning of the "Six Great Shuns".
This traditional activity is called "Grab the God of Wealth", and participants scramble to grab the dolls behind the children's backs, symbolizing the favor and protection of the God of Wealth.
This custom is a vivid interpretation of the wisdom of the folk proverb "Bangs play with gold toads, catch money step by step", and today, this culturally rich game form has evolved into the inspiration for many modern hunting games.
The sixth day of the new year is cleaned up and welcomed
In the vast land of China, for a period of time after the Spring Festival, many places follow the traditional custom of not easily sweeping garbage out of the house, and it is not until the sixth day of the first lunar month that an exception can be made.
Therefore, many families choose to carry out a comprehensive and thorough cleaning of the inside and outside of their homes on this day, in order to sweep away the dust of the old year and welcome the auspicious atmosphere of the new year.
At the same time, the sixth day of the Lunar New Year is also regarded as an auspicious day for many businesses to open, and many companies will also carry out deep cleaning at this time to start a year's business journey with a new look.
Coinciding with the festive season
Following the ancient folk wisdom of "369, good to travel", on the sixth day of the first month of the Lunar New Year, people especially recommend going out to visit the city, especially in the crowded and lively places.
In some places, it is more important to wear new socks to walk the streets, and in the itinerary planning, they prefer to choose a complete circular route, which means that life in the new year is round and happy, and everything goes smoothly.
Say goodbye to the poor god and pray for blessings
It can be traced back to a poem by a Batam poet in the Song Dynasty "Sending the Poor Ghost": "When the first month is dark, a banana boat carries two lanterns, shining, and a banquet is set up in the cabin to entertain guests. Persuade Jun Langjun and the little lady not to waste this trip and go to the ceremony of sending the poor together. ”
Although many ancient poems record the custom of "sending poor ghosts" on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, there is still no conclusion on whether this person was sent away as a ghost or a god, and there is no precise standard for defining it.
However, the traditional festival of "Sending the Poor Day" has evolved and has been passed down from ancient times to the present, and has become a ritual for the people to place their hopes for a better New Year and a deep yearning for a happy life in the future.
The opening is a good deal
According to the old rules of our Chinese, the sixth day of the Lunar New Year is a good day to open a store. The bosses will set off firecrackers, hoping that the new year will be prosperous and smooth.
In many shops, there will also be a couplet with the words "the market is open, everything is prosperous". Also, when you go to the store on this day, you need to say something auspicious, such as "the market is open, the money is rolling" and so on.
After the sixth day of junior high school, everyone will chat normally, and there is no need to pay special attention to it.
Put on the auspicious fruit
Because the sixth day of the Lunar New Year is so special, every household will put some auspicious fruits on the table, hoping to bring good luck.
For example, some business people will put a few pots of orange trees on their stalls on the opening day to make a good fortune.
In addition to oranges, oranges represent the fulfillment of wishes, and apples represent peace and security, all of which are well-intentioned.
Praise auspicious words
Similar to the aforementioned custom of "opening the market", on this day, whether you go shopping at a merchant or visit the door of relatives and friends, you need to spit out lotus flowers and convey auspicious words when you enter the door.
It is believed that speaking auspicious words can inject a steady stream of good wishes into the lives of the other person, and at the same time, they can accumulate profound blessings for themselves.
Bath and change clothes to welcome the new year
On this special day, people will thoroughly clean up all the filth and worn-out clothes in the house, and burn the sacrifice to get rid of the unclean spirit.
Not only that, but the cleanliness of oneself should not be neglected. Because on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, there are many taboos in various places, and the fifth day of the Lunar New Year means that the new year officially sets sail.
Therefore, on this day, every family will change into brand new clothes and welcome a new life with a radiant face. Washing away the dirt on the body means "sending away poverty" and taking a key step towards prosperity.
Time flies, and the mountains and rivers are still safe. After thousands of years of precipitation, there are both dross and dregs in the long river of history, as well as bright essence.
It is imperative that we cherish and reverently pass on those outstanding traditional cultural heritages.
At this beautiful moment on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, I hope that all people in the world can bathe in the auspicious blessings of the six great shuns, all year round, everything goes well, the year is safe, and it goes smoothly to the end!