This year's "sting" is particularly special, and these four things need to be prepared in advance
The twenty-fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar is called"Warehouse filling day"or"Warehouse filling"。According to legend, this festival was established in honor of a kind and nameless warehouse official.
In the case of drought in the north for many years and the people had no harvest, he resolutely opened a warehouse for relief, and finally chose to burn the warehouse on the 25th day of the first month for relief. In order to commemorate his good deeds, people designated this day as the Warehouse Filling Festival.
The twenty-fifth day of the first lunar month is also the same"Hibernation"The solar term is the third of the 24 solar terms. This solar term reflects the germination and growth of organisms in nature in rhythmic changes.
The thunder caused by the southern hibernation has become a signature feature of the festival. With the roar of spring thunder, the temperature rises significantly and the precipitation increases. At this time, most of the southern region has entered the spring ploughing season, and the appearance of spring thunder indicates that the earth is recovering and everything is beginning to sprout.
The climatic characteristics of hibernation in the northern regions are slightly different. Due to differences in geographical location and weather conditions, the first day of a thunderstorm usually does not arrive until the second half of April in the Gregorian calendar.
During the sting season, most of the north is still cold, with relatively low temperatures and relatively little rain. However, with the arrival of the sting, the north gradually warmed up, and the ice and snow began to melt, creating favorable conditions for spring plowing and spring sowing.
As the saying goes:"Fill the warehouse and fill the stinger, and hoard grain in the harvest year"。This proverb vividly expresses the beautiful meaning of the warehouse filling festival and the hibernation festival.
The barn-filling festival is a traditional festival to pray for a good harvest, and people look forward to a good harvest in the fields. While"Sting"It is a critical stage in agricultural activities, as the proverb says:"When the sting festival arrives, the hoe does not stop", which vividly depicts the scene of the busy agricultural period.
When these two vibrant festivals meet, people will inevitably be full of anticipation and hope for a good harvest, which heralds a good year of abundant crops and abundant fruits.
In 2024, hibernation parties are held earlier due to the early arrival of spring, and it is not often that the hibernation party itself is held in the first month, but even less often that it is held on the same day as the barn filling party.
The 25th day of the first lunar month of 2024 is both the time of hibernation and the time of hibernation"Filling"Whether you're busy or not, it's a reminder to prepare for the peace of the Year of the Dragon.
Stir-fried soybeans. On this day, there is a custom of fried soybeans, also known as"Stir-fry insects"Because the ancients believed that when fried soybeans, the crackling sound of soybeans in the pot, similar to the sound of insects fighting against high temperatures, symbolizes the removal of pests, the protection of crops from pests, and the guarantee of a bumper harvest. This reflects the psychological expectations and prayers of ancient agricultural societies for the prevention of pests and diseases.
Soybeans are round in shape, meaningful"Rolling on", representing auspiciousness and wealth. In the sting season, spring ploughing begins, and everyone hopes for a good harvest in the new year, so they will fry soybeans and pray for these good things.
2.Sweep the fields.
Sweeping fields is also called"Sweep away pests", is a popular custom in some rural areas. This custom is to sweep the fields with a broom, which means to sweep away pests and protect crops. In fact, this is just a psychological suggestion that the farmer hopes to pray in this way that the crops are free of pests and that a good harvest is guaranteed.
3.Fish soup with dry rice.
As the saying goes, the twenty-fifth day of the first month"Filling", which means to prepare enough food for the day. Dry rice refers to rice, and fish soup is usually made with fresh raw carp.
On the day of the Filling Festival, every household cooks a large pot of rice and a pot of delicious fish soup, and the whole family sits around to share these delicacies. This way of eating is not only delicious, but also symbolizes a bright future.
Rice is one of the indispensable staple foods in the traditional Chinese diet, symbolizing a good harvest and abundance. On the other hand, fish soup is believed to help boost immunity and immunity due to its high level of nutrients. The clever combination of the two not only satisfies the taste buds, but also expresses the yearning and blessing for a better life.
4.Cangbao's background painting.
On the day of the barn-filling festival, the farmer would draw a pattern on the flat ground to symbolize the fullness of the barn, usually round or oval, with a slight bulge in the middle, symbolizing the fullness of the granary. Then place the grains (such as rice, wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, etc.) in the pattern** and press them with weights such as stones or bricks to prevent them from being blown away by the wind.
In some places, people will also fill the garbage cans with plant ash, and then use wooden sticks to evenly hit the edges of the garbage cans, so that the grass and wood ashes float in the air, forming a variety of beautiful circular patterns, some with three rings and some with five rings.
These circles symbolize a good harvest and abundant reserves, as if they were a symbol of a granary or grain storehouse. Through these unique ceremonies, people share hope for a prosperous and fulfilling future.
The warehouse filling festival is an ancient traditional custom, which carries people's good wishes and expectations for a good harvest. In this festival, people not only have to outline the shape of grain reserves on the ground, place cereals, and expect a bumper harvest and abundant food and clothing in the new year, but also ensure the food of the family and society.
In the past, this festival was especially important in agricultural societies, as people's standard of living depended largely on the harvest of crops. In order to ensure that the family is self-sufficient and lives a carefree life in the new year, various storage activities are carried out on the day of the barn filling festival, including adding grain to the grain reserves.
In addition to adding grain to the granary, people would go to markets or bazaars to buy oil, salt, charcoal, firewood, bed linen, and other basic necessities. These items are indispensable to everyday life, so pooling their purchases and stockpiling can ensure that families don't get bogged down by a lack of these basic necessities for a while.
However, with the progress of modern society and the improvement of people's living standards, some areas may have gradually diluted or lost this traditional custom of filling warehouses for festivals. But in any case, as a part of traditional Chinese culture, this custom is still worthy of our deep understanding and inheritance.