The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in China and a cultural symbol of the Chinese nation. It originated from ancient farming rituals and carries people's expectations and blessings for the New Year. The Spring Festival is held on the first day of the first lunar month, which is the first day of the return of the sun. There are many customs of the Spring Festival, and different places have different styles and stories, but they all reflect the wisdom and emotions of the Chinese nation.
The first day of the first lunar month is the first day of the Spring Festival and the beginning of the new year. On this day, people wear new clothes, put on Spring Festival couplets, set off firecrackers, worship gods and ancestors, greet each other, send red envelopes, eat Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, etc. These customs all have auspicious meanings, such as not sweeping the floor is to not sweep away luck, not breaking things is to not break wealth, sticking Spring Festival is to pray for peace, setting off firecrackers is to drive away evil spirits, worshipping gods and ancestors is to be grateful and praying for blessings, greeting each other is to enhance friendship, giving red envelopes is to sus auspiciousness, and eating Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is to be reunion and wealth.
The second day of the first lunar month is the second day of the Spring Festival, and it is also the day to welcome the son-in-law. On this day, married daughters take their husbands and children back to their parents' homes to pay New Year's greetings and are warmly welcomed by their parents and relatives. It is a custom of respecting women and a way to enhance family affection. On this day, people also take family photos to make good memories. It is a way of documenting life and a symbol of unity and harmony.
The third day of the first lunar month is the third day of the Spring Festival, which is also the day of the Red Dog. On this day, it is said to be the birthday of the god Akanu, a deity who likes to quarrel, so people should avoid going out to pay New Year's greetings to avoid getting into a quarrel. It is a custom to avoid conflict and a mindset that cherishes reunion. On this day, people also eat bread, which is shaped like the moon and symbolizes fulfillment.
The fourth day of the first lunar month is the fourth day of the Spring Festival, and it is also the day to worship the God of Wealth. On this day, people worship the God of Wealth and pray for good fortune and prosperous business. It is a custom of worshipping wealth and a spirit of hard work. On this day, people also check their household registration and count changes in family members, such as births, deaths, marriages, etc. It is a custom to maintain order and a duty to care for the family.
The fifth day of the first lunar month is the fifth day of the Spring Festival, and it is also the day to catch up with the five poor. On this day, people use torches, firecrackers, red paper, etc. to drive away the five poor gods, which refer to poverty, disease, famine, ignorance, death and other unfavorable factors. It is a custom to ward off bad luck and a positive attitude. On this day, people also have to eat dumplings, dumplings are shaped like ingots, meaning that wealth is abundant, and you can also wrap various fillings in dumplings, such as sugar, peanuts, dates, etc., indicating sweetness, longevity, early birth of precious children, etc. It is a custom to enjoy good food, and it is also a humor to pinch the mouth of the villain.
The sixth day of the first lunar month is the sixth day of the Spring Festival, and it is also the day when it opens for business. On this day, shops, factories, companies, etc. have to reopen their doors to welcome the new year of work and life. It is a custom to return to normalcy and an ability to create wealth. On this day, people also have to send poor ghosts, throw some old clothes, waste paper, etc. on the street, and let the poor ghosts take them away, which means to drive away the poor and exchange for wealth. It is a custom to remove debris and an act of charity.
The seventh to the tenth day of the first lunar month is the middle days of the Spring Festival, and it is also some special days. The seventh day of the first lunar month is the day of the first month, which is said to be the day when Nuwa created people, so people should congratulate themselves on their birthdays, eating noodles means longevity, eating fish means having more than every year, and eating eggs means giving birth. It is a custom to celebrate life and a feeling of gratitude to the Creation. The eighth day of the first month is the day of the valley, according to legend, it is the birthday of the god of grains, so people want to worship the god of grains, thank the grain of **, eat rice to indicate a bumper harvest, eat glutinous rice cake means step by step, eat peanuts means more children and grandchildren. It is a custom of respecting nature and a philosophy of cherishing resources. The ninth day of the first lunar month is the birthday of the Heavenly Emperor, and according to legend, it is the birthday of the Jade Emperor, so people should worship the Heavenly Father, pray for God to bless the world, eat incense candles to show respect, eat fruits to express blessings, and eat candy to express sweetness. It is a custom to worship the gods and a desire for peace. The tenth day of the first month is the birthday of the stone, according to legend, it is the birthday of the god who carries the stone, so people should worship the stone, thank the function of the stone, eat pomegranate means more blessings and longevity, eat walnuts means smart and clever, eat sesame seeds means gray hair is not old. It is a custom to revere the stone and a goal to pursue health.
The eleventh day of the first lunar month is the eleventh day of the Spring Festival and the day of the son-in-law. On this day, a married man takes his wife and children back to his parents-in-law's house to pay New Year's greetings, and is welcomed by his parents-in-law and relatives. It is a custom of respecting men and a way to enhance family affection. On this day, people also use leftovers to make some new dishes, such as fried rice, fried noodles, fried rice cakes, etc., to indicate that there is no waste and that there is a new atmosphere in the new year. It is a custom to save food, and it is also an ability to innovate.
The twelfth to sixteenth day of the first lunar month are the last days of the Spring Festival and the day to prepare for the Lantern Festival. On this day, people start preparing for the Lantern Festival, such as making lanterns, buying lanterns, cooking Lantern Festival, etc. These activities are all to welcome the arrival of the Lantern Festival, but also to express respect for the moon and the desire for reunion. The Lantern Festival is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and the first full moon night of the lunar calendar, which is the last day of the Spring Festival. On this day, people light lanterns to light up the night sky, symbolizing light and hope, and guess lantern riddles to increase fun and wisdom. On this day, people want to eat the Lantern Festival, the shape of the Lantern Festival is like a full moon, which means reunion and happiness, and also wrap various fillings in the Lantern Festival, such as sesame, bean paste, walnuts, etc., to express various wishes and meanings. On this day, people want to touch the lantern, touching the lantern is a kind of folk entertainment, that is, use a bamboo pole or rope to hang the lantern on a high place, and then use a long pole to touch, the lantern that touches has a prize, meaning luck and opportunity. On this day, people also want to admire the moon, which is an ancient cultural tradition, that is, to enjoy the beauty of nature under the moon, recite poetry, express emotions, and imply romance and poetry.
The Spring Festival is a festival full of joy and blessings, it is not only a festival, but also a culture, a spirit, and a value. It inherits the history and wisdom of the Chinese nation, prays for people's life and future, respects and loves each other, and joys people's hearts and emotions. The Spring Festival is our root, our soul, our strength, and our dream. Let's celebrate the Spring Festival together, welcome the new year, and wish world peace and happiness for mankind!