2024 Chinese New Year outlook
In traditional Chinese culture, every festival carries rich cultural connotations and unique folk activities, and the 21st day of the first lunar month is one of them. This day, also called:"Ground Piercing Festival".It is a day rich in traditional meaning and customs, and the stories and activities behind it reflect the Chinese people's reverence and prayer for nature, life and gods.
The "Earth Piercing Festival" originates from ancient myths and legends, and is said to commemorate Nuwa's great achievements in mending the heavens and saving the world, and the 21st day of the first lunar month is to remedy the cracks in the ground and ensure the growth of all things and the safety and health of people. On this day, there is also an important tradition, which is commemoration"Maigu" - the god of wheat. Legend has it that "Maigu" came to the world for some reason, and then passed away to achieve a bumper harvest of wheat in the world, so people will be the 20th day of the first month must be the birthday of wheat, in order to sacrifice Maigu, hoping to get the blessing of abundant grains.
On such a special day, there are many taboos and customs that must be known, which represent people's respect for nature and life, as well as good wishes for the future.
First of all, avoiding washing hair is one of the most well-known taboos in the ground piercing festival. The ancients believed that washing hair may "wash" away one's wealth and good fortune, so avoid washing your hair on this day to bless the growth of wealth and good fortune in the new year.
Secondly, avoiding cleaning is also one of the traditional customs on this day. Although cleaning is an important activity to maintain household cleanliness, on the day of the Floor Wear Festival, people believe that cleaning will "sweep" away the accumulated good luck in the home, so they choose to suspend cleaning on this day to retain good luck.
Furthermore, taboo sewing clothes is also one of the traditional taboos of the ground wearing festival. On this day, sewing clothes is considered to be a bad omen, so people refrain from any sewing activities during the Ground Wear Festival in the hope that everything will be safe and smooth in the new year.
Finally, avoiding food waste reflects the Chinese people's respect for food and the spirit of conservation. On this day, special attention is paid to the preciousness of food and the avoidance of waste in the hope of a more abundant harvest in the coming year.
On the day of the "Ground Piercing Festival", in addition to the above traditional taboos, there are also specific food customs, such as pancakes and noodles. Pancakes symbolize harmony between heaven and earth, and are eaten to pray for good weather and abundant crops in the new year. And noodles, as a product of wheat, symbolize longevity and continuous good luck, and are one of the essential foods on the 21st day of the first lunar month.
Through the above description, it is not difficult to see that the Diqi Festival is not only a traditional festival, but also a kind of awe and blessing for the Chinese people for the natural world and life. Although these customs and taboos may change over time, the cultural significance and spiritual core behind them are still worth learning and inheriting. Respecting these traditions and customs not only allows us to better understand the profound heritage of Chinese culture, but also allows us to find a sense of tranquility and good wishes in modern life. Let's enjoy traditional food without forgetting the beautiful meaning behind these customs, and continue to pass on this ancient cultural heritage.