Customs and taboos on the fourth day of the first lunar month

On the fourth day of the lunar calendar, the fourth day of the lunar calendar welcomes the Kitchen God and occupies sheep in Neo-Confucianism. Therefore, the often said "Three Sheep Yang" is a symbol of good fortune and a day to welcome the Kitchen God back to the people. What customs and taboos are there on the fourth day of the New Year?

[Customs on the fourth day of the Chinese New Year]

1. Welcome God and receive God

The fourth day of the year is the time when the gods return from heaven to earth. There is a saying that "sending out gods early, but receiving them late." The so-called sending out gods should start early in the morning, but receiving gods in the afternoon is not too late. In terms of supplies, three animals, fruits, wine and vegetables must be complete, and incense must be burned, candles and gold clothes must be burned. If the boss wants to "fire" someone, he will not invite him to worship God today. From the first day of the lunar month to the fourth day of the lunar month, shops are closed and women do not use needles and needles.

At midnight on the fourth day of the first month, sacrifice animals, cakes and fruits, incense sticks and other things were prepared, and gongs, drums and incense were sounded to worship, and the God of Wealth was piously and respectfully. It is said that the fifth day of the first lunar month is the birthday of the God of Wealth. In order to compete for the market, we received it before the fourth lunar month. It is called "seizing the road", also known as "receiving the God of Wealth". Anyone who receives the God of Wealth must provide sheep's head and carp. Providing sheep's head means "auspicious", and providing carp is the homophonic meaning of "fish" and "Yu", which means auspicious. People believe that as long as they can get the manifestation of the God of Wealth, they can develop and become rich. Therefore, every Chinese New Year, people open doors and windows at 5:00 on the first day of the first month, light incense, set off firecrackers, and light fireworks to hint of welcome to the God of Wealth. After taking over the God of Wealth, everyone still had to eat Lutou wine, often until dawn. Everyone is full of hope for development. I hope that the God of Wealth can bring gold and silver treasures to my home and become rich in the new year. During the Republic of China, shops opened their doors from midnight on the fourth day of the lunar new year to early morning on the fifth day of the lunar new year. The lanterns and lanterns were shining, offering altars were set up to pick up the "God of Wealth", and they flocked to the Temple of God to "exchange gold ingots."

2. Jie Wu Road

Connecting the Five Roads originally refers to connecting the Five Roads Walking Gods, and later evolved into connecting the Five Roads God of Wealth. In the old days, after the Spring Festival holiday, merchants usually accepted the fifth god of wealth on the evening of the fourth day of the lunar new day, and the market opened on the fifth day of the lunar new day to seek good luck.

At 3 p.m. on the fourth day of the lunar new day, preparations for the fifth road pick-up ceremony began and ended at 9 or 10 p.m. First, set up a table, usually using two Eight Immortals tables to put together. The first table is fruits such as Guang oranges and sugarcane, which imply vast wealth of money and sweet life; the second table is pastries, which imply high rise and evergreen; the third table is the main table, serving whole pigs, whole chickens, whole fish, and Yuanbao soup. Half of the table is filled with rice, noodles, and vegetables. A green onion is inserted into a bowl of road-head rice, and a thousand-year-old red plant is inserted into the green onion tube, which means excitement and red every year. The wine and vegetables on the third table can only be served after receiving the fifth god of wealth. Everyone is full of hope for development. I hope that the God of Wealth can bring gold and silver treasures to my home and become rich in the new year.

To pick up the five routes, the owner must take incense sticks and go to the God of Wealth Hall in five directions: east, west, south, north and middle. Every time he picks up the God of Wealth, he will set off a string of hundred cannons in front of the door. After receiving all of them, the master and waiter prayed to the God of Wealth in turn. After bowing, they cremated the horse curtain on the original offering table, implying that they would pay tribute to the God of Wealth. The ceremony was finally over.

3. Yangri

The fourth day of the first month is the "Sheep Day" of Nuwa's creation myth. Dong Xun, a native of the Jin Dynasty, wrote in "Questions on Rites and Customs":"The first day of the first month is chickens, the second day is dogs, the third day is pigs, the fourth day is sheep, the fifth day is cattle, the sixth day is horses, and the seventh day is people. Draw a chicken on the door on the first day, and stick a person on the account on the seventh day." In the old imperial calendar, sheep were occupied, so the "Three Sheep Yang" is often said to be a symbol of good luck and a day to welcome the Kitchen God back to the people.

[Taboo on the Fourth Day of the New Year]

Avoid going far away

Avoid going far away. This day is a folk custom to receive the gods. It is a folk custom to welcome all the gods, the Kitchen God and the Family God back to protect their families. The Kitchen God will call names, so it is not advisable to go out. The Kitchen King needed to check his household registration, so every household had to stay at home, prepare abundant fruits, burn incense, light candles, and set off firecrackers to show his welcome.

There is a custom in old Beijing to avoid doors on the fourth day of the lunar new year, but nephews can visit their aunts."Uncles and uncles are relatives from generation to generation. Broken bones and tendons are connected, regardless of whether they are one family." Aunt has a status at home, which is a folk characteristic of China.

No shaving in the first month

Barbers have been working since the early 30s, whether shaving heads and plaits, washing or cutting men's heads, they have been working all night until the morning of the new moon. At that time, most of the barber masters were from Baodi. They rolled up their bags and returned to their hometown at dawn. If they shaved their heads again, they could not find the master. This is to urge people to do all cleaning and sanitation before the New Year.

Avoid breaking things

Avoid breaking objects. It is a taboo to break objects in ordinary times, and breaking objects in the New Year is even worse. In the old days, folk customs believed that breaking artifacts in the first month would lead to bad luck in the new year. Therefore, when breaking an object, you should quickly say,"Every year is broken), every year is safe", etc., to explain.

Don't celebrate the New Year when you lose your family

There is a funeral at home. During the three-year mourning period, all activities during the New Year must be cancelled. The most taboo is to go to another house to celebrate the New Year. Others try not to go to the funeral home in the first month. When they have to go back and forth, they do not enter the house, but stand outside the door and talk.

Avoid quarreling and cursing

Avoid quarreling and cursing in the first month. In the old days, folk customs believed that quarreling in the first month would ruin the year, and cursing would bring disaster.