A Collection of China Folk Customs II

Zhongyuan Festival: Commonly known as Ghost Festival and July half, Buddhism calls it the Oolanbon Festival. On the 15th day of the first month, the Han people call the Shangyuan Festival, which celebrates the Lantern Festival, which has existed in ancient times; on July 15th, the Han people call the Zhongyuan Festival, to sacrifice to their ancestors; on October 15th, the Han people call the Xiayuan Festival, which is a food for cold food to commemorate sages.

Sending cold clothes: On the first day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar every year, it is also known as the "October Dynasty","Ancestral Sacrifice Festival", and "Mingyin Festival". People call it Ghost Head Day. It is a traditional Han sacrificial festival. It is said that it originated in the Zhou Dynasty. On this day, special attention is paid to paying tribute to the deceased, which is called sending cold clothes. Hanyi Festival, Qingming Festival, Shangsi Festival in spring, and Zhongyuan Festival in autumn, are called the four major "Ghost Festival" of the year. This day also marks the arrival of severe winter, so it is also a day for parents and lovers to send warm clothing to those they care about.

Qingming Festival: Qingming Festival, also known as Touring Festival, is at the turn of mid-spring and late spring, which is the 108th day after the winter solstice. It is a traditional festival in China and one of the most important sacrificial festivals. It is a day to worship ancestors and sweep tombs.

Dragon Boat Festival: Dragon Boat Festival is also known as Duanwu."Duan" means the same as "Chu". Calling "Duan Wu" is like calling "Chu Wu"; the word "five" in Duanwu is also connected with "Wu". Calculated according to the order of the local branches, May is the "Wu" month. Because noon is "Yangchen", Duanwu is also called "Duanyang". May 5th, the month and the day are both five, so it is called the fifth day, also called the noon.

Dragon boat racing on the Dragon Boat Festival: It is the main custom of the Dragon Boat Festival. It is said that it originated in ancient times when people of Chu threw themselves into the river and died because they could not bear to part with their virtuous minister Qu Yuan. Many people rowed to chase and rescue them. They rushed one after another and disappeared when they chased Dongting Lake. After that, dragon boats were rowed every year on May 5 to commemorate it. Use dragon boats to disperse the fish in the river to prevent the fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. The habit of racing was prevalent in Wu, Yue and Chu.

Eating rice dumplings on Dragon Boat Festival: One theory is that rice dumplings are eaten on the "Cold Food Festival"(the day before Qingming Festival), a folk festival that commemorates Jie Zitui in the State of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. The other theory is said to be invented to commemorate Qu Yuan, who threw himself into the river.

Dragon Boat Festival to dispel five poisons: Five poisons: scorpion, snake, centipede, gecko, toad. Folks believe that May is the time when the five poisonous scorpions, snakes, centipedes, gecko, and toads appear. The folk song says: "On the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather is hot, and the five poisons wake up and are not peaceful." The purpose of eliminating the five poisons during the Dragon Boat Festival is to remind people to prevent harm and disease.

Mourning: It means that after a person dies, relatives of the deceased find various reasons to stir up trouble with the mourner. In the old days, drum music was used for funeral. It means that you will not be lonely until the dead are buried.

Do seven: Also known as "Zhai seven","Li seven","Shao seven","Zuoqi","Zuoqi","Do one day","Qiqi", etc. Han funeral customs are popular across the country. That is, after a person dies (or after a funeral), a spiritual seat will be set up from the "first seventh day" to serve the wooden master. He will cry and worship every day, and provide sacrifices in the morning and evening. Buddhist services will be held every seven days, and fasting will be set up, and the spirit will be removed on the forty-ninth day of the "July 7".

Ghost marriage: Also called ghost marriage, yin marriage, that is, marriage in the nether world. In layman's terms, it means marrying a dead relative. The special memorial method that expresses the infinite grief of the living has recently become increasingly intense in some places.

Do Hushou: Hushou, also known as "Yinshou", is the birthday of the deceased. Celebrating the birthday of deceased grandparents and parents is called "Mingqing". In terms of their nature, the etiquette and customs derived from the celebration of longevity in the world are activities to commemorate the filial piety of ancestors based on families and families. They are intended to "be cautious and loyal to pursue the distance" and "shine in the past and enrich the future" to enhance the glory of family.

Release of river lanterns: On the night of the Mid-Yuan Festival on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, lotus lanterns are lit on the water to use candles to keep the darkness in the sky. This is called "release of river lanterns". Setting up river lanterns is a traditional custom of the Chinese nation, which is used to mourn the deceased relatives and bless the living.