Some taboos that Mulao people need to pay attention to

The Mulao people are one of our 56 ethnic minorities. Today, they are mainly distributed in the northern mountainous areas of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Like other ethnic groups, they also have cultural taboos that require special attention. One is food and life. Another is that Mulao Mountain Township is known as the "Coal Township". There are also some taboos when coal mining, and there are also some specific taboos during festivals.

Life taboo should not eat cat and snake meat; in the past, the surname Luo and Yao did not eat dog meat, which was said to be related to the dog rescue of Luo's ancestors when they fell into a fire; the surname Yao did not eat animal viscera. Legend has it was related to the ancestor Yao. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Yao sent troops, but because the pig heart was not cooked well, soldiers were not allowed to eat enough. They were not allowed to send troops that day. From then on, the surname Yao did not eat animal viscera.

Coal mining taboos are not allowed to say unlucky words when digging coal; you are not allowed to step on the threshold when entering the door;

New Year taboos are not allowed to get up until dawn on the first day of the New Year: Even if you usually get up until noon every day, you must not be lazy on the first day of the New Year, because there is a rumor among the Mulao people that if you don't get up until dawn on the first day of the New Year, the fields and soil will collapse this year, and the needles will be broken when you sew clothes, and the hoes will be broken when you go to the fields and hoes.

Avoid opening the door early on New Year's Day: You cannot open the door early on New Year's Day. You must wait until the fog clears at sunrise before opening the door; otherwise evil spirits will enter the house and the population will not prosper. Enter through the back door or side door early in the morning before sunrise; avoid eating green vegetables on the first day of the New Year: You are not allowed to eat green vegetables on the first day of the New Year, otherwise birds and animals will eat up the corn in their fields, and there will be no harvest throughout the year. Some people will definitely say that the Chinese New Year is so delicious, but who still wants to eat green vegetables?

Avoid frying beans on New Year's Day: When frying beans on New Year's Day, children at home will develop sores and boils.

Avoid doing laundry on New Year's Day: This seems to be the same as my hometown. In my hometown, clothes are not allowed to be washed during the Chinese New Year. I remember when I was a child, when it was about to celebrate the New Year, my mother always changed me into a new set of clothes, and then repeatedly told me to be clean, because this set of clothes could not be changed until the end of the New Year. The same is true for the Mulao people. They believe that if they wash clothes during the first day of the New Year, it means that their homes will be "impoverished" in the coming year.

Avoid sweeping the floor on New Year's Day: There was this custom in my hometown before, but it seems that I have not paid much attention to it in the past two years. After all, there are many people coming and going during the New Year. If the ground is too dirty, it will also affect the appearance. In fact, not sweeping the floor on New Year's Day means that we are worried that money and blessings will be swept away. In fact, it is really superstitious to think about it.

Avoid chopping firewood on New Year's Day: The pronunciation of chopping firewood and "forcing firewood" is very similar. The Mulao people believe that chopping firewood on New Year's Day will scare the God of Wealth, so that the God of Wealth will never dare to come to the door again if there is a fuss. Of course, selling firewood is even more taboo, because selling firewood means selling wealth. However, there should be no place to sell firewood these days.

Avoid cursing on the first day of the New Year: Mulao people are forbidden to curse on the first day of the New Year, because no matter who you curse on this day, it is about your own good luck this year and giving it to the person who is scolded. As a curse, you will have all kinds of bad luck in the coming year.

Other taboos do not enter the ground on the first day of February. There is no work on the first day of June. Avoid fire days when sowing, and do not shave or shampoo for three days. Stop breathing and are not allowed to talk when planting the first nine grains of corn. It is taboo to cook poorly and break dishes when going out for business.

After the founding of New China, the beliefs and customs of the Mulao people have undergone great changes. The superstitious color has gradually faded, and the healthy and beneficial elements have continued.