The Seven-person Victory Festival on the first day of the first lunar month

 

Chapter 10 Turn on the light

The Seven-person Victory Festival on the first day of the first lunar month

 

On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, shops and restaurants officially open for business, and firecrackers are set off, no less than on New Year's Eve. The sixth day of the first lunar month was the day when merchants of all sizes "opened the market" in the old days, and red couplets with the words "Good luck opening the market, everything goes well" would be posted on the door panels. Firecrackers are set off before opening to show good luck.

The seventh day of the Lunar New Year is National Day, and people generally don’t go out to pay New Year greetings.

Human Day is also known as "Human Victory Festival", "Human Celebration Festival", "Population Day", "Human Seventh Day", etc. Legend has it that when Nuwa created the world, she created humans on the seventh day after creating animals such as chickens, dogs, pigs, cows, and horses, so this day is the birthday of humans. According to written records, people's festival customs have been around since the Han Dynasty, and they began to pay attention to them after the Wei and Jin Dynasties. In ancient times, people had the custom of wearing "rensheng". Rensheng is a kind of headdress. Starting from the Jin Dynasty, people cut ribbons as flowers, cut ribbons as people, or engraved gold foil as people to affix screens, and also wore them on their hair.

In some areas in the south, people have the custom of "fishing for fish" on Human Day.

In the Southwest, people go on outings in groups. "Jingzhou Illustrations": (Fengjie) The people of Kui Prefecture paid great attention to Zhuge Wuhou, and they went out to the moraine in eight formations because of the overwhelming number of people. They called it "traveling on the moraine". The woman picked up small stones that could be worn and tied them to the hairpin head. I thought it was auspicious to be one year old.

When some people in Western society criticize China for not respecting human rights, we can tell them with confidence that the ancient Chinese "Human Day Festival" is the world's earliest "Human Rights Day".

"Human Day Festival" is also known as "Human Victory Festival" and "Human Celebration Festival". The festival is held on the seventh day of the first lunar month, which according to Chinese tradition is the birthday of mankind. The core of the Chinese traditional custom "Human Day" is to respect everyone and reiterate that people should enjoy various rights.

According to Dongfang Shuo of the Han Dynasty, the first day of the first month is chicken, the second day is dog, the third day is pig, the fourth day is sheep, the fifth day is cow, the sixth day is horse, the seventh day is human, and the eighth day is grain.

Dongfang Shuo said in "Book of Divination": "The first day of the first month of the year is a rooster, the second day is a dog, the third day is a pig, the fourth day is a sheep, the fifth day is an ox, the sixth day is a horse, the seventh day is a person, and the eighth day is a person. Therefore, people believe that if it is sunny on the first day of the first lunar month, the roosters will breed; if it is cloudy and rainy, the roosters will not prosper; if it is cloudy and sunny on the second day of the lunar month, it will be a sign of dogs; if it is a clear day of the third lunar month, it will be a sign of pigs, and so on. If the weather is sunny on the seventh day of the first lunar month, it is said to be auspicious, and the year will be smooth, the population will be safe, and the number of births will increase; if it is cloudy, it will be a sign of disaster.

Chinese Taoism also believes: "Heaven and earth were born first as chickens, then dogs, then pigs, then sheep, then oxen, then horses, and then humans were born."

Whenever the Spring Festival is approaching, the ancient Chinese people started using the heavenly stems and earthly branches to calculate good and bad luck from the first day of the first lunar month. Mainly look for the "Xin" day among the ten heavenly stems and the "Chen" day among the twelve earthly branches.

If that day falls on Xinri, it means that you will have good luck on that day. The closer Xinri is to New Year's Day, the better. If the first few days are Xin days, it is called "Xin days (lucky days)".

That day falls on the "Chen" day, which means that "a few dragons control the water" that year. One dragon controls water, which means rain; twelve dragons control water, which means drought.

If the seventh day of the lunar month falls, the rain will be even, which means a good harvest.

The ancients believed that it was good to have clear weather on the seventh day of the first lunar month, which meant longevity and prosperity and harmony in the world. There is a saying in Dongfang Shuo's "Book of Divination" in the Han Dynasty that "on the seventh day of the lunar month, from dawn to dusk, the moon will be clear, the stars will be seen at night, the people will be safe, and the monarch and his ministers will be in harmony." It can be seen that the idea of "people's day" has been circulated at least in the Han Dynasty.

After the Han and Wei dynasties, the Human Day gradually developed from a single divination activity to a festival that included celebrations, sacrifices and other activities.

After the Tang Dynasty, people paid more attention to this festival. Every year on Human Day, the emperor would give the ministers colorful ribbons to win the victory, and he would also ascend to a high place to have a banquet for the ministers. If the weather is fine on the seventh day of the first lunar month, the population will be safe and the going in and out will be smooth.

What is the "human victory" that the emperor bestowed upon his ministers during his lifetime?

It turns out that in ancient China, people always wore "rensheng" during festivals, so there was also the custom of wearing "rensheng" on "Ren Day". "Ren Sheng" is actually a kind of headdress, also called "Caisheng" or "Huasheng".

Since the Jin Dynasty, China has cut ribbons for flowers, cut ribbons for people, or engraved gold foil and pasted them on screens, windows or tents. Women wear small carved human figures on their temples, which is both auspicious and a form of decoration. Therefore, "Ren Day" is also called "Ren Victory Festival".

In the past, on "Human Day", some places in China still had customs such as "lighting sky lanterns with hemp stalks", "making porridge with beans to cure headaches", "women walking to cure all diseases", and "climbing high to compose poems".

 

Tang Gaoshi's poem "Renri Sends Supplements to Du Er" reads:

 

People write poems and send them to the thatched cottage every day, feeling sorry for their old friends and thinking about their hometown.

The willow branches are so stained that I can’t bear to look at them, and the plum blossoms are full of branches that are heart-breaking.

Being in southern Tibet, I encountered nothing, and my mind was full of worries and worries.

This year people and the sun and the sky remember each other. Where will the people and the sky know next year?

 

Gao Shi's poem "Renri Sends Du Er Supplements" proves that the Renri Festival in the Tang Dynasty was not only dedicated to praying for good luck and blessings, but also added an atmosphere of missing relatives and friends. To this day, there are also tourists who go home before the New Year, and they can only go to other places after the Human Day Festival.

According to custom, on Human Day, people do not travel far, visit relatives and friends, and reunite at home. On the afternoon of People’s Day, people usually eat long noodles, also called lahun noodles. This means that during the Chinese New Year, when people wander around, their hearts will become wild. As soon as the Human Day is over, it’s time to prepare for spring plowing and production. Therefore, eating Ramen Noodles is to take your mind back and prepare for spring plowing and production.

Before the Republic of China, young men and women would go out together to play in the countryside on Ren's Day and choose the "Queen of Ren's Day". The winner would preside over the day's activities. The elders would go to Guanyin Mountain (today's Yuexiu Mountain) or Baiyun Mountain to drink, recite poems and compose poems; the women would go to temples to worship the gods, while the men would go to Huadi (today's Fangcun District) to enjoy flowers or worship at Wong Tai Sin Temple.

So, how did the ancient Chinese confirm the festival date of "Human Day"?

Chinese people think:

In ancient times, the heaven and earth were chaotic and gave birth to all things, and also gave birth to Pangu. Later, Pangu opened up the heaven and the earth. Yang Qing became the sky and Yin turbidity became the earth. Pangu changed nine times a day in the heaven and earth, which lasted for 18,000 years. Later, Pangu began to create things during the first month of the first month, creating chickens on the first day of the lunar month, dogs on the second day of the lunar month, pigs on the third day of the lunar month, sheep on the fourth day of the lunar month, oxen on the fifth day of the lunar month, horses on the sixth day of the lunar month, humans on the seventh day of the lunar month, and grains on the eighth day of the lunar month.

From then on, human beings began their own lives. In order to commemorate the kindness of heaven, earth and Pangu, people would sacrifice to the emperor of heaven, earth, Pangu and their preferential treatment of chickens, dogs, pigs, sheep, cattle, horses, etc. in the first eight days of the first month. People, valley. This is the origin of the Human Day Festival on the seventh day of the first lunar month.

It is also said that after Pangu created the world, it was Nuwa who created all living things in the world. She created chickens on the first day, dogs on the second day, pigs on the third day, sheep on the fourth day, oxen on the fifth day, horses on the sixth day, and humans on the seventh day.

Because when Nuwa created humans, she created chickens, dogs, sheep, pigs, cows, and horses in the first six days, and humans on the seventh day. Therefore, the first day of the first lunar month is the Rooster Day, and the second day is the Dog Day. The third day is Sheep Day, the fourth day is Pig Day, the fifth day is Ox Day, the sixth day is Horse Day, the seventh day is Human Day, and the eighth day is Grain Day. Later, people designated the ninth day of the lunar month as the day of heaven and the tenth day of the lunar month as the day of earth. Therefore, the Han people believe that the seventh day of the first lunar month is the "birthday of mankind".

The Han people also continue the custom of eating "seven kinds of soup" during the Human Day Festival. According to the custom of "Human Day", some places eat celery (hard-working), garlic (cost-effective), onions (smart), leeks (durable), fish (surplus), meat (meaning abundance), rice crackers ( The "Seven Vegetable Soup", which is made with the meaning of reunion), borrows the homophones or meanings of the seven kinds of vegetables to wish for abundant food and clothing in the new year and a happy family.

For example, Chaozhou people do not regard the Human Day Festival as an important holiday, but it is very common to eat seven kinds of soup. The seven kinds of soup are mostly made of celery, onions, garlic, spring vegetables, mustard greens, coriander and lilies. The meaning is: diligent, smart, cost-effective, good luck, fortune in the new year, everything goes well, and everything goes well. If you replace it with leeks, you will make a fortune for a long time.

When making the seven kinds of soup, Hakka people like to cook it with fish, which means they have enough food. Vegetable stalls in the urban area of Shantou put together 7 dishes on this day, and people were happy to accept it regardless of the price. If a household in the countryside owes one or two pieces of vegetables and picks one or two vegetables from others in the field to make up seven pieces, no one will call him a thief.

There is also a folk legend in Chaozhou: There used to be a poor family. The father and son lived a hard life and could not celebrate the Spring Festival as happily as others. The son crossed the ocean on the seventh day of the lunar month. When there was no news about his son, the poor old man suffered even more. He thought his son must be dead, so every year on the seventh day of the first lunar month, whether he had eaten or not, he would put two cups of chopsticks on the table to signify that the father and son were sitting opposite each other. One year on this day, the poor old man was about to eat the seven kinds of soup as usual, when he suddenly reported that his son had sent a "return batch" (safe letter) and a sum of money. The poor old man was no longer poor. When word spread about this, some overseas Chinese family members continued to serve their relatives abroad with cups and chopsticks.

The seventh day of the first lunar month is commonly known as "Everyone's Birthday" in Guangzhou. In the past, for breakfast on this day, people would eat "Qibao soup" made from seven kinds of vegetables (celery, mustard greens, spinach, green onions, garlic, etc.) and "Dongtian cake" (fried in the open air). It is a good sign, and it is said that this thing can remove evil spirits and cure all diseases. Different regions have different products, different fruits and vegetables, and different meanings.

There are slight differences in the methods of making Qipiang in various places:

Chaoshan people in Guangdong use mustard, kale, leeks, spring vegetables, celery, garlic, and cloves; Hakka people use celery, garlic, green onions, coriander, leeks, fish, meat, etc.;

People in Taiwan and Fujian use spinach, celery, onions, garlic, leeks, mustard greens, shepherd's purse, cabbage, etc. Celery and onions indicate intelligence, garlic indicates calculation, mustard indicates longevity, and so on.

On Human Day, customs vary slightly from place to place:

In the southeastern part of Shanxi Province, incense is burned and lamps are lit on the night of "Human Day". In addition, cooked millet rice is used to worship the Big Dipper and pray for blessings. In Linxian and other places, it is customary to pile a pile of chaff in front of the door or in the field to simmer, which is called "moxibustion ground".

In the southern Shanxi area, it is customary to use colored silk threads and damasks to make jewelry, which is called "Cai Sheng". Men often have banquets on this day.

Luliang area is accustomed to the game of "Dancing Ma Laogu". Make a female figure out of tsubaki wood, and the two of them first close their eyes and pray silently for the numbers. Then, the wooden man rises and jumps. When the number coincides with the silent prayer, look at Ma Laogu's back. If it is facing people, it is auspicious, and if its back is facing people, it is unlucky.

In some places, it is customary to worship the gods on this day and pray for the safety of the population. In places such as Heshun County, people pay special attention to visiting graves and paying respects.

Among the people, women are prohibited from using needles, spinning threads, and eating rice. Traditionally, women are required to eat meals made of seven kinds of vegetables.

Some counties in northwestern Shanxi even call the Human Day Festival "New Year". Fire cannons and lanterns are fired, banquets are made and drinks are drunk, and the event is no less grand than the Spring Festival.

People in Huaiyang, Henan hold an ancestral temple fair, where a large number of mud dogs are sold. Ni Ni Dog, also known as Xiaoling Dog, actually refers to various clay toys, all made of local loess and mud, painted in various patterns in black, red, and white colors, and shaped after human ancestors. host. Human Ancestor is a clay doll with a monkey face and a human body, and there are also fire monkeys, belly monkeys, knee-hugging monkeys, clothed monkeys, hericium swallows, cat monkeys, two-headed tigers, polygons, fish, frogs, dogs, and chickens. , pigs, cows, horses, sheep, snakes and pottery xun, etc. All the people who worship their ancestors and offer incense rush to buy them first. They have three uses: one is to "hang dolls" when cultivating witchcraft, the other is to give to children along the way, and the third is to take home to entertain children.

The mud dog is the product of fertility beliefs.

There was a legend in the Huaiyang area in the past: The original Renzu Mausoleum was not that big. If pilgrims brought a handful of loess from their hometown and added it to the Renzu Tomb, they could use the divine power of Renzu to trade people with the loess and have children. Female, and Fuxi is the saint who made a man out of loess. So those who made incense and offered sacrifices to their ancestors packed a small bag of loess from their hometown and sprinkled it on the Renzu Mausoleum. As a result, the Renzu Mausoleum expanded day by day and became the current scale.

Later, people found it very inconvenient to carry loess, so some people started to use it to knead people, animals and other objects, and finally developed into clay dogs. This legend shows that the Nini Dog originated from the legend of creating humans by rolling loess and seeking witchcraft.

Married women with no children in the Huaiyang area, in order to pray for fertility, buy several clay dolls at the Renzu Temple Fair, which symbolize the clay figures made by Fuxi and Nuwa, as well as the children they want to have, and enshrine them in front of the statue of Grandma Renzu. , or hang on the statue of Grandma Renzu. In addition to burning incense and praying, people also have to circle around Renzu's grandmother, believing that only in this way can they have children under the protection of Renzu. Taking the clay doll home afterwards is like taking back a child from the ancestors, and the children born in the future will grow up healthily.

In the Xianren Hall of the Renzu Mausoleum, every year on the "Human Day" day, people hope that the weather will be fine and the sun will shine, which means peace and success in the new year. If it is rainy weather, it means bad luck this year. Therefore, people will hold prayer activities on this day to pray for a prosperous year!

The first six days of the Human Day Festival represent the birthdays of animals. As time went by, they were forgotten by people. However, the seventh day was consciously retained by people because it was related to humans themselves. If it can attract the attention of the Chinese folk community and carry forward the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese People's Day, it will not only enrich this special folk festival for all Chinese, but also explain China to the world and show the best evidence of China's history of human rights protection.