Thoroughly clean up
General cleaning, which is called "sweeping dust" in the local dialect, generally starts from December 16th of the lunar calendar, and every household carries out general cleaning one after another to make the house clean inside and outside. It's called "the year is clear and the moon is clean."
Sacrifice to the kitchen god
December 23rd and 24th of the lunar calendar are the days for offering sacrifices to stoves. After dinner, every household brought their own rich annual sugar (called "Kitchen God Sugar" in the local dialect), annual fruit and annual wine, respectfully placed them on the newly scrubbed kitchen countertops, lit candles to salute, and sincerely sent the "Kitchen God" to heaven. Knock on the kitchen god, "Heaven is good, return to drive and give to the truth". After the sacrifice, the whole family sat together to drink Kitchen God wine and eat Kitchen God candy.
next year
From the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, all the gatehouses are hung with red lanterns. Large families "please" their ancestors to hang up. A series of sacrificial vessels such as incense burners and candlesticks were placed in the middle. There are four palace lanterns hanging on the front porch. The "coffee table" and "credit chair" are arranged on both sides respectively, which are serious and dignified. The patio is paved with slabs. The ever-burning lamp in the hall is called the year of lighting. From this day on, housewives began to be busy making rice cakes, meatballs, Huang's and various sugar cakes.
Kangeng
From the evening of December 25th to the 15th day of the first lunar month, every night, the "watchmen" specially set up for telling the time and guarding against theft at the Four Gates went to the streets respectively. Work in pairs. The former holds a bamboo tube with lanterns in his left hand and a bangzi in his right hand, while the latter holds a gong in his left hand and moves back and forth in his right hand. Crossing the street and alley, playing from one watch to five watches, singing while playing. ...
For the ancestors. Two days before New Year's Eve, every family prepared a sumptuous banquet and respectfully put it in the hall for their ancestors to eat. Light candles, light incense and salute, and parents set the wine themselves. After three rounds of drinking, parents led their children and grandchildren to bow down to their ancestors in turn. Worship and salute.
New Year's Eve
When New Year's Eve approaches the earth, all families prepare a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner (called "Old Moth" in the local dialect), and the whole family sits around and enjoys family happiness, offering delicious food to bid farewell to the old and welcome in the new. The elders give the younger generation red envelopes "lucky money".
After dinner, housewives should pay special attention to washing all the dishes and cleaning them again. Prepare new clothes, hats, trousers, shoes and socks for the children in the New Year. On New Year's Eve, children must keep vigil beside their grandmother and mother. Tell stories, play games, sing children's songs, etc. It is said that children's vigil is to pray for elders and parents to live a long life and is a sign of filial piety.
New Year's Day
On the first day of the first month, at dawn in the east, every household has to arrange incense tables in the hall for the last year's sugar, wine and fruit. Parents lead the men in the whole family to bow down respectfully and salute heaven and earth with guns, which is called "Please Heaven and Earth". (On the fifth and fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, there is also a song "Please Heaven and Earth". ) Most people eat vegetarian food on this day.
After dinner, some people will go to relatives and friends' homes to wish a happy New Year and all the best. Some go for an outing, absorb fresh air and enjoy the beautiful scenery of nature; Some go to the temple to burn incense and pray for the bodhisattva to bless peace (for four consecutive days from the first day to the fourth day). Anyone over 60 years old will hold a banquet to invite relatives and friends to get together, which is called "birthday celebration".
Open shelf
On the fifth day of the first month, shops and service industries open for business, which is called "opening shelves". The whole family get together for a big "open-shelf meal". Shops of various merchants opened their doors with guns and started business. Farmers, workers, etc. They also started to work.
Yuanxiao snack
On the night of the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, almost 10,000 people in the whole city took to the streets to enjoy lanterns, solve riddles on lanterns and parade in costumes.
Four doors meet God
From the 9th to 28th day of the first month, people from all walks of life in the east, west, south and north gate of Chengguan will hold street patrol ceremonies for the gods they worship, and the sound of guns and solemn ceremonies will become another landscape. Especially the Shennong God of Yan Min Palace in the East Gate; Chen Gong Taiwei, Ying Hui Wang is in Ximen Taiwei Palace; Yue at the south gate of Lingxiaochang Palace; The Wei Linggong Town God at the North Gate Town God Temple is more prominent, and some people in the street also "closed their guns" and "offered guns" to welcome them. After the parade, everyone invited a troupe to perform for five or six days.