Why did the Flower Festival decline? Introduction to traditional unpopular Chinese festivals
Every year on the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, February 12th, February 15th or February 25th is the date of the Huachao Festival.It is a traditional festival in our country, but it has not attracted as much attention as the Qingming Festival, and is even declining.First, because the dates of the Huachao Festival cannot be unified; secondly, because the customs and activities of the Huachao Festival overlap with the Qingming Festival, it is easy to be combined for the festival.
Introduction to the Huachao Festival
The Huachao Festival, (pronounced:huā zhāo jié) is to commemorate the birthday of Baihua, referred to as Huachao, commonly known as "Flower God Festival", "Hundred Flowers Birthday", "Flower God Birthday" , "Picking Vegetable Festival", a traditional festival of the Han nationality, popular in Northeast China, North China, East China, Central and South China and other places, usually held on the second day of the second lunar month, February 12th or February 15th, and February 25th.During the festival, people go to the outskirts to enjoy the flowers, which is called "outing".
History of the Flower Festival
China is a land of flowers.It has a long history and was first recorded in the "Tao Zhu Gong Shu" in the Spring and Autumn Period.As for the "flower god", according to legend, it refers to the female disciple of the Northern Wei lady.It is said that she is good at planting flowers and growing flowers.She is regarded as the "flower god" by later generations, and the Huachao Festival is attached to her festival.The Hua Dynasty Festival was formed at the latest in the Tang Dynasty, because in the poems and historical records of the Tang Dynasty, records about the Hua Dynasty were very common, such as Sikong Tu’s "Sorrow for the same guest, but the flower in the sick eye".("Early Spring"), Lu Lun’s "Void to hear the verse at night, clean rain and flowers in the dynasty" ("Ti Nianji Temple Huo Shangren Yuan").
Customs of the Flower Festival
1.Wishing the Temple
It is said that the God of Flowers is in charge of the cultivation of plants in spring and summer, so she worships her It is not only limited to flower farmers, but also farmers who cultivate crops, fruits and vegetables.There are many flower temples in the Yangtze River Delta area.In the old days, Wuyue flower farmhouses often enshrined statues of flower gods.On the second day of the second lunar month, when the God of Flowers was born, in many places, many farmers gathered in the Temple of Flowers to make offerings to congratulate the gods.In some places, there is also a show to entertain the gods.Usually, twelve actors and actresses play the roles of each month’s flower god story in December every year.From Zhu Xi’s poems, we can also see people’s feelings for the flower god.People flocked to it, and a temple fair was formed.On this night, various shapes of "flower lanterns" should be lifted and paraded around the flower temple to extend the entertainment activities.
2.Traveling to Spring and Fluttering Butterflies
In ancient times, during the flower court, scholars and scholars invited three or five confidants to enjoy the flowers, drink and have fun, sing harmony to each other, and chant to the sun.Looking at the traditional festivals in February and March, we will find that there will be a series of festivals for spring tours during this period.Kong Shangren, who wrote the famous drama "Peach Blossom Fan", also wrote a bamboo branch to describe the grand occasion of Huachao’s return from an outing:"A thousand miles of fairyland has become a drunken town, and the city towers hide the setting sun.In the Song Dynasty, the "Butterfly Party" was popular in the Hua Dynasty in Kaifeng, which was an interesting entertainment activity among the people at that time.
3.Plant flowers and pick vegetables
On this day, there is still the custom of planting flowers and trees in various places, which is a bit like today’s Arbor Day; picking vegetables is digging wild vegetables - Baihao , Shepherd’s purse is fresh and tender."Collection of Wei Wei, Wei Yi also softens..."
4.Planting and praying for abundance
The flower is on the auspicious day.Seeds, it is said that "hundreds of seeds" should be collected to pray for a good harvest.The method of fortune-telling is very simple:it is a day that avoids rain, and a sunny day brings auspicious omens.
5.Making flower cakes
The festival culture and food culture of the Tang Dynasty were very developed.According to legend, Wu Zetian was addicted to flowers.Every time on the 15th day of the second lunar month of the summer calendar, she would ask the maids to collect hundreds of flowers, mash them with rice, steam them into cakes, and use the flower cakes to reward the ministers.This kind of cake has the richness of petals and the fragrance of grains.
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