What are the traditional customs, activities and eating habits of Qixi Festival?
The Qixi Festival is a traditional national festival in my country.Generally, the folk have the incense bridge party, worship Kuixing, needle threading, fighting skill, drying books, drying clothes, celebrating the birthday of cattle, The custom activities of worshiping the gods, listening to whispers, watching the moon, eating Qiaoguo, eating crisp candy, and eating melons and fruits.
Introduction to the Qixi Festival
The Qixi Festival, also known as the Qiqiao Festival, the Qijie Festival, the Girls’ Festival, the Qiqiao Festival, the Qinianghui, the Qixi Festival, and the Bull Bull Woman Sun, Qiao Xi, etc., are traditional Chinese folk festivals.The Qixi Festival is derived from the worship of the stars and is the birthday of the Seventh Sister in the traditional sense.Because the worship of the "Seventh Sister" is held on the seventh night of the seventh month, it is named "Qixi".The Qixi Festival started in ancient times, popularized in the Western Han Dynasty, and flourished in the Song Dynasty.The Qixi Festival originated in China, and some Asian countries influenced by Chinese culture, such as Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Vietnam, also have the tradition of celebrating the Qixi Festival.
Folk activities on Qixi Festival
1.Fragrant Bridge Club
In Yixing, Jiangsu, there is the custom of Tanabata Fragrant Bridge Club.Every year on Qixi Festival, people come to participate and build a bridge of incense.The so-called incense bridge is a bridge of four or five meters in length and about half a meter in width made of various thick and long wrapping incense (thread incense wrapped in paper).flower decoration.At night, people offer sacrifices to the twin stars, beg for auspiciousness, and then burn the incense bridge, symbolizing that the twin stars have crossed the incense bridge and meet happily.This Fragrant Bridge is derived from the legendary Magpie Bridge.
2.Bai Kuixing
This custom has little to do with the romantic Qixi Festival.According to folklore, July 7th is Kuixing’s birthday.In ancient times, the number one scholar in the examination of scholars was called "Da Kui World Scholar" or "one-shot victory".Kuixing here refers to Kuixing.In the eyes of the ancients, Kuixing was in charge of the examination, and scholars would worship Kuixing on this day in order to be named in the gold list.
3.Threading a needle and begging for cleverness
This should be the earliest method of begging for cleverness, which was recorded in the Han Dynasty.It is mentioned in "Xijing Miscellaneous Notes":"Han Cai women often wear seven holes in the opening on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, and people are accustomed to it." On the Qixi Festival, women from every household will go out of the house, get together, take out their own needlework girls, and beg for tricks by threading needles.
4, drying books and clothes
drying books and clothes was very popular in ancient times.It is recorded that Sima Yi originally pretended to be crazy to avoid misfortune, but he was arrested for drying books.It can be seen that in ancient times What a popular thing to do with books and clothes.However, this custom became an opportunity for wealthy families to show off their wealth in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, so it also attracted the contempt of many scholars and writers.
5.Congratulate the cow
In the story of the cowherd and the weaver girl, the old cow asked the cowherd to peel off his skin in order to help the cowherd to cross the Tianhe, so that the cowherd could take advantage of the cowhide.Cross the Tianhe River to see the Weaver Girl.In order to commemorate the self-sacrificing old cow, on the Qixi Festival, children will pick wild flowers and hang them on the horns to pay homage to the old cow and show their respect for the old cow.
6.Worshiping the Weaver Girl
This activity is basically attended by women.On the evening of the Qixi Festival, tables and chairs are set up under the moonlight, and tea, wine, Fruits, five seeds (longan, red dates, hazelnuts, peanuts, melon seeds) and other items.Everyone sat around the table together, eating melon and fruit snacks, and silently making a wish to Zhinu.
7.Seeds
This is an ancient custom, also known as "five raw pots" or "raw flower pots"..A few days before the Qixi Festival, people will spread several layers of soil on the wooden boards, plant corn, and let it grow green tender seedlings, and then put some small thatched huts, flowers and plants on it to make it look like a small village.It is called "shell plate".Sometimes mung beans, adzuki beans, wheat, etc.are also planted in a bowl, and when they grow sprouts, they are tied into a bunch with red and blue threads.
Diet customs on the Qixi Festival
Qiaoguo
Qiaoguo is the most famous festival food for Qixi Festival.Qiaoguo, also known as "Qiaoqiaoguo", has many styles."Qi Qiao fruit" is a traditional offering and sweet spot on the Qixi Festival.On the evening of Qixi Festival, people bring "Qiaoguo" to the courtyard, and the whole family sits around and tastes the craftsmanship of "Qiaoguo" people.Now this custom is no longer spread in many places, and the traditional food of "Qingqiao Fruit" has also evolved into a variety of colorful cakes.There are many styles of Qiaoguo, and the main materials are oil, flour, sugar and honey.In addition, there are many variations of the melons and fruits used in begging:either the melons and fruits are carved into exotic flowers and birds, or the surface of the melon is embossed with patterns; such melons and fruits are called "flower melons".
Summary
In some parts of our country pastry shops, some crisp candies in the image of the Weaver Girl are also made on this day, commonly known as "Qiaoren" and "Qiaosu".In order to "send clever people", people believe that people who eat this "crisp candy" will become ingenious.
Qiaoqiao Rice
In Shandong, my country, we have to eat Qiaoqiao Rice on this day.Copper coins, a needle and a red date were wrapped in three dumplings.After the begging activity, they gathered to eat dumplings.It is said that those who eat money are blessed, those who eat needles are skillful, and those who eat jujube get married early.
Melons and Fruits
In Fujian, during the Qixi Festival, the Weaver Girl should appreciate and taste the melons and fruits, in order to ask her to bless the harvest of the melons and fruits in the coming year.Offerings include tea, wine, fresh fruits, five seeds (longan, red dates, hazelnuts, peanuts, melon seeds), flowers and pollen for women’s makeup.Usually, after fasting and bathing, everyone takes turns burning incense at the offering table and praying silently.
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