Folk customs in liangping county, Chongqing
Blue printed cloth
Liangping blue calico is a sister art of Liangping woodblock New Year pictures, decals and cowhide lamp shadows. Folk artists carved various patterns on special oiled paper boards, spread them on white cloth, printed them with mortar made of tofu and lime powder, dipped the paper plates with blue pigment water, and wiped off the mortar after drying. Its patterns are mostly dragon and tiger leaping, phoenix rising in the morning, peony wearing, magpie making plum blossom, double lions making good luck, golden deer offering longevity, butterflies welcoming the spring and so on. A symbol of birthday celebration and Kang Tai, reflecting the people's strong desire for a happy and beautiful life.
Liang Ping's blue calico is spread all over urban and rural areas, including white flowers with blue background and orchids with white background. Li Xingshun (1879- 1966), a folk artist with superb carving and painting skills, was mainly produced in Liangping City, Renxian County, Yunlong, Ping Jin, Yuan Yi and other places. He studied arts and crafts in Hunan and Hubei, and then returned to his hometown Longjie to start a "dyeing workshop", devoted his life to improving and improving Liangping blue printed cloth.
Play dragon and lion dances and float boats.
Play with dragons and lions
On holidays, such as giving birth to children, celebrating birthdays and festivals, especially the Spring Festival every year to celebrate the Shangyuan Festival (that is, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month), dragon and lion dances are even more popular. Its dragon is made of bamboo paper, and its faucet, dragon body and dragon tail have 7 knots and 9 knots. When the dragon lantern will begin to perform remains to be verified.
Dragon and lion dances are held on the fourteenth and fifteenth nights of the first month, and they are played from six o'clock until the early morning of the next day. The dragon lantern first goes to the temple to meet the gods. After entranced, the dragon lantern and the dragon players gathered in TieShenxian Temple to take a break. Lions and Lohan, as well as two playing card lights (playing card lights, rectangles and built-in candles), go door-to-door along the left and right shops from the entrance to celebrate the auspicious New Year. When the Luohan lion comes to that house as a guest, the host will fire a gun and burn paper money to welcome him.
After the lion worshiped along the street, he began to play dragon lanterns. At this time, different forms of street lamps are hung in every household. I saw bright lights, crowds, gongs and drums, and it was very lively. Dragon players wear red cloth and go shirtless. Some people even soak their underwear in water to prevent them from catching fire when setting off firecrackers. "Duck feet" are inserted into the faucet, dragon body and dragon tail (woven with paper and bamboo strips, boiled in an oil pan soaked with turpentine, taken out, ignited and inserted into the faucet, dragon body and dragon tail). The whole dragon body is colorful, bright and transparent, and with the skills of playing dragon people, it shakes its head and rolls up and down, which is very spectacular. The discharge of flower tubes (homemade fireworks, raw materials such as raw nitrate, steel foam, sulfur, brain, charcoal, etc. ) It's like modern fireworks. People who put flower tubes always aim fireworks at dragon players. The fireworks are so fierce that they burn people to death like ants. But what dragon charmers are really afraid of is firecrackers. Explosion near his body, light will be numb in the explosion place, heavy will bleed. There are also very few people who hang firecrackers on dragon players and light them. In this case, dragon players will have scars of different severity (because they are made of earth powder, which is not explosive enough to cause great damage). Some people say that setting off fireworks is to build pain on others and let a few people watch and play. This statement is not entirely true, because people who play with dragons are willing participants who like to make trouble, and often compete with each other to play, instead of paying money to buy these people to play. These fans are also proud of being able to play in the first and second rounds, proving that they are physically fit, not afraid of the cold, and can overcome the attacks of cannons and flower tubes, especially those who play the leading role and roll from side to side. When firecrackers and flower tubes are fierce, how to protect them with dragons (the body can't resist the flower tube cannon rigidly, but it needs a skill to stop the cannon from approaching). Some people have scabies and are willing to play with dragons. There is sulfur in the firecrackers in the flower tube. After being attacked by firecrackers in the flower tube, scabies will naturally heal, so playing with dragons is not painful and everyone is happy. Of course, setting off firecrackers and playing pranks should not be done, especially the present explosive firecrackers, and we can't directly blow up dragon players, otherwise there will be a big accident.
On the 14th and 15th of the first month, it is only allowed to play in the street. Previously, from the ninth day of the first month (or even earlier), the meeting leader went to the countryside to send a message, written in red paper, and scheduled to let the green lion Huanglong come to your home to congratulate you months ago. Make an appointment in advance, and the person who receives the brand will arrange fireworks. The rules of playing dragons in the country are more particular than those in the street, and lanterns and dragon handles are not allowed to land. First, the lions went to the main hall to join the gods, signed lanterns and dragon lanterns, and stood in line on the dam. They must mark lantern handles and dragon lantern handles with instep pads. Otherwise, not only will the director's hospitality not be received that night, but the leaders of the meeting will have to apologize to the director and set off firecrackers. Very few owners also spread a layer of peas on the ground, which brought inconvenience to the dragon players. Once firecrackers are set off, dragon players often fall down easily. This seems like a prank, but it is actually testing the skills of playing dragon people. There is also a dragon called Kanlong, and fireworks are not allowed when playing. This kind of dragon is beautifully made, and its appearance is made of HongLing paste. Instead of ordinary candles, it is filled with special mineral candles to avoid burning silk, and the faucet is also inlaid with gold, silver and jade. Dragon players dress up as various characters, usually playing the Eight Immortals, The Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin. Those who take part in the dragon dance are all rich children, usually boys around the age of ten. They are not only for viewing, but also for protecting the burning dragon. When the fireworks in the flower tube are fierce, the dragon watcher will go at once. Those who set off fireworks in flower tubes will turn around as soon as they see the dragon coming. People who are setting off fireworks will immediately put fireworks into the sky, so that they will not burn players or dragon watchers, and firecrackers will no longer be set off. The firecrackers in the flower tube burned the dragon, but it was in trouble. The loss of the dragon can be estimated, but the value of these young masters who play with the dragon can't be estimated ... Liang Ping's reputation for playing with dragon lanterns and arranging flowers has a long history.
Car lights, floats
Car lights and floats are the same type. One person is in the car or on the boat, and several people are outside the car. This is much better than playing dragon civilization. We don't set off firecrackers, but when lights or floats arrive at a house, the host will set off firecrackers to welcome them. Car lights and floats are the central task of entertainment and publicity of the current situation. The lyrics vary from time to time and the tunes are varied. For example, in the early days of liberation, a lyric that publicized the overthrow of the three mountains and accused the Kuomintang of crimes: "Overthrow the three mountains, the people turned over ... The hen caught the yo-yo and didn't lay eggs. The township head took his father's yo-yo and his hands could bear scars." The literate lyrics are "sulfite, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, salt, and so on." . During the Great Leap Forward, the Four Clean-ups and the Cultural Revolution, there were all kinds of lyrics, including gongs and drums, which were loved by the masses and circulated for a long time.
On the other hand, the entertainment of car lights and floats is manifested in people who ride, take boats and row boats. Most people who go by car and boat are young girls (men dressed as women in the old society). They are beautifully dressed and shyly "sitting" in the car and boat, and the beauty is moving. The lyrics are euphemistic and beautiful, and everyone likes them. The rickshaw pullers (rickshaw pullers in front, rickshaw pullers behind, and nurses rocking the cattail leaf fans) and the boatmen (or two or four boatmen with paddles) all dress up as comedians, wearing hats or straw hats and fancy clothes. They learn from men and women, make jokes, tell some elegant and good jokes with the lyrics of people's cars and boats, and often make the audience laugh.
In the era when film and television were not popular in rural areas, lanterns and floats on Chinese New Year or other festive occasions not only set off the festive atmosphere and brought joy to the people, but also publicized the policies and laws at that time.
Steal green, steal lanterns, steal wax gourd.
"Stealing green, lanterns and wax gourd" is a folk custom of Liang Ping, not the kind of "stealing" with moral corruption.
First, stealing green.
The old people say: the Lantern Festival "steals green food, and there is no disaster for a year." The younger you live, the younger you are. " When the folk custom of "stealing youth" came into being remains to be verified. "Steal" what? That's symbolic. There are two kinds of green vegetables and only a few other vegetables. More "stealing" is not "stealing green", but actually stealing vegetables. "Steal" from whom? Specially selected women in the family are more "evil" and will call names. They stole it, let her scold it, and they called it "disaster". When did you "steal" On the fifteenth night of the first month, when you see lanterns, flower tubes and lions in the street or other places, you steal them back according to the pre-selected destination. It's usually one or two in the middle of the night at this time. I was already hungry, so I used the soup, crispy meat and vegetables left over from the Lantern Festival to make vegetables, and then I ate loudly and went to bed. This year will pass happily.
As for "stealing youth", it is rarely scolded, because everyone knows that "stealing youth" is just a kind of enjoyment. Sometimes someone steals from other people's homes. What does he scold? When this folk custom prevails, it is mostly when the weather is good and the country is safe.
Second, steal lanterns and wax gourd.
"Stealing lanterns and wax gourd" is not for yourself, but for others and children. After "stealing", it will be "sent" to a couple who have been married for several years and have no children. These two kinds of folk customs are both festive and dramatic. Before stealing, the consent of the "receiver" is usually obtained in a joking way. For example, there is a young couple in the community who have been married for several years and have no children. Get together, someone said, "You and your wife should have a son!" " Someone is asking, "Do you want us to give you a" lantern "? (or "wax gourd") If young couples just laugh and don't answer, it means they are willing to accept it. So the speaker came on stage and words turned into actions. As soon as several people discussed it, so-and-so' s family was full of children and grandchildren, so they were lucky and stole his lantern (or wax gourd). Stealing lanterns for people is usually decided by the person who steals lanterns in the twelfth lunar month and takes action on the night of the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month of the following year. At that time, the rural custom was "30-night fire, 15 night light". Smugglers are ready After the lantern director fell asleep in the middle of the night, several agile young people secretly took off the master's lantern, pasted it with red paper with the words "early birth", and then found two boys (boys of eight or nine years old) to hold it, followed by a group of blessed men and women, and sent it to the recipients with joy. Sometimes a set of firecrackers will be set off. A young couple who accept lanterns and then treat them warmly with rock tea. Blessing for a while, joking for a while, and then dispersing happily and quickly.
The process of "stealing wax gourd" is basically the same as "sending wax gourd", "stealing lanterns" and "sending lanterns", except that the time to say "sending son" to the recipient is in June and July, and the time to steal wax gourd is in the evening of August 15. On the evening of August 5, after stealing the wax gourd from the owner of a room full of children and grandchildren, it was wrapped in red paper, which read "Give birth to your son as soon as possible", let a young man with a child hold it, followed by a group of blessed men and women, and firecrackers flew all over the sky, making a lot of noise and sending it to the recipient's home. The young couple took their hands, put them on the bed, treated them with rock tea, and then dispersed happily.
Young couples who receive lanterns or wax gourd will naturally be happy and laugh when they have children. When making "Three Dynasties Wine" (ten days after the guests celebrate the birth of the child), all the people who send lanterns (or wax gourd) are invited to sit at the table, and the owner of the original lantern (wax gourd) is specially invited to sit at the table to express gratitude. And take the names of children related to lanterns or wax gourd as a souvenir. These two kinds of folk customs also occurred in the peaceful and prosperous times.
Become the right age
When a baby reaches one year old, it is called "appropriate age". As usual, parents should celebrate their baby's birthday. In addition to daily necessities such as clothes, shoes and hats, grandma will also push Baba, which will become red when cooked. Some people will send twenty or thirty Jin of Baba (about five yuan each).
On the birthday, put the abacus, ruler, pen, paper and eggs in a basket, let the baby take things and predict the baby's hobbies as an adult. However, there are more babies who take eggs first, and the prediction is often inaccurate. This is only the wish of adults, reflecting the heritage of ancient folk customs.
When individual guests go, the host family asks a guest to take some Baba home and give it to relatives and friends, which is called "disaster relief".
End a meatless diet
This is the first time a baby has eaten meat. About five months after birth, this ceremony is very simple and is performed by elders. At the end of the meatless diet, it is only symbolic to feed the baby a piece or two of meat. Parents want their baby to grow strong and have strength in the future. In addition to using pork as meat, they will choose tripe to feed their babies, because a big tripe means eating more and the babies will grow stronger. at present
The custom of "abstaining from meat" is still popular in rural areas.
Give the child a name.
After the baby is born, you should give it a baby name. Also called "nickname". A person has: birth name, scientific name, word, number, alias, etc. And some people have only one name since childhood. The task of naming this name is undertaken by the elders. The meanings of names represent the hopes of elders, such as "coming to life", "afterlife" and "making a fortune". Some people take a basic name for the baby's healthy growth, such as "pig, cow, sheep and dog", while girls take "English, blue, treasure, jade, jade and pink".
In the past, naming depended on the date of birth. If one of the five elements "gold, wood, water, earth, fire and earth" is missing, it is necessary to use names to make up for it, such as "Xin, Shu, Hong, Yan and Di", and the lunar year numbers "A, B, C, D, E, Ji, Ke, Xin and Di" are also useful. According to the month of birth, girls are named Chunlan, Chrysanthemum and Dongmei.
In the early days of the People's Republic of China, babies were given names with the characteristics of the times, such as "turning over", "liberation", "supporting the army", "rejuvenating the country" and "founding the country", and some adopted foreign names, such as "Feifei" and "Soviet". During the Great Leap Forward, it was named "Leap Forward", "Yonggang" and "Satellite".
"Super English" and so on; During the four clean-ups, they were named "four clean-ups", "four innovations", "anti-repair" and "Yonghong" respectively. During the Cultural Revolution, it was named Weidong, Xiangdong, Yongzhong and Ji Hong. Babies born in liangping county like to be named with the word "Ping", such as, Xiping and. Some babies have simple names, such as, Wang Pinghe.
Play three dynasties:
In the old society, the third day of marriage, childbirth and death was called "Three Dynasties". Here refers to the birth of a baby, and relatives and friends come to celebrate. This is called "playing three dynasties".
According to folk custom, after the wife gives birth to the first-born baby, the husband will go to the mother-in-law's house to report the good news. Set off firecrackers before walking around the house. If you pick up a rooster, it will be a boy or a piece of meat, and it will be a girl. Mother-in-law will know the baby's sex without asking.
The so-called "three dynasties" are not held three days after the baby is born, but during the confinement period, the "auspicious day of the zodiac" is chosen, and then relatives and friends are informed that the woman's parents and relatives should prepare clothes, hats, shoes, eggs, red ponds, liqueur, chicken, pork, bacon and other foods for the baby in the four seasons. The number of gifts depends on the family's financial situation. Generally, five or six pickpockets are packed in a laundry basket and set off firecrackers at the door of the son-in-law's house to celebrate. Ordinary relatives, friends and neighbors also send unlimited glutinous rice, dried noodles, eggs and other foods.
Sit at noon. Every tourist has a red egg, which is called "Eat Happy Egg". Boil as many eggs as there are guests. It's all from grandma's house. After three rounds of drinking, the baby was carried out by grandma, who bowed down to grandma's visitors and asked for money to buy gifts. As a result, aunts, aunts, grandmothers and others have all been rewarded. At least fifty cents, at least one yuan, three days later, grandma's guests left and went home.