Zhuzhou, a traditional Chinese custom, is now a custom in East Asian countries that predicts the future of the baby when the child is one year old. When a newborn is one year old, various items are placed in front of the child and allowed to be grabbed. Traditionally commonly used items include pens, ink, paper, inkstones, abacus, coins, books, etc.
It already existed during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. "It is a custom in the south of the Yangtze River to make new clothes and decorate the bathroom during the first period of a child's life. Men use bows, arrows, paper and pens, and women use knives, rulers, and needles, as well as food and drink." Play with objects and treasures, put them in front of the child, and watch what he takes, in order to test corruption, honesty, wisdom and foolishness, which is called a test. "Nowadays, some people will put mice, toothbrushes and other modern objects, and some will use image cards. Instead of real objects for babies to grab. Basic introduction Chinese name: Zhuzhou Foreign name: One-Year-Old Catch Scope of customs: China, North Korea and other countries Applicable age: One-year-old children Main objects: seals, books, abacus, coins, toys, etc. Origin of customs: According to legend, the Three Kingdoms Soochow " Introduction to the development of "Shi'er", source exploration, historical status, customs of various ethnic groups, Korean, Hui, Bajun, ritual process, objects used, instructions for use, precautions, representative significance, impact, introduction to catch the week , also known as swa'er, shizhuo, nianzhou, shizhou, or Draw lots in English. This custom has been spread among the people for a long time. It is a ceremony held when a child is one year old to predict his future and temperament. It is also a way to celebrate the first birthday anniversary. It belongs to the same traditional birth etiquette as the birth announcement, the three-day baptism, the full-moon ceremony, the hundred-day ceremony, etc. Its core is the wish for the continuation, success and prosperity of life, which reflects the deep love of parents for their children and has the characteristics of The nature of family games is a belief and custom with human ethics and the pursuit of child-rearing. It also objectively tests how mothers lead and carry out enlightenment education. With the improvement of living standards, the custom of celebrating the baby's birthday has been paid more and more attention by many families, and many places are also holding organized and collective activities to celebrate the baby's birthday. The ritual of "catching Zhou'er" is usually carried out before eating the lunch of "longevity noodles". The more sophisticated wealthy households would display a large case in front of their bed (kang), including seals, scriptures from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, pens, ink, paper, inkstones, abacus, coins, account books, jewelry, and flowers. , rouge, food, toys, if a girl is "catching Zhou'er", she should also add shovels, spoons (cooking utensils), scissors, rulers (sewing utensils), embroidery thread, patterns (embroidery utensils), etc. Ordinary families, limited by their economic conditions, tend to simplify things and use only a copper tea tray, which contains a private school enlightenment textbook "Three Character Classic" or "Thousand Character Classic", a writing brush, an abacus, and a set of sesame cakes and oil fruits. Extras for girls: a shovel, a pair of scissors, and a ruler. The adult brings the child in and makes him sit upright without any inducement. Let him choose, depending on what he grabs first and what he grabs later. Use this to predict their interests, future and future career. If the child grabs the seal first, it means that when he grows up, he will take advantage of heaven's kindness and have a prosperous official career; if he grabs the stationery first, it means that he will be eager to learn when he grows up, and he will have a beautiful article, and he will eventually be able to get the third grade; if so If a child grasps the abacus first, it is said that when he grows up and is good at managing money, he will have a successful career. If a girl first grasps sewing utensils such as scissors and rulers or cooking utensils such as shovels and spoons, she is said to be good at housework when she grows up. On the contrary, if a child grabs food or toys first, he should not be dismissed as "delicious" or "playful" on the spot. He should also be described as "when the child grows up, he will be blessed and good at 'carpe diem'" ". In short, the elders have high hopes for their children's future and just wish them well on their first birthday. Through the child's care, we objectively tested how the biological mother, nanny, and wet nurse led the child and how they carried out enlightenment education. Therefore, some parents are not superstitious, but still advocate letting their children catch Zhou'er, which is one of the reasons why this custom has been spread among the people for a long time. Exploring the source There should be a time process for a custom to develop and become popular. Grasping the Zhou Dynasty has been widely popular in the south of the Yangtze River in the Southern Dynasties, and it should have occurred earlier.
Therefore, some people have pushed the origin of Zhou Zhou back to the Three Kingdoms era based on the popular "Three Kingdoms". According to legend, during the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan, the leader of Wu, had not long proclaimed himself emperor. His crown prince, Sun Deng, fell ill and died. Sun Quan could only choose the crown prince among his other sons. A Xihu commoner named Jing Yang asked to see Sun Quan. He told Sun Quan that establishing heirs and passing down the throne was a great undertaking for generations. It depends not only on whether the prince is virtuous, but also on the talents of the emperor's grandson. He also said that he had a way to test whether the emperor's grandson was virtuous and foolish, and Sun Quan followed suit. Choose an auspicious day for the scenery. That day, the princes each carried their sons into the palace. Jing Yang brought out a plate full of pearls, ivory, rhinoceros horns and other objects for the young princes and grandchildren to grab as they pleased. The children were either grabbing emeralds or rhinoceros horns. Only Sun Hao, the son of Sun He, grabbed the slip with one hand and the ribbon with the other. Sun Quan was overjoyed and made Sun He the crown prince. However, the other princes were dissatisfied and each made friends with ministers and fought openly and secretly, forcing Sun Quan to depose Sun He and install Sun Liang as his heir. After Sun Quan's death, Sun Liang only reigned for seven years before he was overthrown by a coup and made Sun Xiu the emperor. After Sun Xiu's death, the ministers all hoped to elect an older prince as the emperor, and they happened to choose Sun Hao, who was over twenty years old. At this time, some old ministers recalled the method of selecting heirs that had been adopted earlier and couldn't help but marvel. Later, many people also used similar methods to test the future of their children and grandchildren, thus forming the custom of "testing children" in the south of the Yangtze River. Others believe that the origin of the custom of "testing children" can be traced back to the pre-Qin Dynasty, and is actually a product of the Chu people's culture of worshiping gods and believing in witchcraft. "Zuo Zhuan"·In the 13th year of Zhao Gong's record, the King of Chu had no legitimate son and wanted to choose an heir among the five favored concubines. He went to the famous mountains and rivers to offer sacrifices and pray: "Please ask God to choose the five people, so that He showed the famous mountains and rivers with a piece of jade, and said: "Those who worship the jade are what God has established. Who dares to disobey it?" Then he secretly buried the jade in the courtyard of the ancestral temple and gave it to the five concubines. They go to the temple in order of elder and younger to worship and kneel to their ancestors. Whoever happens to be in the position where the jade is buried is the heir established by the gods. After the youngest King Ping of Chu was carried into the ancestral temple, he bowed twice and pressed his head on the buttons of the jade bi. But King Chu Kang finally made the eldest son (King Kang of Chu) who was kneeling with his feet on one side of the jade bi as the crown prince. Minister Wei Gui was very moved and thought that this was against the destiny of heaven, so he entrusted his son to King Ping. Afterwards, King Ping indeed took the throne amid the internal strife of Chu. This story recorded in historical biographies is very similar to the legend of Sun Quan's selection of heirs, and it can also be regarded as the origin of the custom of "testing children." This kind of witchcraft that uses lots of superstition to predict and determine the life of children is naturally rejected by the Confucian culture of the Central Plains that advocates simplicity and values ??education. This is why the "testing" technique can only be passed down in the south for a long time. An important reason why it cannot flow to the north. This is also the reason why Yan Zhitui described this custom in a critical tone. Scholars also have different opinions on what concept led to the custom of seizing Zhou for examination. Some people believe that this custom originates from the primitive concept of omens, that is, it is believed that various phenomena in nature and good and bad fortunes in the world have omens before they occur. It is a psychological concept created by primitive people due to their inability to explain and grasp the powerful natural forces and human beings' own destiny. Therefore, predicting the future by grasping the week is not only foolish and absurd, but also manifests itself as a regression in the way of thinking. Some people also believe that Zhuzhou is actually a way to celebrate a person's first birthday. It is the same traditional birth etiquette as the birth announcement, the three-day baptism, the full moon ceremony, the hundred-day ceremony, etc. The core of which is the celebration of life. Best wishes for continuation, success and prosperity. Others pointed out that Zhuzhou is a folk belief activity carried out within the family and is not a social custom. However, the root of its belief is the witchcraft concept of mutual contact between things and people. Its rituals and dates are exactly what create this mystery. Choice of atmosphere. As a folklore phenomenon like divination, it is absurd and irrational to make inevitable judgments about the future based on accidental contact in childhood. However, it reflects the deep affection of parents for their children, and at the same time it has a certain nature of family games. Therefore, it is different from superstitious activities. It is just a belief and custom that is quite humane and pursues parenting. Historical Current Situation Documentary records on "grabbing the Zhou Dynasty" can be traced back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
If the first thing you grab is a knife or a bow, it indicates that you will have martial arts in the future; if it is a writing pen, it indicates that you will have literary talent in the future; if it is a cake or something, it indicates that you will not have a big future. After "Zhuzhou" is over, the cakes are given to relatives, friends and neighbors. Everyone who gets a cake must give some gifts in return as a thank you. When Koreans celebrate their children's first birthday, they only have "grasping the week". When the child grabbed something from the table, the relatives watching on the side praised the child with different words and placed some coins on the table to express their congratulations. The Hui people's Zhuzhou ceremony is also called Sui ceremony, and the Hui people's common name is Zhuasui. This is a common etiquette among the Hui people, especially those who give birth to their first child, or those who are infertile and have other people's children, they pay more attention to this etiquette. The ceremony for Hui children to catch their new year is relatively simple. When a child turns one year old, the child's parents, grandfather, grandmother, etc. are all in a joyful mood and prepare the New Year cake while busy, chatting and laughing on the night before or on the morning of the first birthday. The Hui people are very particular about New Year cakes, and they use raw materials such as fine powder, red dates, sweet bean powder, and sesame oil. The New Year cake must be made into a round shape, about three or four inches thick and about one foot in diameter, and steamed in a steamer. Pay attention to kindness and generosity. The pattern should be novel and beautiful, usually consisting of six to eight triangles. The patterns on each triangle must be made of peonies, plum blossoms, lotus and other flowers and plants made of flour. It is taboo to use patterns of animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits and sheep. Place a large red date in the center of each flower. The New Year cake is white and soft, and tastes fragrant and sweet. The person who cuts the cake should choose an elder or an old person. The Hui people who have the conditions have to slaughter chickens and sheep to make jelly and stew five-spice rice. Since the Hui people are distributed throughout the country, the custom of making New Year cakes is not entirely the same. In some places, the Hui people only eat New Year cakes on the day of celebrating the New Year, and do not eat rice, noodles and other staple foods. On this day, relatives, friends and neighbors are also invited to their homes to eat New Year cakes. Guests usually bring toys and other small gifts for their children to express their congratulations. When holding the New Year's Eve ceremony, the host will place a big red table on which pens, writing brushes, notebooks, small airplanes, small ships, knives, swords and other toys made of paper are often placed. Then, the mother or father will put the table. Carry the child to the table and let the child grab it as he pleases. The guests and the whole family gathered around the child to watch, hoping that the child could catch something ideal. According to the custom of the Hui people, if a child catches a pen and notebook, it means that he will be a talented literati and scholar who can write and draw in the future; if he picks up a sword, it means that the child will be a swordsman, swordsman, and brave in the future. A warrior; if he catches both a pen and a sword, he is thought to become a general with both civil and military skills; if he catches an inconspicuous little toy, he is thought to be an "elf" who eats, drinks, has fun, covets comfort, and cannot become talented. "Wooden knots"; if the child catches nothing, he or she is said to be a dim, accomplished idiot, mediocre, etc. When a child catches something like a pen or a notebook, the child's parents are happy and happy. They hold the child high in the air to celebrate and laugh, and the onlookers applaud! After the catching ceremony, the host brings out the New Year cake and piping hot stew. , have a meal with the guests, and wish the children good luck, safety and healthy growth year after year. Hui families who have the conditions will steam a New Year cake every year on their children's birthdays to celebrate and commemorate within their own family without inviting guests. This custom lasts until girls reach the age of 9 and boys reach the age of 12. The Bajun people in East Africa have a popular naming method similar to the Chinese "Zhuzhou" method, which involves writing many pre-selected names on leaves and letting the babies who are 7 days old pick out which name they catch. Just use whichever one you want; because the peoples in the Central African Rift Valley are located at the "Crossroads of Africa" ??and have suffered from frequent wars since ancient times, they often name their children with sad colors. For example, the Lugbara people often name their children "Lazy" and "Disgraceful". "People despise", "stingy" and "homeless", which are often the shortcomings of the children's parents or family difficulties, with a sense of self-deprecation; the Baniolo people often name their children "poor", "homeless" "Return", etc. This is a vivid record of unfortunate events such as tribal disputes, diseases and plagues.
The objects used in the ritual process can be seen from historical documents. "Yan's Family Instructions·Fengcao" records: "It is a custom in the south of the Yangtze River that once a child is born (that is, one year old), he will make new clothes and decorate the bathroom, and men will use bows. , arrows, paper, and pens, while women use knives, rulers, needles, threads, food, food, and treasures to play with, and place them in front of the children to see what they take in order to test their greed, honesty, foolishness, and wisdom. Try it. Cousins ??gather together to have a feast. This custom became even more popular during the Zhou, Tang and Song dynasties. For example, Wu Zetian once summoned the emperor and his grandsons to the main hall to watch them play. "Take the jade rings, rings, cups and plates from the Western Kingdom and place them in the front and back, and fight for them to see their ambitions." Wu Zimu's "Mengliang Lu·Yuzi" in the Song Dynasty recorded: "(The child) will get Zhou in the next year, and he will be named 'Zhou'. His family will arrange a brocade banquet in the hall, burn incense and candles, have a meal of fruit and food, as well as the imperial edicts of his father and ancestors, gold and silver toys with seven treasures, books in the study, and Taoist exegesis. Scrolls, scales, rulers, knives, scissors, buckets, colorful satin flowers, women workers with needlework, and children playing with things, but the children are placed in the middle seat to watch what the relatives give them first, and the feast is waiting. Relatives and friends.” From this, you can imagine the lively scene full of guests and friends. It was not until the Qing Dynasty that it was known as "Zhuzhou". The Qing Dynasty imperial palace's Zhou Zhou etiquette was extraordinary, and the items on display were very different from those among the people. For example, "The Continuation of the Palace History of the Kingdom" records: "(The royal family) used jade to capture Zhou Ling, two jade fan pendants, a gold key, a silver box, a rhinoceros clock, a stick, a study room, and a fruit banquet. According to the records, the items captured during the Zhou Dynasty mainly include the Four Treasures of the Study, scales, abacus, money and jewelry, eating toys, bell antiques, etc. Instructions for use: On the day your baby turns one year old, wash your baby clean, put on new clothes, and begin to worship the ancestors. Tell the ancestors that the baby is one year old, and pray that the baby will grow up healthily. Then choose a relatively spacious house, place two square tables side by side in the middle, cover them with cloth or mats, place the prepared weeks-grabbing items in a semi-arc shape on one end of the table, take the baby and put it on the other end of the table Let your baby grab the toys on the table and predict the baby's interests, hobbies and possible future careers based on the items they grab. During this process, the entire memorable process of the baby's first week can be recorded with a camera or video recorder. Things to note when grabbing the week: 1. The selected tools for grabbing the week should be the same size (no interference, easy to grab). Week-catching items 2. The selected Zhou-catching items must be of the same color (do not cause visual interference). 3. The game you choose must be your baby’s first contact with it. 4. Relatives and friends should not interfere during the week-grabbing process. 5. Just catch it twice. 6. Week-catching activities should be held before lunch. Representative meaning 1. Book: can read, suitable for being a scholar and expert 2. Pen and ink: can become a writer and painter Qian Zhongshu scratches out his name 3. Seal: has power, can be a high official 4. Abacus/calculator: Will be a businessman or accountant, suitable for business. 5. Coins: will be very rich in the future. 6. Chicken legs: are blessed, indicating that they will have no worries about food and clothing throughout their lives. 7. Rulers: can become designers and architects in the future. 8. Green onions: represent intelligence. 9 , Garlic: Represents good calculation and grasping the week 10. Celery: Represents hard work 11. Straw: Suitable for agricultural work 12. Sword: Can be an officer or policeman 13. Earpiece: Suitable for medical work. The custom of grasping the week is not only related to the original belief. What is more important is the influence and promotion of people's secular hierarchical concepts and official-oriented mentality. Throughout the ages, people in different eras have always regarded certain classes and industries (occupations) as noble and others as humble, hoping that one day they would be rich and prosperous and prosperous. If one's fate is unlucky and unable to realize one's ideals, one hopes that future generations will be distinguished and honorable, and one's ancestors will be honored, and they will use Zhuzhou to express such wishes and prayers. With the development of society and the advancement of science, people with improved ideological and cultural levels no longer believe in the theory of predicting the future by grasping the week. Nowadays, the activity of grasping the week is more of a fun game to help children celebrate their first birthday. , the focus on children’s hobbies and future careers is pragmatic and meticulous education and training through scientific methods.