The Dragon Heads-Up Festival falls on the second day of the second lunar month.
The Dragon’s Head Festival, also known as the Spring Dragon Festival and the Spring Flower Festival, is a traditional folk festival in Zhengzhou. According to folklore, during the reign of Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty, she was punished for offending the Jade Emperor and was punished with no rain for three years. The rivers and ditches in the world dried up, the trees withered and saplings died, making it difficult for people to live. The Dragon King in charge of Tianhe couldn't bear it, so he secretly brought rain to the world on the second day of February, and was punished for it. People used fried popcorn and beans as offerings to the Dragon King to repay his life-saving grace. Therefore, the Jade Emperor was moved and allowed the Dragon King to continue to bring rain to the world. Later, on the second day of February, the Dragon King was worshiped, which became a festival.
Introduction to the festival
February 2nd is a traditional folk festival of the Han nationality. Popular in most areas of China, this festival is also celebrated by ethnic minorities such as Miao, Zhuang, Manchu, Dong, Li, She, Buyi, Hezhe, and Ewenki. There are many customs and activities in this festival, and it is also known as the Flower Festival, Outing Festival, Lai Picking Festival, Spring Dragon Festival, Green Dragon Festival and Dragon Heading Up Day. Because it falls on the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, it is called. This custom has been recorded in the Tang Dynasty. Bai Juyi's poem "February 2nd": "On February 2nd, the new rain is dark, and grass teeth and vegetable armors are born for a while. There are young people with light clothes and thin horses, and the word "cross head" is in line." Later, people used knives and rulers, hundreds of grains, melon and fruit seeds, fruits to welcome wealth, etc. to pay tribute to each other, and there were activities such as picking vegetables, outings, and welcoming wealth. Yuan Fei wrote "Sui Hua Ji Li Pu": "On February 2nd, during the Outing Festival, people from Renjun County visited the surrounding suburbs...", and Wang Hao's "Guangqun Fang Pu? Tianshi Pu" cited "Han Mo Ji": "Luoyang Customs , February 2nd is the Hualang Festival, where the common people go to play, and it is also the vegetable picking festival. "After the Ming Dynasty, there were many customs about the dragon raising its head on February 2nd, such as spreading ashes to attract the dragon, supporting the dragon, fumigating insects, and avoiding insects. Scorpions, dragon head shaving, avoidance of acupuncture in longan and other festival customs, so it is called the day when the dragon raises its head. "Wu Ding Fu Zhi" written by Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty: "...the second day of February is the Spring Dragon Festival. The ashes of the stove are used to surround the house in the shape of a dragon and a snake. It is called the dragon that attracts money and brings good fortune." In addition, there are also Shanggong. , plow test, fried scorpion beans, wearing Pengcao, offering sacrifices to the Dragon King, respecting the land, paying homage to the high-growing crops, marrying a girl to live in the spring, and a boy writing a pen, etc. The Buyi people hold this festival for three days on February 2nd, mainly to worship the earth god. On the day of the festival, every family kills chickens to honor their ancestors, eats two-color (black and white) glutinous rice, and prays to the land god to bless the peace of the whole village.
There are many dragon-related activities on this day, so it is called Dragon Raise its Head Day. The custom of the dragon raising its head on the second day of the second lunar month was first seen in Liu Tong and Yu Yizheng's "A Brief Scenery of the Imperial Capital? Volume 2 Spring Field" of the Ming Dynasty: "On the second day of the second lunar month, it is said that the dragon raises its head, and the remaining cakes from the New Year's Day sacrifice are put out and the bed kang is smoked, which is called "Xun". "Insects" are said to attract dragons and insects will not come out. This custom was still followed in the Qing Dynasty. Fucha Dunzong's "Yanjing Years of the Year": "February 2nd is also the festival of harmony in ancient times. People call it the dragon raising its head. People who eat solar eclipse cakes call it dragon scale cakes, and those who eat noodles call it dragon whiskers. Face. Stopping needlework in the boudoir may damage the dragon's eyes. "The dragon is a prominent divine creature in ancient Chinese culture. It is an auspicious creature and the master of peace, wind and rain. As the saying goes, "It will not rain unless the dragon raises its head." The dragon's head means that the clouds and rain will make it come true, and the harmony between heaven and earth and the sound of clouds and rain are the conditions for the growth of all things. Also, in ancient times, it was believed that the dragon was the spirit of scale insects and the growth of hundreds of insects. When the dragon appeared, the insects were hidden. The beginning of February is when spring returns to the earth and farming begins. It is also the time when hundreds of insects are stinging and ready to move. Therefore, people hold dragon heads, attract green dragons, shave dragon heads, and eat dragon skin, dragon beards, dragon seeds, etc. The custom of dragon scale cake also includes taboos such as stopping the needle and avoiding grinding.
Folklore
This custom has been seen in the Ming Dynasty. Shen Bang's "Miscellaneous Notes of Wanshu" records: "The people of Wan call the second day of February to mean that the dragon raises its head. The villagers use ashes from outside the door to euphemistically spread them into the kitchen of the house, swirl them around the water tank, and call them to lead the dragon back." Yu Yizheng and Liu of the Ming Dynasty Dong's "A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital", Volume 2, records in the Spring Field: "On February 2nd, the dragon raises its head, fry the remaining cakes for New Year's Day sacrifices, smoke the bed and smoke insects, which is said to attract the dragon and the insects will not come out." The dragon is in the Chinese people. It has an extremely lofty status in people's minds. In ancient times, the dragon was believed to be the symbol of the emperor, an auspicious object, and the master of peace, weather, and rain. Therefore, the proverb "On February 2, the dragon raises its head" means that with the coming of spring, all things will revive. The Hidden Dragon begins to move, indicating that the year's agricultural activities are about to begin.
Legend has it that every second day of the second lunar month is the day when the Dragon King in charge of clouds and rain raises his head; from then on, the rain will gradually increase. Therefore, this day is called "Spring Dragon Festival".
There is a folk proverb widely circulated in northern China: "On February 2, the dragon raises its head; when the big warehouse is full, the small warehouse flows."
Whenever the Spring Dragon Festival comes, every household in most parts of northern China carries lanterns and goes to the well or river to fetch water on this morning. When they return home, they light lamps, burn incense and offer offerings. In the old days, people called this ceremony "Yintianlong". On this day, every household also eats noodles, fried cakes, and popcorn, which are compared to "carrying dragon heads", "eating gentian", "golden beans bloom, the Dragon King ascends to the sky, clouds spread rain, and the grain is abundant" to show auspiciousness. .
The farmer's proverb "On February 2, the dragon raises its head." It is said that in ancient times, there was a long drought in the Guanzhong area, and the Jade Emperor ordered the dragon from the East China Sea to sow rain. The little dragon was so playful that he dove into the river and never came out again. A young man went to the cliff to collect "dragon water" to muddy the river water. Xiaolong emerged from the river to compete with the young man. Xiaolong was defeated and had to make rain. In fact, the so-called "dragon raises its head" refers to the insects starting to wake up after hibernation. Therefore, as the saying goes, "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, and scorpions and centipedes show their heads."
There is another saying about "February 2" called the Spring Dragon Festival. Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi" records: "Dragon is the longest among scales. It can be dark or bright, thin or huge, long or short. It ascends to the sky at the spring equinox and dives into the abyss at the autumnal equinox." This is probably the "Spring Dragon" The earliest record of the custom of "Festival". According to legend, when Wu Zetian became emperor, the Jade Emperor ordered not to rain on earth for three years. But the Jade Dragon in charge of the Tianhe River could not bear the suffering and starvation of the people, so he secretly sent a heavy rain. When the Jade Emperor learned about it, he knocked the Jade Dragon in charge of the Tianhe River down from the Heavenly Palace and pressed it under a mountain. There is also a monument erected at the foot of the mountain, which reads: The Dragon King's rainfall violates the laws of heaven, and he shall be punished for the rest of his life. If you want to return to Lingxiao Pavilion, you will have to wait until the golden beans bloom.
In order to save the Dragon King, people looked for blooming golden beans everywhere. On the second day of February of the following year, people were drying the golden corn seeds, and suddenly remembered that the corn was like golden beans. When they were fried and bloomed, weren't they just golden beans blooming? So every household popped popcorn, set up a table in the courtyard to burn incense, and offered "flowering golden beans" for the Dragon King and the Jade Emperor to see. The Dragon King knew that the people were trying to save it, so he shouted to the Jade Emperor: "The golden beans are blooming, let me out!" When the Jade Emperor saw the golden beans blooming in the courtyards of every house in the world, he had no choice but to pass on an edict to the Dragon King to return to heaven. Continue to bring rain to the world.
Since then, people have formed a habit. Every February 2nd, people pop corns and some fry beans. Adults and children also chant: "On February 2, the dragon raises its head, the big warehouse is full, and the small warehouse is full." In some places, stove ashes are spread into large circles in the yard, and grains are placed in the middle, which is called "beating". "Hoard" or "fill in". Its meaning is to wish for a good harvest and a full warehouse. During festivals, it is common in various places to add the title "dragon" to the name of food. Eating dumplings is called "dragon ears"; eating spring cakes is called "dragon scales"; eating noodles is called eating "dragon whiskers"; eating rice is called eating "dragon seeds"; eating wontons is called eating "longyan".
There are many other customs on this day. Before getting up, you should recite "February 2, the dragon will raise its head. If the dragon does not raise its head, I will." After getting up, you should light a lantern to shine on the beams of the house and recite while doing so. : "When the beams of the house are shined on the second day of the second lunar month, scorpions and centipedes have nowhere to hide." In some places, women do not stop sewing for fear of hurting the dragon's eyes; in some places, they stop washing clothes for fear of hurting the dragon's skin, and so on.
From a scientific point of view, the second day of the second lunar month is around the time of "The Waking of Insects", when the earth begins to thaw, the weather gradually gets warmer, and farmers say goodbye to their slack farming and start working in the fields. Therefore, in ancient times, "February 2" was also called "Shang Er". Therefore, the Spring Dragon Festival, which is popular among Chinese people, was also called the "Spring Plowing Festival" in ancient times. It is said that if you don't wake up on this day, the rumbling thunder will call you.
The formation of the festival
The second day of the second month of the lunar calendar is an important traditional festival among Chinese people. It happens around the time of the Waking of Insect, one of the twenty-four solar terms. "The Jingzhe Earth Qi is released". Since then, the earth has returned to spring, all things have revived, dormant insects have begun to emerge from the ground, various animals have regained their vitality, and the legendary dragon has also woken up from its slumber, and is about to raise its head and ascend to the sky, spreading clouds and making rain. There is a folk proverb that says, "On February 2, the dragon raises its head."
When was the Dragon Head-Heading Festival formed?
According to research, as early as the Tang Dynasty, the second day of the second lunar month already had the nature of a festival. On this day, people invite people to go out in the wild for an outing, which is called "welcoming the rich." On the way, they dig some wild vegetables and take them home to try them, which is called "picking vegetables." By the Song Dynasty, February 2 gradually evolved into a formal festival, known as the Vegetable Picking Festival and the Outing Festival. This was reflected and recorded in some poems and documents at that time. For example, Zhang Lei in the Northern Song Dynasty wrote a poem titled "On February 2nd, the Vegetable Picking Festival, heavy rain cannot come out." "Hu Zhong Zeng Lu" also says: "It is a custom in Sichuan that the second day of February is the Outing Festival."
However, in the Tang and Song Dynasties, we still can't see the second day of February and its activities. The shadow of "dragon heads up" links February 2nd with "dragon heads up" in the Yuan Dynasty. The book "Analysis of Jinzhi" written by Xiong Mengxiang at the end of the Yuan Dynasty mentioned when describing the customs in the Gyeonggi area: "On February 2, it is said that the dragon raises its head. At the fifth watch, each family uses lime on the wellside to lead the white road straight into the home. In the room, men and women did not need to sweep the floor, which frightened the dragon's eyes." So far, this is the earliest written material we can see that records "February 2, the dragon raises its head." According to this material, it can be concluded that the dragon raises its head. The festival was formed in the Yuan Dynasty.
Some folklorists speculate that the Dragon Head Festival was first formed in the Yellow River Basin, and then gradually spread to other regions. This festival has become popular in most parts of China, and even some ethnic minorities also celebrate this festival. .
Judging from the names of festivals, there are great differences between regions. In addition to the name of Dragon Head Heading Festival, we also know Dragon Heading Head Day, Dragon Head Heading Day, Spring Dragon Festival, Green Dragon Festival, Dragon Head Festival, etc. Generally, people in many areas are accustomed to using the festival as the name of the festival. Just call it February 2. On February 2nd, there are many taboos among the people. For example, "it is forbidden to draw water in the morning" for fear of touching the "faucet" and making the Dragon King angry; also, women are not allowed to use needles and threads to prevent accidentally pricking the "dragon head". "Eye" and pierce the "dragon head".
With the development of society, the Dragon’s Head Festival, as a traditional festival formed in the agricultural era, has gradually faded out of modern people’s lives. Its rich folk activities and profound cultural connotations have also Already little known.
Festival customs
There are many folk activities on the Dragon Head-head Festival in various places, and the content is very rich. The main ones are:
Dragon Sacrifice: In the past, the Dragon Head-head Festival was a sacrificial ceremony. On this day of the Dragon God, every year, people go to the Dragon Temple or the waterside to burn incense to offer sacrifices to the Dragon God, praying to the Dragon God to make clouds turn into rain and bless the harvest for the year. However, in many areas, especially in the south, people also regard the second day of February as the "Day of the God of the Earth" and hold community sacrifices to worship the God of the Earth.
Spreading ashes: This custom has a long history and is still popular in many rural areas today. The ash used for spreading ashes is usually firewood ash, but lime or bran is also used. The specific methods vary from place to place, but they are roughly as follows: scattering ashes in front of the door is called "blocking the door to prevent disasters"; A circle of equal size is placed, and some grains are symbolically placed, which is called "enclosing the warehouse" or "ash hoarding" to wish for a good harvest; the ashes are sprinkled beside the well and shouted to "lead the dragon back" to wish for good weather and good weather. The method of sprinkling varies from place to place. Generally, it starts from the edge of the well and meanders all the way to the kitchen and around the water tank. The gray line meanders continuously, which is very interesting.
Smoked Insects: As we enter the second month of the lunar calendar, the weather gets warmer and various insects begin to move. Some insects are harmful to human health. Therefore, on February 2nd, people bake pancakes and burn smoked insects. Incense, hoping to use the smoke to drive away poisonous insects.
Hitting the beams: hitting the beams with wooden sticks or bamboo poles to scare away snakes, scorpions and other poisonous insects before they cause harm. In some places, it is popular to knock on the edge of the kang, for the same purpose as knocking on the beams.
Haircut: There is a folk saying that if you shave your head (haircut) in the first month, your uncle will die. Although this theory is unfounded and ridiculous, it has a profound impact. Therefore, no matter how busy people are before the Spring Festival, people must take time to get a haircut, and then they have to wait until the day when the "dragon raises its head".
A haircut on February 2, commonly known as "shaving one's head", is said to bring good luck to the whole year. Therefore, "it is a day to shave more hair".
A popular custom today is fried scorpion beans. In Weixian, Laizhou and other places, it is called "Baojie", which is homophonic to "explosion sting". It is said that if you eat fried scorpion beans, you will not be stung by scorpions for a year. In Yuncheng and other places, it is called "fried scorpion claws". Children sing while eating: "If you eat scorpion claws, you don't need to fight the scorpions." Scorpion beans are usually fried with soybeans, and some scorpion beans are even coated with sugar. Soaked in salt water, it is crispy and delicious. Some fried noodle chess pieces and scorpion beans together. There are many variations. Eating scorpion beans can not only ward off scorpions, but some people say that whoever eats scorpion claws from Qijia will live a long life. Nowadays, except for some areas in Jiaodong, this custom is popular on February 2 in other places. However, in addition to scorpion beans, melon seeds, popcorn, etc. are added. This is a new development of the custom of frying scorpion beans.
February 2nd is the day when the dragon raises its head. The area formerly affiliated with Jinan Prefecture is called Qinglong Festival, Spring Dragon Festival or Dragon Head Festival. In other areas of Shandong, it is called February 2nd, and in Liangshan, it is called Dragon Head Festival. Before the Tang Dynasty, February 2 was not considered a festival. In the mid-Tang Dynasty, activities such as picking vegetables, welcoming the rich, and outings became popular in Sichuan and Shaanxi. At the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, February 2 in the north was associated with Jingzhe and added the content of the dragon raising its head, and gradually evolved into a festival with customs of driving away pests and praying for a good harvest. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there have been customary activities in Shandong on this day such as attracting dragons, buying hoards, making pancakes to smoke insects, hitting beams to ward off rats, and frying beans to report success. Picking vegetables and welcoming wealth are no longer common.
Many of the festival customs on February 2 are related to the dragon raising its head. On this day in Yuncheng and other places, every household must put up the upper fan of the stone mill. This is called the dragon raising its head. It is said that only in this way can "the drizzle fall all over the ground and you will not have to worry about food and clothing for a year." In Weihai and other places, people get up early to steam cakes to commemorate the rising of the dragon in spring. In Tengzhou and other places, steaming steamed buns on this day is called "steamed dragon eggs"; eating noodles is called "dragon beard noodles". In some places, eating cakes is called "dragon scale cake"; eating vegetable dumplings is called "dragon eggs". However, some places do not eat noodles or drink millet on this day because noodles are called dragon whiskers and millet are called dragon seeds. Eating them is afraid of affecting the health of the dragon. In the old days, haircuts were usually done on the day when the dragon raises its head, and children were said to be the best in school on this day for good luck. In Haiyang and other places, small dragons are made from white flour or bean flour, which are called divine insects. They are placed in grain hoards and noodle vats to wish that the grain and flour will be inexhaustible. In Weihai, Longkou and other places, strings of round colored cloths are hung on children's hats, called little dragon tails; in some places there are entertainment activities such as dragon lantern playing to match the order of the festival.
The second day of the second month of the lunar calendar is considered a festival, but it is not clear why today is designated as a festival, what is the official name of this festival, and its origin. People in my hometown call today "February 2" according to the day, so "February 2" is the name of the festival. From the time I understood the magical nature of the holiday, I took it for granted that today is February 2nd.
In rural areas, festivals are not ranked in any order. All traditional festivals have to go through the motions. Grandma believes in ghosts and gods, so she takes a fancy to such days that are clearly marked as festivals, so our family is Every festival must be celebrated.
After more than twenty years of festivals, I have figured out some clues. No matter how big or small a festival is, it must be somehow related to eating. The same goes for "February 2".
On this day, in addition to being eaten by humans, corn must also be fed to crows. This is usually done if there are children at home. Give the children a bowl of cooked corn kernels and ask them to stick them on branches or needles near the house for the crows to eat. The reason for this practice is that whose corn the crow eats will be smart and will be the number one scholar in the future.
Most people eat dumplings at noon. In our place, dumplings are the staple food of festivals. They are indispensable during any festival. In the southeastern area of ????Guanshan, most people also have this custom. I am afraid that the failure of Shanxi cuisine to join the eight major Chinese cuisines has something to do with this tradition.
The special thing about the festival "February 2" is that there are no activities. The main content of the festival is to eat something different from the usual food. Dinner is pancakes and rice porridge. After eating, the festival is considered a success. It’s over. So this festival was a bit strange.
Festival Food Customs
Spring pancake: Beijing folk food, a very thin pancake, also known as pancake. Every year on the first day of spring, Beijingers eat spring pancakes, which are called "biting spring." The second day of the second lunar month is the day when the dragon raises its head as an ancient Chinese proverb says ("February 2, the dragon raises its head"). On this day, Beijingers also eat spring pancakes. , called "eating dragon scales".
Spring pancakes are larger than pancakes for roast duck, and they are tougher (Beijing people call them "bone-strength") because they need to be rolled with a lot of vegetables. In the past, when eating spring pancakes, it was important to go to the box shop to order "Su Pan" (also known as box dishes). A box shop is a butcher shop, and the store owner sends people to deliver the food to your home.
In the box, smoked tripe, pine nut tripe, roasted pork (a hanging oven roasted pork), clear sauced pork, smoked elbow, sauced elbow, sauced strips, smoked chicken, sauced duck, etc. When eating, you need to cut it into thin strips with a knife and add several home-cooked vegetables (usually stir-fried leek sprouts with shredded pork, stir-fried spinach with shredded pork, mung bean sprouts cooked with vinegar, stir-fried vegetarian vermicelli, spread eggs, etc., if there are "stir-fried" noodles that have just been put on the market "Pheasant neck and chives" are stir-fried with shredded lean pork, and paired with eggs, which is even more delicious and delicious), and rolled into spring cakes to eat together. The condiments include shredded green onions and yellow sauce drizzled with sesame oil (roast duck with sweet noodle sauce).
When eating spring cakes, the whole family sits together, puts the baked spring cakes in the steamer, and eats them as they go, in order to keep them warm. If spring pancakes are eaten on February 2, Beijingers are also particular about taking married girls home.
Donkey rolling: a kind of bean flour cake, a halal snack in Beijing. Knead steamed yellow rice (or glutinous rice) into a ball, sprinkle with fried soybean noodles, add red bean filling, roll into a long strip, sprinkle with sesame, osmanthus, white sugar and eat. When the "donkey rolls", the bean flour is sprinkled as it is prepared, just like a donkey rolling on the spot in the countryside and covered with loess, hence the humorous name.
According to the custom of old Beijing, people always like to buy "donkey rolling" to taste in the second month of the lunar calendar, so there are many food vendors and cart vendors operating this kind of food, such as the Bai food stall and "rice cake tiger" in Tianqiao market
The festival food on February 2 varies from place to place. In addition to the above-mentioned pancakes, noodles, and steamed buns, some people eat flower cakes, which means climbing higher and higher. In Longkou and other places, a piece of cake steamed at the end of the New Year is left to be eaten on this day. Some people eat pancakes. Yuncheng and other places believe that pancakes can be spread on the bottom and covered with tops to prevent rats and moths and ensure a granary. People in Zaozhuang and Shan County rest on this day to improve their lives and say: "On February 2, don't work, sit down and eat big steamed buns."
In the past, people generally regarded the Spring Dragon Festival as a series of annual festivals Since then, various entertainment activities have been stopped and normal business resumed. The long-term workers who carry the work start to work, which is called the working day; generally, farmers start to test the plow. It is a custom in Haiyang and other places that people who hold the plow first worship the plow tool and sing a happy song: "The plow breaks the new spring soil, and the ox tramples the acres to harvest. One grain of millet is planted in the spring, and ten thousand seeds are harvested in the autumn." Then he leads the cow to the field to symbolically Plow and plow. The custom in Longkou is to start farming on February 2nd and choose a warehouse beforehand to test plowing. Legend has it that February 2 is the birthday of the Earth God. In some places, sacrifices are made to the Earth God on this day, which is probably related to the start of spring production on that day. There is also the custom of catching the sun on February 1st in northwest Shandong.
The Dragon Head Festival is also known as the "Green Dragon Festival" and "Spring Dragon Festival". According to legend, the Dragon Head Festival first originated during the Fuxi period. Fuxi "focused on farming, mulberry trees, and plowing the fields." Every year on the second day of February, "the emperor's wife would deliver rice and the imperial driver would plow the fields himself." Later, Huang Di, Tang Yao, Yu Shun, Xia Yu and others also followed suit. During the reign of King Wu of Zhou Dynasty, a grand ceremony was held on the second day of February every year to plow the fields together with civil and military officials. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, people regarded February 2nd as a day to "welcome wealth and honor", and on this day they would eat snacks to "welcome wealth and honor". Zhou Mi of the Song Dynasty once recorded in "Old Wulin Events": In the Southern Song Dynasty, on the second day of February, the palace held an entertainment activity of "picking vegetables" for the royal banquet and guessing riddles. Fresh vegetables such as lettuce were inserted into the small dendrobium placed at the banquet. The ministers competed to guess the name of the dish, and were rewarded and punished based on the guess results. According to legend, the second day of February was the "Hua Chao Festival" in the Song Dynasty, and this day was designated as the birthday of Baihua. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was called "Outing Festival", and people went out for outings on this day. When returning home from an outing, many people pick flowers and leaves along the way and take them back to their homes to worship in front of their doors to express their wish for "wealth".
In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there was a saying that "the dragon raises its head on the second day of February". The emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties would go to the Xiannong Altar or the Old Summer Palace to hold a grand ceremony of "imperial driving and plowing" on the second day of February every year. , the emperor symbolically plowed the fields on the "one-third of an acre" or "one-acre garden" to pray for a bumper agricultural harvest this year and for the people to have enough food and clothing.
The Dragon Head Festival on the second day of February was also a major folk festival in old Beijing. At that time, folk people ate noodles, spring cakes, fried cakes, smoked dragon worms, grilled pig faces, popcorn, etc. custom.
As the saying goes, "On February 2, if you shine on the beams, scorpions and centipedes will have nowhere to hide." Farmers in old Beijing would drive away pests on this day. They would light candles and shine on the beams and walls to drive away scorpions and centipedes. Wait, these bugs will fall down and be destroyed as soon as they see the light. On the second day of February, there is a custom of "attracting the dragon to smoke out the insects". The ancients believed that when the dragon appears, hundreds of insects will hide, and crops will have a good harvest. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty's "Records of Success in the Imperial Capital" says: "The villagers spread ashes from outside the door into the kitchen of the house, swirling around the water tank, and calling it to lure the dragon back." The fumigation insect also prevents pests from destroying and causing trouble, ensuring a bumper harvest and tomorrow's harvest. The book "Ziuzhongzhi" says: "On the second day of February, every household uses millet flour and jujube cakes, fried in oil, or white flour and thin pancakes, which are called 'smokeworms'". Customs also include that women are not allowed to use needlework on this day to avoid hurting the dragon's eyes; they are not allowed to fetch water from the well before the sun comes up, so as not to damage the faucet with the bucket; everyone has to get a haircut on this day, which means that the dragon's head is good for good luck , giving a child a haircut is called "shaving the dragon's head"; most boys born on this day are named Dalong, Baolong and Jinlong. It is the custom in old Beijing to take back the married "aunt" on this day. As the saying goes: "If you pick up the baby on February 2, you will shed tears if you can't pick it up."
Like other festival customs, there are many dietary customs on February 2, and there are also auspicious names named after dragons. For example, eating dumplings is called "dragon ears" and eating rice is called eating. "Dragon son", eating wontons is called "dragon teeth", eating spring cakes is called "dragon skin", steamed cakes are also called dragon scales on the surface, called "dragon scale cakes", and eating noodles are called "dragon skins". Dragon Beard Noodles".
Old Beijingers like to eat pig head meat, especially on February 2nd. In rural areas, on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month to celebrate the Little New Year, pigs and sheep are killed to prepare New Year dishes. When stewing pork, the pig's head is left as a sacrifice to the Buddha on February 2nd. The people in the courtyards in the city also have the custom of offering pig heads to Buddha and ancestors on New Year's Eve and February 2.
In the past, there was often the sound of popping corns in the streets and alleys of Beijing. This popping of corns is also related to "February 2". It is said to originate from myths and legends. Legend has it that after Wu Zetian "established Zhou" and proclaimed herself emperor, the Jade Emperor was furious and ordered the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas not to rain on earth for three years. But the Dragon King in charge of Tianhe saw the tragic situation in the world where people were dying of hunger due to drought, so he secretly brought rain to the world. The people were saved, but the Dragon King was knocked down to the mortal world by the Jade Emperor and tortured at the bottom of the mountain. A stone tablet was erected saying: "The Dragon King's rainfall violates the laws of heaven and shall be punished by the human world for eternity. If you want to return to Lingxiao Pavilion, you will have to wait until the golden beans bloom." "In order to repay the Dragon King for saving his life, people looked for blooming golden beans everywhere, but they couldn't find them anywhere! On the first day of February, it was the day of the market. An old woman went to the market to sell grains. The golden grain seeds loosened from the bag and scattered on the ground. When people saw it, they thought, isn’t this bag of grain seeds just like golden beans? Wouldn’t it make them bloom when they are stir-fried? So on February 2, every household fried popcorn and set up a table in the courtyard to burn incense to worship the Dragon King. When the Jade Emperor saw that the golden beans had really bloomed, he released the Dragon King and let him regain the power of wind and rain. Soon, spring rains came to the world and agricultural harvests were abundant. Since then, every year on the second day of February, ordinary people will fry popcorn and eat it. While eating, they will chant, "February 2, the dragon will raise its head, the big store will be full, the small store will flow" to look forward to the beautiful vision of a good harvest.
Related poems
Reflections on the second day of the second lunar month (Liu Xiaofeng)
On this day the dragon raises its head
The dragon raises its head to see joy
Nanping borrows the east wind
Thousands of miles of waves are rising
Note: The dragon raises its head: February 2 of the lunar calendar is the day when people ask questions about the dragon raising its head.
Nanping borrows the east wind: Chapter 49 of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Zhuge Liang built the Seven Star Altar on Nanping Mountain and borrowed the east wind, so that the allied forces of Sun and Liu burned Red Cliff in the Battle of Red Cliff and defeated Cao's army.
In the central Hebei region, the second day of the second lunar month is also known as the second day of the second lunar month. There is a saying that "the dragon raises its head". That morning, the villagers rushed to carry water to lure the dragon. Whoever brings the dragon home first will have good harvests. In addition, there are also customs of patting the kang head, beating the nook, and not eating porridge for breakfast.
Inheritance and Development
The worship of dragons in ancient China has continued, and it has become increasingly clear that dragons are regarded as animal gods who manage rainwater. Therefore, "Zuo Zhuan" said in the fifth year of Duke Huan : "The dragon appears and the dragon appears" means that the dragon will appear after the Waking of Insects, and at this time a sacrifice to pray for rain will be held. "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", a geographical and mythological work during the Warring States Period, also said that Yinglong lived in the south, "so there is much rain in the south", while Zhulong "does not eat or sleep, and the wind and rain are just a visit", which means that it often attracts wind and rain. Because the imaginary dragon can soar into the clouds and ride on the mist, there is a superstitious belief that the dragon can bring auspiciousness to people, and when it comes to the human world, it can transform into an emperor and the emperor, so that the emperor is called the true dragon and emperor.
The earliest record of praying for rain directly using the image of a dragon can be found in "Spring and Autumn Fan Lu" by Dong Zhongshu of the Western Han Dynasty. The book mentions the activity of dragon dancing to pray for rain. There are also "Dragon Playing" dance scenes engraved on the portrait stones of the Han Dynasty. These can be regarded as the origins of dragon lantern playing in later generations.
People in the Tang Dynasty regarded the second day of February as a special day, saying that it was a day to "welcome wealth and honor". On this day, people should eat "welcome wealth and honor fruits", which are snack foods. The court of the Song Dynasty also had special activities on this day. Zhou Mi of the Song Dynasty recorded in "Old Martial Arts" that during the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a "vegetable picking" royal banquet in the Celestial Palace on the second day of February. At the banquet, fresh vegetables such as lettuce are planted in some small dendrobiums (measuring vessels with small mouths and large bottoms), their names are written on silk, and they are placed under the dendrobiums for everyone to guess. Depending on the guess, there are rewards and punishments. This activity was both a "taste of new things" and entertainment, so "the palaces and residences of the royal family also had many uses for it" at that time. However, these "February 2" activities in the Tang and Song Dynasties were not connected with the "Dragon Raises its Head". By the Yuan Dynasty, February 2nd was clearly the day when the dragon raised its head. "Analysis of Jinzhi" mentioned in describing the customs of Dadu in the Yuan Dynasty that "on February 2nd, it is said that the dragon raises its head." On this day, people popularly eat noodles, called "dragon beard noodles"; pancakes, called "dragon scales"; and make dumplings, called "dragon teeth". In short, they must be named after the parts of the dragon's body.
Relevant taboos
1. After a woman gets married, she should not spend February 2nd at her parents’ house.
2. Women are not allowed to give birth in their natal home.
3. Pregnant women, "turning back" and widows should not be used when choosing a woman to see off guests or get married.
4. From the Spring Festival to February 2, the pot must not be empty.
5. Visiting relatives, friends and patients should be avoided on the first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year. Do not visit patients in the afternoon.
6. It is forbidden to say "closed" when a store is closed, and "close to the door" when it is closed at night.
7. Do not use mulberry wood ("mulberry" is a homophonic word for "mourning") or locust wood ("huai" is a homophone for "bad") when building a house.
8. Avoid wearing white shoes, white leg straps or white belts when congratulating others. After the death of parents, one cannot congratulate others within one month.
9. Fishermen or boat owners are not allowed to say "turn over" instead of "slide over".
10. It is taboo to say "jealous", which is called "taboo".
11. During the Spring Festival, dumplings should not be called "Po miles" and called "Zheng miles".
12. When fetching water at a teahouse, avoid calling it "white water" instead of "white water".
13. Shoulder-carrying vendors should avoid carrying poles (because "Mai" is a homonym for "selling").
14. When borrowing a bucket and returning it to the owner, you are not allowed to carry the empty bucket into the house. You should carry the empty bucket in one hand and a pole in the other, or carry a load of water.
15. If you borrow a knife for boiling Chinese herbal medicine, you must put some food on it when returning it. In some areas, return is not allowed and the user has to wait to pick it up.
16. When pouring tea or wine to guests, the spout should not face the guests.
17. When asking strangers for directions, do not address them as "big brother".
18. Don’t say “buy accordingly” when making transactions.
19. Middle-aged people should avoid saying 41 years old, and centenarians should not say "hundred years old".
20. Brother and Di should avoid being humorous and avoid using other people’s sisters as a joke.
21. Avoid going to a funeral when getting married.
22. Avoid facing others while eating, and avoid facing the pot or table.
23. If your uncle is alive, you should avoid shaving your head in the first month.