What are the customs and legends in Tongling?

Tongling county shun' an March 3 temple fair

Legend: At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and the poor people in Shun 'an area were looted by the war, and they were killed countless times and had nothing. Survivors built a temple and offered sacrifices regularly to protect the gods. The day of sacrifice is set on the third day of March. Since then, on the third day of March every year, people around us have come to burn incense and offer sacrifices to God, praying for peace and good weather. Over time, a rural custom has been formed, and the number of people coming is increasing year by year. Some businessmen and vendors also come to set up stalls and do some business. Farmers also bring local food products, adjust surplus and deficiency, and exchange needed commodities. Temple fairs are gradually linked with commercial activities.

Sister married her brother and came back.

This marriage custom is still widely circulated in Tongling area. A few days before the bride's wedding, the bride's parents have arranged for her sister to get on the sedan chair. Generally, it is the bride's own brother, the cousin who has no brother, and the cousin who has no cousin. Among these brothers, the eldest brother is the most important, and the eldest brother will not be replaced by the second brother, and so on.

On my sister's wedding day, my brother who is carrying my sister should also freshen up. After the groom's wedding procession arrived, the bride put a 6-foot-long piece of red silk cloth (now turned into a red silk quilt cover) on her brother's shoulder and handed him a red paper bag, which usually contained 20 yuan. Then the groom carried the bride on his brother's back, and the brother carried his sister on the wedding sedan chair. After the bride got into the sedan chair, the wedding procession began in the crackling firecrackers. The red silk cloth (or red silk quilt cover) and the red paper bag were thanks gifts from my sister to my brother.

It shows that parents are cautious about their daughter's marriage, and it also shows the close friendship between brother and sister and the feeling of parting.

There is also a saying that when the bride gets married, she can't get her mother's dirty things on her feet, otherwise it will be unlucky.

On the fifteenth day of the first month, "send the year"

In the Qing Dynasty, Tongling area had the custom of paying New Year greetings on the 15th day of the first month, which was quite lively and still popular in a few rural areas.

The first month is the New Year, but this New Year also has a "head" and a "tail". Generally speaking, the night of the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month (that is, New Year's Eve) is the "head" of the New Year, so the fifteenth day of the first month is the "tail" of the New Year. Because this new year is celebrated by setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve; Then after this year, a ceremony will be held to send it away. This ceremony is an activity of setting off firecrackers on the fifteenth day of the first month. Strangely, firecrackers were set off on this day, not in the early morning or at night, but at two or three o'clock in the afternoon.

The year-sending activity takes the village as the unit. After lunch on the fifteenth day of the first month, every household began to prepare for the New Year. Almost every household hangs a string of long firecrackers at the door, some on the side of the house, some on the branches, some on the rope hanging clothes at the door, and some on a long bamboo pole for children to hold high. At this time, as long as any family takes the lead in lighting their own firecrackers, all the firecrackers in the village will ring immediately. It can be said that every family will set it off, every family will set it off, and firecrackers will be set off at home. Anyway, this year has passed, and I will buy it next year.

After the firecrackers sounded, everyone bowed to each other, shook hands and said something auspicious when they met, which was nothing more than congratulations on getting rich, all the best, promotion step by step, and family safety.

draw lots

The custom of grasping Zhou is full of festive colors and superstitious elements. This is similar to superstitious activities such as "fortune telling" and "divination". Of course, it is impossible to predict the future and the future through the activity of "grasping the week", but everyone still does it for celebration rather than superstition. The baby is one year old and can walk and say a few simple words. The baby's parents, grandparents and the whole family are very happy. Through the activities of grasping the week, the whole family get together to amuse the baby, smile and increase the festive atmosphere.

On this day, in addition to buying new clothes and toys for the baby, we also need to take pictures of the baby (the baby's first birthday photo). Some people who have the conditions also take their babies to the park to play, and finally the whole family have a dinner together to celebrate their first birthday.

Rubbing red

Legend has it that in the past, when a young lady from a big family got married, the wedding procession would come to the door before dawn. Because of the dusty journey, all the people who greeted the wedding were covered in dust and sweaty, and the young lady's family quickly came to the washbasin to wash their faces. In a hurry, I don't know who gave the bearer a pot full of sonority. Because it was still dark, no one could see clearly what color water it was, and everyone rushed to wash it. Needless to say, everyone has become a "red-faced Guan Gong". It's dawn, everyone. Look at me and I'll look at you. Some people just laughed when their ears were not dyed red. Everyone was about to fetch water and wash it again when the young lady's father came out of the room, bowed his hands and said with a smile, "Today is a big day. Everyone is flushed and full of energy, symbolizing good luck. What's wrong? " There are two ears that are not dyed red. I think they are all dyed red together! "In this case, as soon as the old man said this, his servants rushed up, their hands were covered with red water in the basin, and the ears of the guests attending the wedding were wiped off together. Some people simply dye their calves and necks red together. This event is very interesting and has a lively and festive atmosphere. Later, it spread rapidly in Tongling area.

Marriage customs in Tongling;

1, blind date

Both men and women reached the age of marriage proposal, and both sides thought that the door was right, so the man's parents entrusted the matchmaker to propose to the woman's house. Tongling has the custom of "a hundred women ask for it", and it has become a habit for a man to propose to her. When the matchmaker proposes marriage, he mainly introduces the man's age, appearance, occupation and family status.

Step 2 date

Before the 1960s, most farmers in the suburbs and a few citizens in cities should know the birthdays (year, month, day and hour) and zodiac signs of both men and women after blind date, and ask someone to calculate whether it is "auspicious", commonly known as "eight characters". If the "eight characters" are combined, they will choose the day to "engage". Until the 1980s, some farmers and a few citizens still believed in the eight-character theory.

3, send part

After the engagement, every year during the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, the man will give gifts to the woman's parents until they get married. Gifts are generally cigarettes, wine, cakes, etc. , and must complement the double number. In some families, the man will send noodles, square cakes and so on. For the first time, the woman will return half of these gifts to show "frequent patronage" and "high above".

Step 4 choose a wedding date

The date of marriage is agreed by both men and women. In the suburbs, the matchmaker usually agrees on the date in advance, and the man writes it in red paper according to the prescribed format (called "wedding invitation"), and prepares gifts for the woman to determine the wedding date. The day of receiving the notice is also called "Chao Festival" or "Sending the Day", and all relatives of the woman should send a gift. The wedding date is based on the lunar calendar, and is generally chosen on the second day (such as the second day of February) and the eighth day (such as the eighth and eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month).

5. Dowry

In Tongling area, when a daughter gets married, her parents want to buy her a dowry. The quality and quantity of dowry depend on the woman's family. Before the 1970s, ordinary families were equipped with clothes, quilts, wooden basins (including bathtubs and footbath), boxes, cabinets and toilets. In the 1980s, in addition to clothes, bedding and daily necessities, dowry in cities also included high-end furniture such as washing machines, electric fans, televisions and refrigerators.

6. Wedding ceremony

In 1950s, a sedan chair was generally used to marry the bride in rural suburbs. In the 1960s, people generally walked, whether in suburbs or urban areas. In the 1970s, tractors were used to celebrate weddings in the suburbs. After the 1980 s, I rented a car or borrowed a car for a wedding in the city. There is a word ""on the front glass of the car, and there are two new people sitting inside, followed by another car. Introducers sit inside, clothes, quilts and other dowries are put in. If there is high-grade furniture, it is transported by special car.

7. Wedding

Since the 1950s, both parties to a marriage must go to the marriage registration department for marriage registration and get a marriage certificate. But until the 1980s, most people here thought that getting a marriage certificate was not a formal marriage, and only after the wedding was a formal couple. At the wedding, both the bride and groom should dress up from head to toe. In rural suburbs, the bride wears a big red cloth (called a hijab) on her head, and she and the groom hold a ceremony in the main house to pay tribute to each other. Men are left and women are right. "One worships heaven and earth, two worships ancestors, three worships in-laws, and the husband and wife respect each other." After bowing to the bride and entering the bridal chamber, the groom or man asks someone to pick out the big red cloth on the bride's head, which is called "removing the hijab". Take off the hijab and hold a banquet. After the banquet, there will be a bridal chamber. "The bridal chamber is one big, one big and three small days." When the bridal chamber is noisy, people can make the bride and groom happy and have a good time.