Why did you throw the cup?

Throwing barnacles is a questioning ceremony of Taoist belief; Also known as cup-throwing, cup-throwing and cup-sticking, it is widely circulated in traditional civil society in China. "People's preparation" is a kind of divination tool, which is used by secular people to indicate the gods. "Cup" is sometimes called "Cup" in reverse. It is made of bamboo, wood and other materials, which are paired in a three-dimensional crescent shape, each of which is called a "branch" and has a front and a back. The convex part is called "negative side" (that is, negative side), and the flat part is called "positive side" (that is, positive side). The content of the ceremony is to throw two half-moon cups about the size of a palm, one flat and one arc protruding, so as to detect the meaning of ghosts and gods.

Generally, the size of barnyard grass cups is based on the principle that palms can be put together, but there are also large barnyard grass cups specially made. In folk beliefs, it is necessary to ask the gods whether the barnyard grass cup with a special size is acceptable. Generally, put a large basket cup on the paper money, hold the paper money in both hands, and then throw away the basket cup. This is used when temple staff ask important questions, such as the date of the celebration and cooking matters.

In Taiwan Province Province, almost all Taoist statues have one or several pairs of cups in front of them, and Buddhist temples occasionally have them. In the folk beliefs in Taiwan Province Province, anyone who asks for a visa needs to throw a confirmation to the gods. "Ren Cup" is called "Cup" for short, so Taiwanese "Tossing Ren" is also called "Postscript Cup". However, cups are not only used in temples. Those who have ancestors at home often have a pair of cups. If you ask a question to a god who just died, you can't use a "cup", you can only use two coins.

Today, many temples also use plastic cups. This kind of cup is sometimes used by religious gods as a tool to cheat money. They use lead or mercury to control the front and back of the cup.

The following is a description of the combination of yin and yang:

One yang and one yin (one level and one convex): calling it the "holy grail" (or "holy book") means that the gods agree that it or things will go smoothly. However, if the prayer is very cautious, it will take three consecutive times to count.

Two faces (two planes): it is called "Laughing Cup" (or "Laughing"), which means that the gods smile, but they have not yet decided whether to agree or not, and their behavior is unknown. They can ask the gods again, or clarify their prayers again.

Two negatives (two convex surfaces): they are called "negative cup" and "no cup" (or "anger"), which means that if the fairy disagrees, she will do something wrong and can ask for instructions again.

There are still special types of barnyardgrass:

Erection: One or two cups stand upright and are protected by gold paper according to custom. At that time, only the person who threw the basket could move it. Concentric Cup: Two cups overlap.

In folk beliefs, there are several established bow throwing ceremonies as follows:

Throwing is usually limited to three times.

You need to explain your name, birthday, household registration, address and description before you throw the raft.

Before throwing barnyard grass, put your hands together and take a pair of barnyard grass cups. After paying homage to the gods, you can let go and let the barnyard grass cup fall.

The ancients tossed the cup for the number, which mainly reflected the quietness of the initiator and the cooperation of Qi Xin, which was convenient and practical. For example: Hongmen Banquet, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and so on.

A mile south of Hedong, Lujiang County, there is a jade deficiency view on Gaofu by the river, and there is an ancient bridge named "Toubei Bridge" under the view. According to legend, the story of "Zuo Ci throwing a cup to play Cao Cao" happened here during the Three Kingdoms period.

Zuo Ci was born in Lujiang County (now southwest of Lujiang) at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. "The Biography of Zuo Ci in the Later Han Dynasty" contains: Zuo Ci is a "one-eyed cripple, and Baiteng is lazy to take the crown, a alchemist." He was good at alchemy and magic, and was later called "the originator of magic".

Zuo Ci is ugly, but kind-hearted and charitable. He often makes the God of Liu Jia poor and weak, and uses magic to tease powerful people. In the 21st year of Jian 'an (2 16), Cao Cao was stationed in Shu County (now Chengchi Village, Ketan Town, Lujiang). In the cold winter of October, Cao Cao wanted to eat oranges, so people bought more than 40 loads of fresh oranges from Wenzhou and shipped them back at night. On the way, the porter was hungry, cold, sleepy and tired. At this moment, a one-eyed and lame Taoist priest came over and said to the gatekeeper, you are too tired. Let me help each of you choose a car. Strange to say, the burden of Taoist priests has become lighter. After the oranges arrived at the station, Cao Cao immediately wanted to taste the delicious oranges and picked them at will. When I cut it open, I was afraid it was an empty shell, even if I cut it open. Cao Cao was furious and wanted to carry the porter with crutches. Suddenly, he asked to meet the alchemist Zuo Ci. Zuo Ci went into the tent, took some oranges and cut them open on the spot. There is meat in it, which is very sweet. But Cao Cao took it himself and cut it open. It was an empty shell. Cao Cao was so frightened that he offered his seat to Zuo Ci and asked him. Zuo Ci said with a smile, "I have three volumes of gobbledygook, which can fly across the wind, cross mountains and rocks, become invisible and travel around the world. Now that your majesty is a very important minister, there is no need to fight and kill again. If you can follow me to Emei Mountain for practice, you can send me three volumes of gobbledygook. " Cao Cao replied, "I want to go back, too. Who can care about the affairs of the imperial court? " Zuo Ci said with a smile: "Liu Xuande is the emperor's palace, why not make way for it?" Hearing this, Cao Cao was furious, cursed Zuo Ci as Liu Bei and ordered him to win Liu Bei over. He ordered the big cangue to be nailed up, locked up and put in prison.

The next day, Cao Cao hosted a banquet for all the ministers at Yuxiuguan, which is near the county. Walking in the wine room, I saw Zuo Ci standing in front of the banquet wearing all wooden shoes. He smiled and said to Cao Cao, "What does a king lack? I am willing to accept it. " Cao Cao was surprised and angry when he saw it, and replied, "I want Songjiang (now Shanghai) perch, can I!" But when Zuo Ci went to Guanxia Bridge and threw a hook in the county river, he soon caught a few fresh bass. Cao Cao shook his head and said, "This perch belongs to Jun River, not Songjiang perch." Zuo Ci said with a smile, "Inland sea bass have two gills, but Songjiang bass has four gills. Please have a look! " When the crowd gathered around, Cao Cao was speechless when they saw that all the perch they caught had four gills. Zuo Ci took the jade cup from the table and filled it with a glass of wine. He said to Cao Cao, "Your Majesty can live forever after drinking this glass of wine." Cao Cao said, "You drink first". Zuo Ci then drew a picture of Hosta in a cup, divided the wine into two halves, drank half of it himself and gave the other half to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was very angry with him and refused to drink. Zuo Ci laughed and threw his glass on the bridge. The glass turned into a white dove and flew around the bridge. Zuo Ci also cocked his legs. Cao Cao ordered General Chu Xu to take a light horse to kill him. But seeing Zuo Ci limping ahead, the cavalry couldn't catch up. Catch up with a hillside, a shepherd boy drives sheep, and Zuo Ci goes to herd sheep. Chu Xu was busy bowing and shooting arrows at Zuo Ci, but Zuo Ci disappeared among the sheep. When Cao Cao learned that, he ordered to kill all the sheep on the mountain and then withdraw. The little shepherd boy looked at the goats killed all over the hillside and wept bitterly. Suddenly he heard a sheep's head talking on the ground: "put the sheep's head on the sheep's cavity and all the sheep will come back to life." The shepherd boy turned and ran away in fear. Without running for two or three steps, I heard someone shouting behind me: "Don't run, you are still alive!" " The shepherd boy looked back and saw that Zuo Ci had put all the dead sheep on the ground together and rushed over to the shepherd boy, then left laughing. When the shepherd boy came home, he told the villagers what had happened. They clapped their hands and cheered, marveled at Zuo Ci's fearless adultery and teased Cao Cao, so they called the bridge under the Jade Deficiency View "Cup-throwing Bridge". Later, it was also called Baiyanggang, and the hillside where the sheep came back from the dead was called Yangshantou. (These two places are in the present Luzhen) Later generations recited a couplet of Bowling Bridge: "Where can I find a real person? I thought I was good-looking, so I dared to have a play. The bridge stone is still there! Today, with the evolution of civilization, who can catch bass thousands of miles away? "

For thousands of years, with the striking of marbles. Today, the Jade Deficiency Temple is already in ruins, leaving only the ruins of Toubei Bridge. Zuo Ci's story of beating Cao Cao with a cup belongs to folklore, but the story of Zuo Ci who tried his best to persuade Cao Cao to defeat the enemy without fighting is passed down from generation to generation, and it is recorded in local chronicles and historical works, which fully embodies the people's good wishes for a peaceful and harmonious life.