I bought the electric baking pan and found it old. ...

In our country, people have the habit of keeping watch on New Year's Eve. Watching the new year begins with eating New Year's Eve dinner. This New Year's Eve dinner should be eaten slowly, starting with lighting lanterns, and some families have to eat it until late at night. According to Zonggu's record of Jingchu's age, there was a custom of New Year's Eve dinner at least in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

On this night of "two years old in one night, two years old in class five", families get together and get together. The family sat together and the table was full of tea and fruit. In the new year, a large plate of apples is indispensable, which is called "Ping An". In the north, some families also provide a pot of rice, which is cooked before and for the New Year. It is called "next year's rice".

There are leftovers every year, which means that you can't finish them all year round, and you are still eating last year's grain this year. This bowl of New Year's Eve dinner is usually cooked with rice and millet. As the saying goes in Beijing, it is called "two rice" because it is yellow and white. This is called "golden rice with gold and silver, gold and silver everywhere". In many places, cakes, melons and fruits are prepared to win a lucky one: eating dates (spring comes early), persimmons (all the best), almonds (gratifying), longevity fruit (immortal) and rice cakes (getting higher every year). On New Year's Eve, the family ate happily, talking and laughing. Some vulgar families push pai gow, roll dice, bet on stud and play mahjong, and the noise of laughter and laughter has become the climax of New Year's Eve. The all-night vigil symbolizes driving away all evil diseases and epidemics and looking forward to good luck in the new year. This custom gradually became popular. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong, wrote a poem "Shou Sui": "Cold words and winter snow, warm with spring breeze". To this day, people are used to celebrating the New Year's Eve. In ancient times, observing the age has two meanings: the old man's observing the age means "resigning from the old", which means cherishing time; Young people keep their age in order to prolong the life of their parents. Since the Han Dynasty, the time for the alternation of the old and new years is generally at midnight. The whole world is looking forward to the arrival of the zero new year.

The custom of observing the old age not only includes the feeling of farewell and nostalgia for the fleeting time, but also expresses the good hope for the coming New Year. The ancients wrote in the poem "Shousui": "Invite Shousui Arong's family to spread red candles to green gauze; Thirty-six years have passed, and I am more willing to cherish my youth from this night. "It is human nature to cherish the years, so the great poet Su Shi wrote a famous sentence:" There will be no years next year, and I am worried about waste; "Do your best tonight, young people can still boast!" This shows the positive significance of keeping old on New Year's Eve.

Keep your age at 30, commonly known as "endure the year." Why is it called "Endure the Year"? There is an interesting story circulating among people from generation to generation: It is said that in the ancient wild times, there was a fierce monster, which people called Nian.

Every New Year's Eve, Nian beast will climb out of the sea to kill people and animals, destroy the countryside and bring disaster to people who have worked hard for a year. In order to avoid the Nian beast, people close the door early on the 30th night of the twelfth lunar month, dare not sleep, wait until dawn, and drink to kill time and courage. On the first morning of the new year, you dare not go out until the Nian beast comes out. When people saw it, they bowed to each other, congratulated each other, and were glad that they had not been eaten by Nian beast. After many years, nothing happened, and people relaxed their vigilance against Nian beast.

On the evening of 30th one year, Nian beast suddenly fled to a village in the south of the Yangtze River. A village was almost eaten up by Nian beast, and only a pair of newly-married couples in red curtains were safe and sound. There are also a few childish people who lit a pile of bamboo in the yard and were playing. The fire is red. Bamboo exploded after burning. Nian beast turned here and saw the fire turn and flee.

From then on, people know that Nian beast is afraid of red, light and noise. At the end of each year, every household sticks red paper, wears red robes, hangs red lights, beats gongs and drums, and sets off firecrackers, so that Nian Beasts dare not come again. In The Book of Songs Xiaoya Tingliao, there is a record of "the light of Tingliao". The so-called "pavilion" is a torch made of bamboo poles. After the bamboo pole burns, the air in the bamboo joint expands, and the bamboo cavity bursts, making a crackling sound, which is the origin of "firecrackers".

However, villagers in some places don't know that Nian beast is afraid of red and is often eaten by Nian beast. This story later spread to Zixing in the sky. In order to save people, he is determined to destroy Nian beast. One year the beast came out, knocked it down with a fireball and chained it to a stone pillar with a thick chain. From then on, every New Year, people always burn incense and ask Zixing to come down to keep safe.

The origin of longevity

In Cangzhou, Hebei, from 23rd to 30th, every household is very busy. Staying up late on New Year's Eve is called "Shounian". This custom has something to do with Grandma Chef.

The jade emperor's little daughter is virtuous and kind, and sympathizes with the poor in the world. She has a crush on a poor young man who cooks for others. The Jade Emperor was very angry when he learned that, so he put his little daughter on the ground and suffered with the poor young man. The Queen Mother sympathized with her daughter and interceded for her. The Jade Emperor reluctantly sealed the position of "Kitchen God" for the poor cook. The poor cook became the "kitchen god" of every household, and the jade emperor's little daughter naturally became the "grandma kitchen god".

Grandma Chef knows well the sufferings of the people, and often brings back some food, drink, clothes and necessities from the sky in the name of going back to her parents' home to visit relatives and distribute them to the poor. The jade emperor didn't like the poor son-in-law and his little daughter very much. He was very angry when he heard that the little daughter had brought something back from the sky. He stipulated that they were only allowed to return to the sky once a year on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and were not allowed to return to the sky the rest of the year.

The next year, the Spring Festival is coming, but the poor are still short of this and that, and some can't even lift the lid. Grandma Wang sees it in her eyes and hurts in her heart. The 23rd of the twelfth lunar month is coming, and she is going to go back to her parents' house to get something to eat for the poor. However, there are no stars in my house. What if there is no dry food on the road? The people know, you and I made some noodles together, branded two cakes, and took them to grandma Kitchen God on the way.

Grandma Chef returned to heaven and told the Jade Emperor about human sufferings. But the Jade Emperor was not only unsympathetic, but also suspected that his daughter had brought back evil spirits and asked her to go back that night. Grandma Chef was so angry that she had to leave at once. On second thought, no, how can I tell the people when I go back empty-handed? Besides, it's not cheap for a cruel father. At this time, it happened that the Queen Mother also came to accompany her, so she said, "I'm not leaving. I will take my broom home tomorrow and sweep away poverty. "

On the 24th, Grandma Kitchen God was tying a broom, and the Jade Emperor came to urge her to carve it quickly. She said, "What's the hurry? It's almost Spring Festival. There is no tofu at home. I'm going to turn tofu tomorrow. "

On the 25th, Grandma Kitchen God was turning tofu, and the Jade Emperor came to urge her to hurry back. She said, "What's the hurry? I have to cut the meat tomorrow! "

On the 26th day, Grandma Kitchen God had just finished cutting the meat, and the Jade Emperor urged her to hurry back. She said, "What's the hurry? My family is too poor to afford a chicken. I will kill the chicken tomorrow! "

On the 27th, Grandma Kitchen God was killing chickens, and the Jade Emperor came to urge her to hurry back. She said, "What's the hurry? Bring some dry food on the road, and I will send flour steamed bread tomorrow! " "

On 28th, Grandma Kitchen God was steaming steamed bread, and the Jade Emperor came to urge her to hurry back. She said, "What's the hurry? We will have a wedding reception in the New Year and go drinking tomorrow. "

On the 29th, Grandma Kitchen God just came back from drinking wine, and the Jade Emperor came to urge her to hurry back. She said, "What's the hurry? We can't even eat jiaozi all the year round, and we have to pack jiaozi tomorrow! "

On the 30th, Grandma Chef is wrapping jiaozi. The jade emperor was furious and asked her to go back today. Grandma Kitchen God prepared almost everything, so she didn't say much, but she couldn't bear to leave the Heavenly Palace until dark. That night, every household didn't sleep, waiting for Grandma Cook to come back.

When people saw Grandma Cook coming back and brought back many good things for the New Year, they all lit incense, paper yards and firecrackers to welcome Grandma Cook. At this time, it is the fifth watch of the New Year's Eve.

In memory of Grandma Cook, people will never forget her kindness. Every year, on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, people will offer sacrifices to the stove and stay up for 30 nights, which is called "Shounian". Others call it "forbearance for a hundred years". This is waiting for the virtuous and kind grandma Chef Wang to come back from heaven. This custom has been passed down to this day.

Historical records of keeping the old age

When did shou sui originate? The Chronicle of the Middle Qin Dynasty at the Age of Years contains: "There were no words in the three generations of ancient books until Du Fu's poem" Keeping the Year at Home "in the Tang Dynasty, and it was suspected that" keeping the Year at Axian's house, the pepper plate has sung flowers "began in the Tang Dynasty." There are many descriptions of observing age customs in Tang poetry. Bai Juyi's poem "Stay in the Year" says: "Stay in the Year without wine, and homesickness is full of tears." Meng Haoran has a poem, "Continue to draw candles, and then have a long banquet in the old days". In the Song Dynasty, the concept of providing for the aged spread all over urban and rural areas. Su Dongpo's "Children are strong and don't sleep, and they are happy at night" describes the scene of keeping old. "Dream in Tokyo" records: "On New Year's Eve ... the house of scholarly books, sitting around the stove, is called longevity." Interestingly, in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and so on. Due to the influence of China, there is a saying of observing the old age on New Year's Eve, and even Europe, America and Africa have similar customs. As the saying goes, "gold is easy to get, but youth is hard to stay." Love life and cherish time, which may be the reason why the whole world keeps aging! Xi Qi Zhen said in the poem "Keeping the Year": "Invite Ashan's family to keep the Year, and the wax torch will turn to ashes in Bisha, Anh Hong; Thirty-six years have passed, and I cherish the years since this night. " Is an example.

Similarly, Su Shi's "Shousui" also wrote the nostalgia for the dying old year.

stay up late or all night on New Year's Eve

Song sushi

If you want to know how old you are, there are snakes going to the valley.

The scale is half, who will cover it?

The situation wants to tie its tail, although it is diligent and helpless.

The child was forced not to sleep and was very happy at night.

If you don't sing the morning chicken, you are more afraid of causing trouble.

After sitting for a long time, the lights went down and I looked at the Big Dipper.

It will be gone next year, and my worries will be in vain.

Try hard to achieve today, and teenagers can still boast.

The "longevity" of observing the old year means nostalgia for the past old year and hope for the coming new year. "One night for two years, five classes for two years", relatives and friends sat around the fire, while the old cloth was new. Looking back on the past and looking forward to the future is not without benefits. The Biography of Talented Scholars in the Tang Dynasty written by Yuan Dynasty scholar Xin recorded a wonderful story of Jia Dao, a great poet in the Tang Dynasty. On New Year's Eve, he wrote a poem: On New Year's Eve, Jia Dao "will put some of his one-year-old works on it, then burn incense and worship, and propose a toast:" One year's hard work. "Every New Year's Eve, he will sum up the gains and losses of the past year. Can't we learn from it?

If "the wave of thirty-six years old has passed" and the years from this night have not been "partial", then "guarding the age" will lose its meaning.

Four elements for the elderly to keep their age.

Special attention should be paid to physical and mental health care.

The Spring Festival is a traditional festival in our country, and it is extremely exciting for family members to get together, especially the custom of not sleeping on New Year's Eve, which often disrupts the usual rules of life. At this point, the elderly should not get carried away, should pay special attention to physical and mental health care, pay attention to the following four points:

First, entertainment should be moderate. During the Spring Festival, movies and TV programs are colorful, relatives and friends gather together for the New Year, and playing mahjong is enjoyable, which often breaks the established life rules of the elderly and is not good for their health. If all-night entertainment is more harmful, it will often excite the cerebral cortex, causing insomnia, mental stress and high blood pressure. It is suggested that the elderly should not break the biological clock and sleep and rest on time.

Second, the mood should be stable. There are many happy events in the Spring Festival, such as friends and relatives reunited after a long separation, laughter and laughter in TV programs, which can easily make people excited, heart rate increases, blood flow increases, arteriolar spasm and blood pressure increases, leading to cerebral hemorrhage, angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. Therefore, the elderly must control their emotions.

Third, drink alcohol in moderation. Drinking wine, beer, rice wine or low-alcohol liquor when friends and relatives get together can add fun, increase holiday atmosphere and promote blood circulation, which is beneficial to the elderly. But eating too much is not good for the stomach, liver, heart, kidney and nervous system, and it is even more harmful to the elderly who already have blood pressure, heart, liver and kidney diseases.

Fourth, eat less. In some places, on New Year's Eve, people start cooking jiaozi after 0: 00, and go to bed after eating jiaozi. At this time, the elderly must not be greedy. Because most people have eaten rich meals during the day, some greasy foods are not easy to digest. Too much jiaozi is bad for the stomach and pancreas.

Christmas poses a serious threat to national cultural security.

Every Christmas comes, shopping malls, restaurants and hotels all over the country hang up Santa Claus and Christmas trees, hang up banners of "Celebrating Christmas", and employees put on "Little Red Riding Hood"; Kindergarten children sing and dance around the "Christmas tree" and expect teachers to distribute "Christmas gifts"; Posters of "Christmas ball" and "Christmas party" in the school occupy an eye-catching position; Internet, newspapers, TV and radio stations are full of all kinds of "Christmas messages"; Tens of thousands of "Christmas cards" and hundreds of millions of "Christmas messages" are flying all over the sky; People meet and wish each other "Merry Christmas"; On "Christmas Eve", people get together to party and linger.

Cultural influence and cultural soft power have become the core competitiveness of a country and a nation. At present, with the deepening of economic globalization, the wave of "Westernization" aimed at promoting American and Japanese values is rolling in. Cultural aggression has become the second battlefield for the US and Japan to invade China. Santa Claus wrapped in western culture has a profound influence on China people. Behind it is the large-scale invasion of China culture by western ideology and values, which has seriously threatened China's cultural security and influence. Especially after China joined the WTO, all kinds of western cultural products represented by Christmas entered the China market in an all-round way, and China's traditional culture and western culture launched a fierce confrontation. China's culture is weak in competition in this war without gunpowder smoke, which has aroused the deep concern of the central high-level officials and the whole society.

The Root of the Problem —— The Lack of Cultural Symbols of China New Year

Christmas belongs to the category of festival culture. The only traditional festival in China that can compete with Christmas is the Spring Festival. It has become an important topic for Chinese people all over the world to identify an iconic figure who can represent China culture as soon as possible.

China folk customs, bearing the blood and essence of China culture, have become an organic part of national life, national soul and national foundation, and embody China people's views on nature, philosophy, ethics and aesthetics. It is the need of the Chinese nation to confirm its cultural identity, and it is also the expression of cultural consciousness.

But our current Spring Festival is too lacking in cultural content. In addition to drinking, eating meat, visiting relatives and friends and extravagance, the Spring Festival has no substance. The reason is that compared with the strong brand advantage of Christmas, we lack a person who can truly represent China culture. It is precisely because we don't have our own "Santa Claus" in China that the influence of foreign festivals is growing.

The loss of cultural subjectivity will mean the loss of national spirit and tradition and the demise of nationality. Therefore, we have the obligation to carry forward thousands of years of cultural precipitation, arouse people's memory of national culture, identify with national spirit, and arouse the cultural affinity of the same clan.