The customs of Xiamen people

Xiamen is located in southern Fujian, with a long history of Minnan culture and many unique customs, especially on holidays.

In addition to the traditional festivals in China, such as Lunar New Year, Lantern Festival, going to the streets, dancing dragons and lions, there is also a sacrifice to heaven on the ninth day of the first month in Xiamen, an outing to sweep graves in Tomb-Sweeping Day (the grave-sweeping activities in southern China reflect the ancient people's cultural psychology of being cautious in pursuing the distance), eating zongzi to catch ducks on the Dragon Boat Festival, and making cakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15.

Shangyuan Festival, also known as Lantern Festival or Lantern Festival, is the birthday of Emperor Wei Zi. On this day, people in Xiamen will pray for the Heavenly Palace. Every household will offer five sacrifices, fruits, tables and paper money on the table early in the morning, burn incense to worship the God of Heaven, predict the good or bad of the year, offer wine and then burn gold paper, and then complete the ceremony of offering and withdrawing offerings.

Xiamen dialect calls the threshold "household". In popular letters, there are not only door gods, but also "door gods" on the threshold. But children like to step on or squat on the threshold, so they are often reprimanded by adults. Don't step on the threshold. Don't step on the threshold of the shop. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the shopkeeper will always frown when he sees it, as if the business of the day had been ruined. Tourists should pay attention when shopping.

Extended data:

On the third day of the first month, New Year greetings are prohibited. The traditional custom in Xiamen is not to visit at home on the third day of the first month, but to worship the dead at home. There is a saying that "the first day is early, the second day is early, and the third day is full of food and clothing", which means that there are no guests at home on the third day, and it is okay to get up late. So how did this custom come from? According to legend, pirates occupied Wuyu, the outer island of Xiamen, during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty.

One year on New Year's Eve, officers and men were busy celebrating the New Year and neglected their defense. A large number of Japanese pirates seized the opportunity to attack the city, and the soldiers and civilians rose up against the enemy. After two days and three nights of fierce fighting, the Japanese army was defeated, but the soldiers and civilians in the city suffered heavy casualties. On the third day, people buried their relatives and friends, mourned the dead and cried loudly, so they didn't have time to go to other families to pay New Year greetings. On the third day of the second year, Xiamen residents took this day as a taboo day, and over time, it became a routine.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-Xiamen