Lunar New Year's Day
New Year's cake is made with glutinous rice and short grain rice, plus sweet
osmanthus sugar, lard, nuts, and candied fruit added according to taste. New
Year's cake can be steamed, boiled, deep-fried, or stir-fried. Its sweet taste
and chewy texture make it a favorite holiday treat.
After the first New Year's Day meal is eaten, offerings are made to the
ancestors in the family ancestral hall. After consulting the almanac to
determine the luckiest route, the family sets out on a procession, bearing lanterns and offerings to the auspicious deities, burning
incense, and setting off firecrackers. When they reach the temple, they burn
more incense, pay their respect to the deities, and entreat them for good
fortune in the coming year.
Another Spring Festival tradition is gathering sesame stalks into bundles.
The height and straightness of the bundle symbolizes high achievements in the
coming year.
No Spring Festival would be complete without the sound of firecrackers.
Firecrackers and fireworks are traditionally set off on New Year's Eve and on Dragon Boat Festival, the fifth day of the New Year. In
addition, it is also customary in many regions to set off fireworks early in the
morning of New Year's Day, when the front door is first opened for the day. This
tradition, known as "front door firecrackers," is meant to welcome the first day
of the new year.
Firecrackers have a very long history in China. The first firecrackers
consisted of segments of bamboo that were set on fire, causing them to explode
with a loud noise. They were used to scare away ghosts and banish evil. Firecrackers have
traditionally been associated with the supernatural. In addition to frightening
ghosts, they were also used to see out the old year and welcome in the new.
Eventually, they came to symbolize a prayer for peace. There are many different
kinds of firecrackers and fireworks, including noisemakers, sparklers, and
colorful pyrotechnics. Today, fireworks are used primarily to heighten the
festive holiday spirit. However, because of the injuries and environmental
pollution caused by fireworks, a number of cities have banned or limited their
use, replacing them with other holiday activities.
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