Hakka Traditions in Spring Festival
People revered the Hakkas for paying great attention to their traditional ways of
celebrating the Lunar New Year. On the first day of the New Year, unpropitious
words are prohibited. Sweeping the floor and cooking are not allowed. Even those
often-irascible adults will also calm down their temper and speak softly. To the
kids it is a day for an all-out to enjoy themselves and have fun.
On the first day of the New Year the Hakkas are very particular about
unpropitious words. The adults will keep reminding the kids not to joke about
doggerels or speak without thinking by using words that are regarded as unlucky.
In the case that unlucky words were spoken out subconsciously by the kids, the
adults will quickly say "Tong Yan Wu Ji", meaning taking no offence at child's
babble.
Hakkas believe in the concept of money coming in through the waste. No
sweeping the floor on the first day of the New Year has become a Hakka custom.
Whatever needed to be swept has been swept away on the New Year Eve. Usually
they put away the brooms and dustpans to an obscure place where it cannot be
seen by anyone especially the guests. This is to avoid money being swept away.
However, it is unavoidable that there is rubbish like peeled-off fruit skins, papers etceteras. In order to keep the house clean they use
the tiny bamboo strips and tie them together in a buddle with which they broom
the rubbish to the corner of the lounge. They do not wash clothes either. All
the sweeping, washing and tidying the house are waiting to be done on the third
day of the New Year which is called "Qiong Gui Ri", literally the Hungry Ghost Day.
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