By Keqiao Cheng, EDITOR
Chongqing - Laba Festival in China falls on the 8th day of the last lunar month. Once it is over, the Chinese New Year approaches.
After that Laba Festival, people usually clean their houses, make fired tofu and stewed mutton. Besides, they also leaven the dough and stay up on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
The atmosphere of the Chinese New Year, however, has become increasingly weakened in recent years. For many people, today’s Spring Festival atmosphere is not as strong as the one in their childhood. Yet it is a different story for old Chongqing’s New Year atmosphere. Also, some of its customs differ from those in other parts of China.
Wintersweet is a favorite element for people in Chongqing.
Wintersweet has always been the favorite of Chongqing people. If it lasts long enough, you can place the yellow flowers at home until the Spring Festival. It has a delicate fragrance.
From the last lunar month, you can see vendors of wintersweet either in the flower market or the ordinary streets. Their pack baskets are full of wintersweet flowers in bud.
Chinese sausages
Traditionally, every household slaughters pigs and sheep in this period. People usually reserve enough portions of fresh meat for the Spring Festival. People will make the rest into preserved meat and Chinese sausage with spices. They include salt, Sichuan pepper, star anise seed, star anise, cinnamon powder and cloves. After seven to fifteen days, preserved meat and Chinese sausage will be hung up with palm leaf ropes for drying.
A New Year market in Chongqing
There is increasingly less space left for going to a village fair in Chongqing’s urban area. In contrast, the village fair still remains in many places near the suburbs.
Before the Spring Festival, people tend to flock to the New Year market. They will make special purchases for welcoming their relatives and friends who will visit them during the Spring Festival. In the market, people generally give previous Chinese New Year greetings to each other.
However, few people will go to a village fair because of the convenience brought by supermarkets.
A picture of dust cleaning during the Chinese New Year.
On the 24th day of the 12th Chinese lunar month, every household does the dust cleaning (akin to spring-cleaning). It is also one of Chinese traditional folk customs.
The dust is accumulated under the corner, bed, column and roof beams. Therefore, it must be cleaned up with a broom on this day. The metal handle on the cabinet should also be wiped clean, as well.
There are no chimneys in Chongqing’s urban area. Yet, it is necessary to clean the kitchen. It is a testimony to do spring-cleaning by thoroughly cleaning the kitchen ventilator and accumulated dirt on the cooking bench.
People are pasting the spring couplets on the door.
On Chinese New Year’s Eve, every family pastes spring couplets written on red paper on their doors. These couplets create a festive and prosperous atmosphere. They also reflect people’s good wishes to welcome the Chinese New Year and hope for a new life.
Traditionally, people paste the spring couplets on both sides facing the gate. The sentence on the right side is called the first line. The other one on the left side is called the second line. They follow the order by reading from right to left. A horizontal scroll bears an inscription over the gate.
Regrettably, as the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year disappears, many people will not paste or even write them.
For Chongqing people, the Reunion Dinner can also be a feast of Hot Pot.
Reunion Dinner, or New Year’s Eve Dinner, falls on the night of the last day in the lunar calendar. People prepare for ringing out the Old Year and ringing in the New Year on this day. They have dinner together for welcoming the New Year. It is a must for Chinese people to have this kind of dinner.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, local people stay in all day. It is improper to do cleaning and take out the trash. Or else, that may take the fortune away. It is also inappropriate to take a nap, which is called “unlucky sleep.” It may result in bad luck in the coming year. Undoubtedly, all the adults and children can only speak something auspicious, indicating the good luck in the coming year.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, people start to pay a New Year call. It means visiting relatives and friends. After the day, they prefer to take turns to eat among relatives with one offering meals for the day. After the meal, they play Mahjong while chatting.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, people avoid going out for paying a New Year call. Legend has it that it is easy to quarrel with people on this day. However, this custom has long been out of date. With the rare chance to get together in the Spring Festival, people care less about that.
On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, people worship the God of Fortune. Another legend is that the Kitchen God will check every household. Therefore, it is also inappropriate to travel far away.
The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is also called “break five”. On this day, people get up at dawn, set off firecrackers and do the cleaning. The aim is to drive away all the unlucky things. The day means a big day for businesses to pray for the coming year of abundant money and treasures. It is the very day for them to welcome the God of Fortune.
The New Year’s greeting activities last until the 15th day the first month of the lunar year. The day refers to the Spring Lantern Festival. Every household had tangyuan with all the lights on. The Lantern Festival is over, which means the Spring Festival comes to an end.
Source: CQCB
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