In folklore, the eighth day of the Lunar New Year has a lot of customs, such as the release of blessings and so on, the following we will understand these customs of the eighth day of the Lunar New Year one by one.
1, the eighth day of the New Year customs have valley day
Folklore says that the eighth day of the first month is the birthday of the grain. This day, the weather is clear, the main this year’s rice harvest, the sky is cloudy, the year is sorry. The custom of “grain day” is to worship a tablet with the name of the grain written on it, and not to eat cooked grain. This custom implies the idea of valuing agriculture and cherishing food.
2、On the eighth day of the first month of the Lunar New Year, there is a custom of releasing the grains for blessing
On the eighth day of the first month, there is a “release” activity, that is, some of the fish and birds raised at home are taken outside and released into the wild. Birds are grain-eating, will rob people of the harvest, so this day to release (mainly birds and fish), to express the virtue of good life, but also to bribe the birds, so that they have mercy under the mouth. Choose to release, there is another reason, that is, the eighth day of the first year is the day of obedience to the stars, you can let the stars see their good deeds.
3, the eighth day of the New Year custom has Shunxing
Folk to the first month of the eighth day of the stars down to the world, the system of small lamps burning and sacrifice, known as the Shunxing, also known as “sacrificial star”, “receiving star”. In the evening of the eighth day of the first month, whether or not people go to the temple incense sacrifice Star King (i.e., Shunxing), and so the stars in the sky out of all, each family should hold a Shunxing sacrificial ritual. When the star sacrifice, to put a “golden lamp” (yellow lantern flower) and lit in the case, stove, threshold, pot table, etc., called “scattered lantern flower”, there is to avoid the bad luck. After the star festival, the whole family gets together to eat a Lantern.
4、The custom of the eighth day of the Lunar New Year is to prepare for the birthday of the God of Heaven
On the eve of the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, that is, the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, southerners, especially Fujianese, will prepare to worship the God of Heaven. The whole family must fast and bathe, and hold worship with solemn reverence. Every family will place the eight immortal tables in front of the main hall, set up an altar, and prepare a sacred lamp on the offering table.
