The taste of the New Year in Fujian: From offering sacrifices to ancestors to visiting the gods and patrolling the environment, feel the Spring Festival style of Bamin
In Fujian, the Spring Festival is not only a day of reunion, but also a feast of folk customs. The Spring Festival custom here not only has the beauty of the south, but also combines the unique charm of Fujian and Taiwan culture. From the ancestor worship of every household to the tour of gods among villages, every link conveys a strong local flavor and cultural heritage.
Busy Year: Making Rice Cake and Picking New Year’s Goods
In the twelfth lunar month, the highlight of Fujianese’s busy New Year is to make “rice cakes” . Rice cake is a rice cake made of glutinous rice. It usually produces various auspicious patterns, such as fish, lotus, and ingots, which means surplus every year and a rich life. Picking New Year’s goods is the highlight of Fujian’s Spring Festival. In addition to the cured meat and pastries, Fujianese also like to buy “Fu Ju” (kumquat), because “Ju Ju” is homophonic to “Jia”, symbolizing good luck and good luck. Visiting the flower market to buy potted orange plants and lily bouquets is a major feature of southern Fujian people in the Spring Festival.
New Year’s Eve: Place offerings to worship ancestors, eat Buddhas and jump over the wall
Fujian is a place that respects ancestors, and the ceremony of worshiping ancestors on New Year’s Eve is very particular. Every household will place sacrifices on the altar table in the hall, including five animals (chicken, duck, fish, meat, eggs), rice cakes, and rice cakes. They will light incense and worship ancestors and ask their ancestors to “go home” for the New Year. This ritual is not only a respect for ancestors, but also an important symbol of family unity. The New Year’s Eve dinner on New Year’s Eve is the most popular meal for Fujian people. Every family will have a famous dish – Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. This dish is stewed with precious ingredients such as sea cucumbers, abalone, flower mushrooms, and dried scallops, which means a prosperous life and a harmonious family. In addition, there are also dishes such as fish (meaning surplus every year) and taro (meaning “having” to eat) that symbolize auspiciousness.
First month: Visiting the Gods and visiting the Lantern Festival
The Spring Festival in Fujian is indispensable for lively tours and patrols. This custom is usually held from the second to the sixth day of the first lunar month and is organized by temple fairs in various places. The team carried statues of gods, beat drums and drums through villages or streets, and people set off firecrackers to welcome the blessing of gods. This kind of activity is not only a reflection of faith culture, but also a display of folk art. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the lantern festival becomes the Spring Festival. For example, Quanzhou Lanterns are famous for their exquisite handicrafts; Fuzhou Lantern Festival uses dazzling lights to show the modern style of the city. At the lantern festival, the family guessed riddles and enjoyed the lantern scene together, and they were having a happy time.
The new trend of modern Spring Festival
Fujianese have also pursued some New Year in recent years, such as “climbing the sea for the New Year”. During the Spring Festival in the coastal fishing village, you can experience fishing oysters and crabs in the sea and experience a different Spring Festival. In addition, many young people share the Spring Festival atmosphere through short videos, which has become a hot topic on the Internet
Bamin New Year customs, strong feelings will not dissipate
The Spring Festival in Fujian has both a sense of ritual and modern fun and innovation. From the fragrance of rice cakes, to the lively atmosphere of the paradise, to the rich taste of Buddha jumping over the wall, the New Year customs of Bamin are a feast about reunion and culture. No matter how far you go, the New Year atmosphere in my hometown can always make people feel endless aftertaste.