|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Celebration
of a baby's first month of life |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Celebration
of a baby's first month of life |
|
|
| |
| |
| Located
on the banks of the Weishui River, a major tributary
of the mighty Yellow River, the western part of
the Central Shaanxi Plain was the birthplace of
Duke Zhou. There, much evidence of an ancient
culture, as well as unique traditions and customs,
have been passed down. For example, in Zhouyuan,
Fengxiang, Qianyang and Longxian counties around
Baoji, the habit of celebrating the completion
of a newborn baby's first month of life has retained
many unique and interesting rituals. |
| |
|
|
| |
| Whenever
a new baby is born, the family happily reports
the news to their relatives and neighbors. If
the newborn is a boy, the family will hold a grand
celebration when the baby completes his first
month of life. On the day the baby is born, the
filmily will hang a bundle of castor and a piece
of red cloth over the door of the house, and put
the image of shoes cut out of red paper on the
window. These symbols are used to convey the good
news. At the same time, they are also intended
to ward off evil spirits and protect the newborn.
Upon being told the news by the baby's father,
the maternal grandmother will, on the tenth day
after the birth, bake a huge round cake like the
cover for a large pot (called Guokui in local
dialect), make 12 big steamed breads with red
dots like plum blossoms on top and pay a visit
to her grandson. The 12 steamed buns mean food
for her grandson, indicating her wish that the
baby will never suffer hunger in the 12 months
of the year. When the maternal grandmother first
sees her grandson, she will take up the huge cake
and perform the covering movement three times
over the head of the new baby, meaning the baby
will be under good care and protection and be
able to grow up smoothly. |
| |
|
|
| |
| According
to the local habit, when a new baby is born, the
mother and the new born stay in the house for
a full month, locally called zuo yuezi (lying-in,
or confinement in childbirth). When the 30th day
comes, a big gathering will be held, and relatives,
friends and neighbors will be invited to a banquet
to drink to the new-born's completion of the first
month of life. All those invited will present
the baby with gifts. With regard to sending gifts
to the new-born, there are some general rules:
aunt(s) on the paternal side will present the
baby with caps, aunt(s) on the maternal side will
give shoes, and the grandmother on the maternal
side will send shoes with tiger-head designs,
while other relatives will present the baby with
embroidered clothes, shoes, caps and quilts -
shoes, caps and pillows embroidered with tiger
heads for a male baby, and shoes embroidered with
fish heads, caps with lotus flowers, and pillows
with frogs for a female baby. The new-born will
then be dressed in these gifts of clothes, caps
and shoes. |
| |
|
|
|
| The
most unique gifts are huamo
(patterned steamed bread) sent
by relatives and friends. Of
these, the most interesting
is the indispensable qulianmo,
or twisted and combined steamed
|
|
|
| bread.
The bread is made with more than two kilograms
of flour, and shaped like either two fish
linked at the head and tail, a huge dragon
curled up, or a ring formed with lotus flowers.
On some of them, dough flowers, birds, fish,
insects, fruit, vegetables, and opera figures
painted in various colors are inserted.
Pleasing to the eye, qulianmo can be considered
a folk art that is very decorative and also
edible. Sometime during the morning of the
celebration, the paternal grandmother and
a respected elder of the family, who has
many offspring, will hold up the baby and
pass it through the hole in the middle of
the bread, a gesture indicating the fond
wishes of both families. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| After
the noodles, the guests will
be invited to enjoy he qulianmo
together with the family. The
host also breaks the bun into
small pieces and gives them
to the villagers to taste -
the more people eating the bread,
the more joyous he occasion.
Neither will the |
|
|
| host
forget the pigs, ox, horse, dog and cat,
all of which will be given some of the bread.
This is to express the hope that all the
animals will grow strong and the family
will be safe and prosperous. Moreover, the
host may also give some of the bread to
the birds - magpies in the tree and sparrows
under the roof, wishing that all would live
in harmony . |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Tel.:0086-29-86690058.85393283.85392885.85395069
Fax:0086-29-85257619
Postcode:710061
E-mallL:xian@regencyholiday.com
Add:No.52 Xiaozhai East Road,Xi'an,China.
Elad.cn |
|
|
|
