Child Bathing at One Month Old

Chinese Folk Customs--Child Bathing at One Month Old

When an infant is one month old, relatives and friends gather in the house. These people pour warm scented water into a silver pot, and put nuts called “infant-bathing nuts” and colorful paper notes in the water. They tie bright silks around the pot. These silks are called “ red around the pot”. Elder members stir the water in the pot with gold or silver hairpins. These are called “pot stirring pins”. The close relatives among the guests drop gold coins or silver pins into the pot. This practice is called “adding to the pot”, If there are dates floating upright in the water, young women race to eat them because they think doing so foretells their having a boy. After bathing the infant, people shave its head and collect its hair in a gold or silver box. Parents then show the baby around to thank all those attending. This rite is adopted by rich families and families of officials. Common people and poor families have something simpler in accordance with their economic means.

中国传统文化精粹--满月洗儿会

孩子满月那天，亲戚朋友都聚集在一起，家人吧和着香料煮好的热水倒在银盘里，把叫做“洗儿果”的干果和彩色的钱币等放在水里，还用彩色的丝绸绕在盘上，这称作“围盆红”。长辈用金叉或银叉搅盆中的水，这名叫“搅盆叉”。客人中的近亲也把金的钱币、银的叉撒到盆中去，这叫做“添盆”。盆水中若浮有竖立的枣子，年青的妇人都争着拿来吃掉，她们认为这是生男孩的征兆。洗完孩子，剃完胎发，把胎发放入金或银制成的小盒中。大人抱着孩子感谢每个亲人和家人。倘是有钱的人家或是官宦之家，就用这样的礼仪，普通人家或穷困人家，随自己的能力节俭一些。