Infant Matrimony

In the states of Yan and Zhao, the son of a relatively well-off family would be betrothed to a grown-up girl when he was between the ages of three and five. Anticipating that their daughters’s betrothal gifts would be profitable, poor families with a lot of children would marry them in accordance with the local custom. When the betrothed girl arrived at the in-laws, the first thing she did was to make obeisance to her parents – in – law in the way she did to her own parents, and she addressed her husband as “ younger brother”. Chores like fetching water from a well, grinding rice in a mortar, cooking and sewing all fell on her. At night, she would lull her little husband to sleep; during the daytime, she dressed him and fed him. She actually served as a maid in the house. They married when the boy grew up.

中国民间风俗—娃娃亲

     燕、赵这一带的居民，家庭情况属于小康水平的，生了儿子才三岁五岁，就给他娶个成年的姑娘。家庭贫寒孩子又多的人家，则认为他们的聘金有利可图，就随当地的风俗习惯让女孩出嫁。姑娘到了男方家，先用对父母的礼仪拜见公婆，称她的丈夫为弟弟。家中所有打水舂米、煮饭烧菜和缝纫等家务，都由她来担任。晚上哄小女婿睡觉，白天给他穿衣服，喂饭给他吃，像保姆那样。男孩子成年后，便结婚。

Watching the Tide

Watching the Tide

The tides rolling up the Qiantang River surge to their highest in the eighth lunar month. Starting on the 11^th, city people come down to watch the flood tide. Between the 11^th and the 18^th, almost the entire city comes out. Crowds and carriages jam the streets. The spectacle reaches a climax on the 18^th. House of two or more stories between Miaozitou and Liuhe Tower are rented by government officials and relatives of the emperor as galleries to watch the tide

中国民间风俗--观潮

每年八月里，钱塘江的潮水汹涌澎湃超过了平常的时候，城里人从十一日那天起，就开始来观潮，到了十六、十八日，整个城市全部都出动了，道路上车、马络绎不绝，十八日观潮的场面最盛大最热闹，二十日就略稀少些了。从庙子头起一直到六和塔这一带凡是有楼房的人家，全都被皇帝的亲属及官宦等人所租赁作为看位观潮用。

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The Birthday of Guan gong

Chinese Folk Customs--The Birthday of Guan gong

The thirteenth day of the fifth lunar month is the birthday of Guan Gong. Local authorities offer sacrifices to him in the temple by the Zhou Tai Bao Bridge. People start buying meat and putting on performances before the 13^th. Tens of thousands of bright lamps are lit. People worship with sincere prayers. It is also said that the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month is the day when Guan Gong was apotheosized. The ceremonies on these two days are identical. It is popularly believed that if it rains on these days, it happens because Guan Gong is wetting the whetstone on which he sharpens his long-hilt saber. The rain presages the well-being of the people.

中国民间风俗--关公诞

夏历五月十三日为关帝生日，官府在周太保桥那儿的庙祭祀关帝。十三日以前民间已经开始为祭祀而屠宰牲口演戏，万盏彩灯光华灿烂，人们谨慎小心地祭拜祈祷，还相传九月十三日是关公成为神的日子，那天的仪式和五月十三日完全相同，民间认为这两天里下的雨是关公磨战刀的雨水，预兆人们生活平安。

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。

Gifts Expediting Child Delivery

Chinese Folk Customs--Gifts Expediting Child Delivery

As families in Hangzhou await a child in a woman’s last month of pregnancy, just before delivery members of the family will place a bunch of millet stalks in a silver of an ornamental pot covered with silk or paper and decorated with interwoven patterns of flowers and rich-paper plant. This suggests chances of bearing five boys and two girls. In addition, there are pastries in the shape of sleeping lambs and crouching deer, one hundred and twenty painted duck eggs, regular dishes, lamb, raw dates and chestnuts and embroidered clothes for the infant. All these are sent to the son-in-law’s house. They are called “gifts expediting child delivery”.

中国传统文化精粹--催生礼

杭州城里人家生孩子，如孕妇进入最后一个月，产期将到的时候，娘家人就用银盆或彩色的盆盛一束粟米杆子，上面盖着丝绸或纸，并用花朵、通草交织的花样点缀着，表示生育五男二女的意思。还有面粉做的睡羊和卧虎、一百二十个彩绘的鸭蛋、日常的饭菜、羊、未熟的枣子、粟子和手绣的彩色婴儿服装送到女婿家中，这叫做“催生礼”。