When it comes to the New Year, people's first impression is often the busy and lively days around the New Year. But if the New Year must be limited to a certain point in time, then it must be New Year's Eve, that is, New Year's Eve.
Already.
In addition to the customary New Year's Eve dinner and Spring Festival Gala, sacrifices are also an indispensable custom on this day.
At eight o'clock in the morning, Zheng Qing was pulled out of bed by his father. Although the winter sun appeared late, it was still bright outside at this time.
After getting dressed and opening the door, Zheng Qing sniffed and sneezed a little. Because from the living room to the balcony, there was a faint, lingering smoke everywhere in the house.
Zheng Qing is very familiar with this smell.
Growing up, on every first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, as well as during Chinese New Year and festivals, a few sticks of incense would be burned in the incense burner under the statues and memorial tablets of the gods at home to feed the gods. According to the rules, one stick would be used when getting up in the morning before meals and one stick at noon.
, a pillar before meals in the evening. The person who offered incense used to be Zheng Qing’s grandfather, but now his grandfather is old and his father is responsible. And Zheng Qing, even as an adult, can only kowtow in front of the statues and not
Don't add incense at will.
After offering incense and having breakfast, the men will start to put up Spring Festival couplets and the word "Fu".
As usual, Zheng Qing was responsible for collecting the torn old Spring Festival couplets, blessing characters, pine and cypress branches, etc., and putting them into a large garbage bag, while his father was still responsible for posting them. It only took about an hour to complete the posting.
At this time in the past, his father would go downstairs to clean the car, and then paste Spring Festival couplets with Chinese characters "Fu" on the car. Zheng Qing would stay with his grandfather in the study for a while. The old man would sit on the recliner and read newspapers and books, while Zheng Qing would sit at the desk.
Practice talismans.
But today, my father was not in a hurry to go downstairs.
"Now that you don't stay at home for more than a few days a year, you should tidy up the talismans and other things you left at home before... If you are not at home, we can't move around." After that, my father said.
After a pause, he changed his words: "If you think those things are useful, just keep them there. It won't be a problem."
What my father was talking about were some talisman paper instruments that Zheng Qing left at home.
For example, he hung a mahogany sword on the bookcase in his bedroom. It was a street stall item given to him by Deng Xiaoxian when he went to collect calligraphy. Although it was not a valuable item, it was the most powerful thing in deterring ghosts and evil spirits. Another example is that he
The yellow paper charms posted on the window edges, door lintels and other places are also of the type to dispel evil and meditate. He also quietly tampered with several incense burners at home. Under normal circumstances, there is no abnormality when lighting incense, but if
If something dirty gets into the house, the incense sticks lit in the incense burner will burst into flames to remind family members.
Because Zheng Qing has been a student with Mr. Wu since he was a child, and in the eyes of his family, Mr. Wu is a very capable man. Therefore, the things he tinkered with at home were not dealt with by his always old-fashioned grandfather.
Over time, it gradually became a custom to burn incense and worship gods during festivals and festivals. It was still in accordance with the customs of the elderly. However, no one touched the talismans posted by Zheng Qing outside the windows and doors.
It's like the place where the Jinghe River and the Weihe River meet. They have different colors, but they lead to the same destination by different routes.
After listening to his father's words, Zheng Qing comforted him and said, "It doesn't matter if you move. It's not like you came back from the temple to worship. It's not that important. But it's just because I'm not at home, so you can just hang those talismans there... Look back
I’ll get some new ones.”
Professor Zheng did not speak when the father and son were talking. He just wore reading glasses and sat by the window reading the newspaper.
After Zheng Qing's father came downstairs, Professor Zheng looked at his grandson.
"Isn't your university required to join the party? Real party members are materialistic and cannot engage in these weird things." As he said, he took off his reading glasses and looked at Zheng Qing sharply: "Remember what I told you.
Let’s follow Mr. Yangming’s teachings.”
Zheng Qing nodded obediently.
The Mr. Yangming my grandpa is talking about is Wang Yangming, the great thinker of the Ming Dynasty. When the old man mentioned Wang Yangming's teachings, he naturally reminded Zheng Qing that knowledge and action must be unified, and that words and deeds must not be inconsistent. He talks about materialism, but in his heart he prays to God and worships Buddha.
Zheng Qing secretly cursed, if grandpa knew that Yang Mingzi was a famous wizard in the wizarding world and was still alive and kicking around the new world, he would definitely change his mind. Of course, he would not talk too much about this kind of thing to his grandpa.
Tongue.
Although he cannot tell the truth, it does not mean that Zheng Qing has no way to defend himself.
"You forgot, I studied in a foreign university." He explained to the old man with a smile: "Foreign countries don't pay attention to the same things as domestic ones... They believe in idealism."
Professor Zheng was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses.
"Oh," he nodded, then shook his head, and put up his reading glasses again: "I really don't know what your parents think, letting you go so far to go to school... When you go to school outside, you must be careful and steady.
Thoughts should be based on facts and facts, and should not be corrupted by those claptrap and messy thoughts."
Zheng Qing rolled his eyes in his heart, but on the surface he nodded obediently.
"There are also those things that are weird and confusing," Professor Zheng added: "Forget it if you learned it from Mr. Wu. He is a real person and knowledgeable... Don't learn from other wild things outside.
.”
Zheng Qing knew that the strange power and chaos that his grandfather criticized were not deliberately aimed at anything, but he still had a vague feeling of being shot. He simply made an excuse, left the study, and went to the kitchen to look for the cat.
The family is the same as when I was young, and there are no pets.
The cat Zheng Qing was looking for was the tabby cat from Sanyou Bookstore, the tabby cat he called Brother Huang.
Because Mr. Wu went out and no one was looking after him in the store, when Zheng Qing went to the bookstore to clean up, Professor Zheng specifically told him that if he saw a yellow fox, he could take it home and help Mr. Wu take care of it for a while.
Zheng Qing felt that there was no doubt whether Brother Huang needed someone to take care of him, and he very much suspected that the tabby cat would rather stay in the bookstore, eat dried fish and watch cat and mouse cartoons than follow him home.
Amidst the noise of a group of people, I was dazzled by the Spring Festival Gala on the TV.
But it was beyond his expectation.
When Zheng Qing left the bookstore, Huanghuali turned off his small TV and followed him back leisurely.
"Don't talk at home," the young wizard whispered to the yellow raccoon on the way home, "My grandpa has a bad heart. If you scare him, you will be fully responsible."
The yellow raccoon glanced at him and said nothing.
"Also, if you want to eat dried fish or beef slices, tell me quietly. If there are people around who are inconvenient to talk, just touch me with your paws a few times and signal with your eyes." Zheng Qing was still a little worried and added in a long-winded way.
: "Never open the refrigerator or locked cabinets by yourself... Oh, when you touch me with your paws, remember to only use the pads, not your actual paws."
The yellow raccoon snorted loudly, but still ignored the young man beside him.
This chapter has been completed!