February 28th in the Western calendar is the Lantern Festival.
The cold spring weather couldn't stop people's enthusiasm for watching lanterns. Whether it was the old city or the foreign concession, there were huge crowds of people that night. The streets and alleys were crowded with people, and there were various food stalls along the way. The lantern market included traditional candles and paper-shell lanterns.
, there are also modern glass electric lamps.
Young students, white-collar employees, local tycoons, ordinary people... all walked out of their homes and came to the streets, and there were even many foreigners who followed the local customs. Of course, thieves and gangsters were also indispensable. Taking advantage of the excitement of the festival, there were endless cases of pickpocketing and abduction.
Little Lingjun was riding on his father's neck, pointing to the distance and shouting excitedly: "Dad, Dad, look at the light over there!"
"That's a revolving lantern." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile.
Xiao Lingjun looked curious: "Why is it called a revolving lantern?"
Zhou Hexuan explained: "Because this kind of lantern has a horse painted on each side, it turns like a horse running, so it is called a revolving lantern."
Xiao Lingjun added: "But the one I saw didn't have a horse. The painting was of Sun Wukong. It should be called the Sun Wukong lantern."
Zhou Hexuan was sweating violently and didn't bother to explain anymore: "You can also call me Sun Wukong Lantern."
Meng Xiaodong, Wanrong, and Liao Yaquan walked together, each holding a lantern in their hands, chattering without knowing what they were talking about. Sisters Cui Huifu and Cui Huimei, together with Fei Zhengqing and Fei Weimei, helped two foreign devils in English.
Popular science knowledge about Lantern Festival.
As for Vivien Leigh, her belly has swelled slightly at this time and she is staying at home to raise her baby.
Zhang Leyi hugged her son Wei Lie and told fairy tales about the Lantern Festival while walking: "A long time ago, wild beasts harmed people everywhere, so people organized to resist. One day, a divine bird got lost and was shot to death by an unsuspecting hunter.
When the Emperor of Heaven found out, he was very angry and ordered the Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Generals to go to the human world on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to prevent fires and burn all the people and livestock to death. The Emperor of Heaven's daughter was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see the people suffer, so she risked her life and secretly told the news.
Common people. When people heard this story, they came up with a way. During the three days of the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth of the first lunar month, every household would decorate with lanterns, light firecrackers and set off fireworks. In this way, the Emperor of Heaven would
You'd think people were burned to death."
"Oh," little Wei Lie did not ask for details like his elder sister, but commented, "The Emperor of Heaven is so stupid."
Everyone soon gathered together to guess lantern riddles, and the stall owner greeted enthusiastically: "Guess lantern riddles. It costs only a dime to guess each time. If you guess right, you will get a prize. How about you, ladies and gentlemen, try it?"
Zhou Hexuan took out a big piece of ocean and said with a smile: "Everyone, let's try it."
Zhang Leyi walked to a lantern and saw the words on the lantern: Beside the sparse fence by the lake, there is a house in front of the flowers. Guess a plant.
She thought hard for a long time and said to the stall owner: "Is it a willow tree?"
The stall owner smiled and said, "My wife's guess was a little inaccurate. Do you want to try again?"
Zhang Leyi turned around and asked Zhou Hexuan: "Brother Xuan, can you guess it?"
Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "Gourd."
The stall owner immediately opened the note under the lamp, and sure enough, the answer was "gourd". He handed Xiao Weilie a candied haws, and complimented: "This gentleman is very knowledgeable and he guessed right. You just gave me 1 yuan.
You can guess eight more times."
"I want it too, I want Tanghulu (candied haws) too!" Xiao Lingjun held her father's forehead and shook it.
Zhou Hexuan walked to the lamp next to him and saw it written on it: The Double Ninth Festival is approaching, the autumn waves are everywhere, I married in a foreign land and now I am back in Ningxia. Guess a vegetable.
Zhou Hexuan was a little unsure, so he thought for a moment and said, "Carrot?"
The stall owner gave a thumbs up: "Sir, you are really amazing, you can guess all these! This puzzle is particularly difficult, and the prize is two piles of candy."
Xiao Lingjun took the two candied haws and clapped her hands with joy: "Daddy is so awesome, daddy is so awesome!"
While everyone was having fun guessing lantern riddles, Fairbank asked: "Mr. Zhou, why is the Chinese Lantern Festival more lively than the Spring Festival?"
Zhou Hexuan smiled bitterly: "Maybe the government doesn't allow us to celebrate the Spring Festival."
The Lantern Festival during the Nanjing National Government was indeed surprisingly lively, and the atmosphere far surpassed that of the Spring Festival. The main reason was that the government stipulated that the Spring Festival was not allowed to be celebrated, so people had to celebrate the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival together.
As a result, the annual Lantern Festival has become a carnival for the common people, often leading to all kinds of chaos. You can only go out on foot during the Lantern Festival night because it is so crowded that even rickshaws cannot pass.
How crazy was the Lantern Festival in the Republic of China?
There are words to prove it: Gentlemen are not allowed to play with dragon lanterns, so ordinary bastards can save their time. I remember last year on Fanxi Street, all the bastards (Harmony) went crazy!
This is "Bamboo Branch Poetry" written by a good person in Hunan, "Gentlemen are not allowed to play with dragon lanterns". It tells the story of clam shell lanterns being introduced to Changsha with the Beiyang warlords and integrated with the local dragon lanterns. "Clam shell spirits" are often dressed up by prostitutes.
, due to the various provocative nature of its performances, it was severely condemned by righteous people, and the government resolutely banned it, but it is banned repeatedly every year.
Speaking of the Lantern Festival in the Republic of China, the most ridiculous year is undoubtedly 1912.
At that time, the Republic of China had just been established, and the government announced the abolition of the lunar calendar and the adoption of the Western calendar, and actually designated January 15th of the Western calendar as the Lantern Festival. The government widely publicized this and called on everyone to come out to celebrate the Lantern Festival, but it turned out to be dark and cold.
The ground was freezing, and not even a few ghosts could be seen on the streets.
Why?
Because January 15th in the Western calendar is more than a month away from the Spring Festival, and it is the end of the lunar calendar, there is no moon visible in the sky.
"Dong dong dong dong!"
There was the sound of gongs and drums in the distance, but it was the dragon lantern dance team coming over, and many people carrying lanterns ran after them, and the whole street was boiling.
"boom!"
Dots of light exploded in the sky, but some wealthy businessman was setting off fireworks. The children looked up at the sky and screamed with joy.
Zhou Hexuan looked at the lively atmosphere around him and couldn't help but think of the July 7th Incident three years later. At this moment, the lively city of Tianjin would fall under the iron heel of the Japanese invaders, and there would never be such universal celebration again.
Zhou Hexuan took his wife and children to watch the dragon lantern dance performance, and then went to put up lanterns by the Haihe River. The excitement lasted until early in the morning, and everyone went home still unsatisfied.
In the afternoon of the next day, Zhou Hexuan took Fairbank to the Tianjin Library.
The car drove into the old city and soon saw a huge policy propaganda poster posted on the wall of a house. On the poster was a huge louse, with a hand holding a dagger and inserting it into the abdomen of the louse.
There are also flies, mosquitoes and other pests hanging around.
There are also text explanations on the poster. The top reads "Cut out the epidemic and its messengers" and the side reads "In response to Chairman Chiang's call, the whole people should carry out a new life movement, pay attention to hygiene, clean frequently, and stay healthy."
Immediately afterwards, officials from the Tianjin Municipal Government and the Municipal Party Headquarters appeared on the street one by one in suits and leather shoes, each holding a broom in their hand.
Shang Zhen, a former general of the Jin-Sui Army, an old subordinate of Yan Xishan, and the current mayor of Tianjin, said while sweeping the streets: "Everyone, listen, whether you are an official or a worker, you must conscientiously fulfill Chairman Chiang's instructions.
New life movement. What is a new life? The first thing is to be clean. Today I will lead the brothers to do it. In the future, you will have to do it yourself. You must sweep clean inside and outside..."
Dozens of officials in suits were sweeping the streets together. The scene was so beautiful that Zhou Hexuan couldn't bear to watch it.
