During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was no custom of posting Spring Festival couplets during the New Year. Instead, two peach charms engraved with the images of "Shen Tu" and "Yulei" were nailed in front of the door to ward off evil spirits and disasters and pray for blessings and avoid disasters.
On New Year's Eve, Chen Caozhi wrote a Spring Festival couplet in the official script of "Zhang Qian Monument" on two rectangular peach boards that had been prepared:
"The New Year is full of Yuqing, and the festival is called Changchun."
Ming Laide used a knife to carve inscriptions on them, then filled them with cinnabar, and nailed the two peach boards of Spring Festival couplets together with the peach symbols at the gate of the west building.
Before midnight, Chen Caozhi participated in the ancestor worship ceremony in the ancestral hall on behalf of the Chen family in Xilou. The ceremony lasted until the early morning of the first day of the new year, and then they congratulated each other and gave blessings before leaving.
Early in the morning on the first day of the new year, Run'er woke up and opened her eyes to see a brand-new brocade skirt on the eaves of the box in front of the bed. There was a gold collar pressed on the skirt. The collar was decorated with longevity locks and jade ruyi, which meant longevity.
The four words "Wish you longevity and good health" are chiselled on the lock, and the jade Ruyi has auspicious patterns such as peaches, bats, goldfish, and lotus roots——
Next to the skirt and gold necklace, there is a small konghou. It is half smaller than the one in Ding Youwei's study next door, but it is also made of twenty-five strings, gold-colored green algae, and the production process is not sloppy at all.
Run'er was so happy that she got out of bed and was about to hug the harp. Xiao Chan, who had already gotten up first, said loudly: "Mrs. Run'er, have a happy new year. Is Run'er one year older?"
Run'er hurriedly retreated back into bed, opened her bright and big black eyes, and said sweetly: "Sister Xiaochan, have auspicious New Year, sister Xiaochan, please help Run'er get dressed——" Her eyes kept looking at the small frame
Kong Hou asked: "Sister Xiaochan, is this a New Year's gift from mother to Run'er?"
Chen Caozhi's clear and clear voice came from the corridor: "Run'er, wake up, happy New Year!" Before the voice fell, the refreshed Chen Caozhi walked in holding his nephew Zongzhi, and bowed to Xiaochan with a smile.
: "Happy New Year, sister Xiaochan!"
Xiaochan looked at Chen Caozhi with a smile and returned the greeting: "Mr. Cao, have a prosperous new year! Mr. Zong, have auspicious new year!"
Zongzhi, who was dressed in new clothes, also wished him good luck, raised the small jade flute in his hand towards Run'er, and said happily: "Run'er, look, this is the small jade flute that my mother gave me. I just tried it and it can be pressed with my fingers."
When I get to the flute hole, I can learn how to play the flute from Uncle Chou."
Run'er stood by the bed, stretched out her arms to let Xiao Chan help her put on her dress, and smacked her little mouth at the small konghou on the box eaves: "Run'er has one, too. Mother's big konghou Run'er can't play the small one.
You can play it. When I go back to see my mother next time, I will take this little konghou with me and let her teach Run'er, Uncle Chou said, right?"
After Run'er's clothes were neatly dressed and washed, the uncle and nephew went to Chen's mother Li's room to say hello and wish her and grandmother good luck in the New Year.
Chen's mother, Mrs. Li, looked at her tall and handsome son and her pair of grandsons, smiling from ear to ear. She told Aunt Ying to prepare a reward. There were New Year rewards all over the west building of the Chen family.
Ran Sheng downstairs was shouting: "Mr. Cao Zhi, Brother Laide and I are going to light firecrackers. Do you want to come and see us?"
Chen Caozhi took his nephew and niece's hand downstairs to see Ran Sheng. What kind of firecrackers were set off in Lai De?
I saw Laide and Ran Sheng each holding a small bundle of slender bamboo poles, lighting them on a small fire. The bamboo poles burned with a "cracking" sound. It turned out that they were firecrackers.
There were many bamboo poles and the sound of firecrackers was very loud. Run'er covered her ears and hid behind Chen Cao. She stretched out her head to see De and Ran Sheng happily walking around the yard dragging a bundle of burning bamboo poles. This was during
Drive away the plague god.
Firecrackers were also set off in the East Building, South Building, and North Building, and it was very lively. The smoke from the burning bamboo poles had a ripe aroma, and Chen Caozhi liked to smell this smell.
When the other tribesmen on the third floor saw the peach wood spring couplets on the west floor, they felt it was fresh and festive. They thought it was a custom Chen Caozhi learned from Wu Jun, so they hurriedly copied it and hung it on the door.
The patriarch, Chen Xian, ordered two large peach boards to be planed, and asked Chen Caozhi to write the ten characters "New Year's Day, Happy Festival, Changchun" and nail them on the green oak gate of Wubao, which is very scholarly.
a feeling of.
When nearby villagers saw it, they imitated it, and the custom of posting Spring Festival couplets during the New Year spread six hundred years in advance.
…
Since Chen Cao's father Chen Su, the Chen family in Xilou has believed in Tianshi Tao and worshiped Du Zigong, the Taoist leader of Qiantang County, as their teacher. Tianshi Tao worships the three officials of "heaven, earth and water".
It is the birthday of Emperor Tianguan, and the disciples of Tianshi Dao will hold a grand celebration.
On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, Chen Caozhi went to the county town on his mother's orders to attend the Tianguan Emperor's celebration the next day. He also paid a visit to Feng Mengxiong's house. This time, he was driving with Laifu, and Ran Sheng and Laide followed.
At noon, Chen Cao and four other people came to Feng Mansion in the west of the city. Since they visited Feng Mansion in early May last year, more than half a year had passed in the blink of an eye. However, they saw that the courtyard was still the same. Only the three old locust trees in front of the door had lost all their leaves and were no longer there.
The scene of lush foliage in May.
Feng Mengxiong was very happy to see Chen Caozhi, and ordered his maid to invite his wife Sun and his daughter Feng Lingbo to come out to meet him. Feng's wife Sun saw that Chen Cao's demeanor was even better than before, and the more she looked at it, the happier she was. She kept looking at her daughter Feng Lingbo.
, looking overjoyed.
Feng Lingbo was more reserved than the last time they met. He felt uncomfortable all over. After sitting for a while, he went back to the inner courtyard. Sun sat with him for a while and told Chen Cao's master and servants to rest here for the night.
Went in too.
Feeling the enthusiasm of Uncle Feng's family, Chen Caozhi felt a little sorry. He felt that some things must be explained clearly and Feng Lingbo could not be delayed. After answering Feng Mengxiong's question about his studies in Wu County, he said: "Uncle Feng, my nephew has something to do."
I want to tell Uncle Feng, please don’t misunderstand me."
Feng Mengxiong was stunned for a moment, then said kindly: "If you have anything to say, just say it. The Feng and Chen families have long been friends, so there can be any misunderstanding!"
Chen Caozhi said slowly: "Uncle Feng and his family went to Chenjiawu to visit Jiaci last year. Jiaci was very happy. When my nephew came back from Wujun at the end of last year, Jiaci asked me to go to Baoshishan Chu with sister Lingbo's Nian Gengtie.
Balcony Ge Xianweng Taoist Temple, please ask the Taoist there to calculate whether the nian Geng of Lingbo girl matches mine. My nephew was born at the 1st day of the winter lunar month in the Jiachen year, and Lingbo girl was born at the 9th day of the spring lunar month in the Yisi year. That Taoist
After some calculations with his fingers, he said that Chen and Si are harming each other and Yin and Shen are in conflict, so the marriage is not suitable. Jia Ci felt very sorry for it and ordered his nephew to come and tell Uncle Feng that this would not affect the friendship between the two families." After that, he held up his hands.
Sir, I deeply apologize.
Feng Mengxiong was surprised for a long time. He also knew that Chen's mother, the Li family, believed in the Taoism of the Heavenly Masters, and there were some incompatibility between years and years. He didn't think that Chen Caozhi was trying to dodge it. He, Feng Mengxiong, was also the ninth-rank county prime minister, and his daughter, Feng Lingbo, was very good-looking.
He had no reason to shirk it, he could only say that it was no chance. He shook his head and said with a smile: "There is no need to mention this matter again. Feng and Chen are good friends, how can there be any rift because of this matter? Just relax, I still
He is your uncle, and Lingbo is your sister."
Chen Caozhi was very moved and bowed deeply again.
Feng Mengxiong went into the inner courtyard and told his wife Sun about this matter. Sun was greatly disappointed and unhappy, but she said: "It must be that the Taoist priest has a shallow foundation and made random calculations. It is not the calculation by Ge Xianweng himself. Since Mother Chen believes this, then change it."
I'll find another Taoist to calculate -"
However, the girl's heart was extremely sensitive, and she said in a tearful tone: "Mom, don't mention this matter again, brother Cao Zhixian, he——" calmed down, and then said: "From now on, my daughter will be worthy of his brother and sister."