“真是闲处光阴易过,倏忽又是元宵佳节。”四大名著《红楼梦》中对于元宵节的表述详尽其致:团圆饭(reunion dinner)、猜灯谜(guess lantern riddles)、观花灯(watch lantern)、放烟花(set off fireworks)……可惜的是很多古人有趣的习俗,都随着时间的推移渐渐被人遗忘了,这些被人遗忘的元宵传统,你想知道吗?
根据道教所言,农历正月的第15天又称“上元”",英文为“Official of Heaven",所以元宵节(Lantern Festival)又称“上元节”。
约会 Finding love
Some have dug into the festival' s origin and found that it was truly a romantic day as ancient Chinese girls grew up at home and hardly had chance to go outside to meet people. But the Lantern Festival was an exception. On that particular day, young women were allowed to go outdoors at night to see the lantern displays, offering them an opportunity to meet young men.
有人深扒元宵节的渊源发现,在古代中国这真是一个浪漫的节日:中国古代深闺之中的女孩很难外出见人。但是元宵节是个例外。在那天,年轻女子被允许晚上外出逛夜会,并有机会和男孩约会。
“去年元夜时,花市灯如书;月上柳梢头,人约黄昏后。”(欧阳修)
迎厕姑(卜紫姑)Sciomancy/Planchettewritting
厕姑又称紫姑,据说她原本是大户人家的小妾(concubine),因遭人嫉妒于正月十五被人害死在厕所。被天帝怜悯的紫姑升天为神。于是百姓在这一天祭拜她,祈求丰收平安,卜紫姑又可以卜问来年农耕、桑织之事。
“正月望夜,迎厕姑谓之紫姑……”(《梦溪笔谈》)
打十番(Playing drums)
又称打锣鼓。大家子弟7-10人成组,每人配备乐器一件敲至天明(唱打交融"drum-beating" and"dialectal singing")。
“人行月中,音度水上,殊有清趣……”(《岁华忆语》)
请春酒(Spring wine)
南京旧时习俗。一桌新鲜蔬菜——多为刚发芽的农作物,招呼亲友品尝,为妇女老人庆祝,寓意祝福亲朋好友健康长寿,还有“天人合一”(Harmony of Man with Nature)的意思。