When and what time does the Zhou-Zhua ceremony usually start?

The custom of grasping the week has been passed down to this day, and it is more for the purpose of creating a festive and lively atmosphere. There are not many restrictions on the items for grasping the week, as long as they are within a reasonable range. However, the time for grasping the week is subject to certain requirements. So when does the grasping the week usually take place and what time does it start?

When is the Zhou-Zhua ceremony usually held?

The Zhuazhou ceremony is usually held when the child is one year old and often starts before eating longevity noodles at noon.

Grasping the week is also called testing the child, testing the week, and grabbing the birthday. It is a very important ceremony in the first birthday ceremony. It was first seen in the ancient customs during the Southern and Northern Dynasties and has been passed down among the people to this day. When a baby is one year old, it is called a "zhou", now called one year old. On this day, the whole family not only celebrates but also holds a grand ceremony to "grasp the week-old". In the classic novel "Dream of Red Mansions". I have also written about the ritual of "Zhuazhou". On his first birthday, Jia Baoyu grabbed the rouge hairpin and ring.

Most families, due to limited economic conditions, simplified their daily life and only used a copper tea tray, which contained a private school enlightenment textbook: "Three Character Classic" or "Thousand Character Classic", a brush, an abacus, and a set of sesame cakes and fried fruits. Additional items for girls: a shovel, a pair of scissors, and a ruler. An adult brings the child to sit upright without any guidance, allowing him to choose what he grabs first and what he grabs later. This can be used to predict his interests, future and the career he will pursue.

What does it mean to grab a brush during the week of grabbing?

The brush is our traditional writing tool. Many older generations believe that if a baby grabs a brush during the "Zhuazhou" ceremony, it means that the baby will have academic achievements in the future, such as liking reading and writing, or being good at writing, arithmetic, and painting. The baby is also very smart and may become a calligrapher or writer in the future.

When the baby grabs the brush during the one-year-old celebration, you can say some words to wish the baby a good future, such as "I wish the baby peace and prosperity, and a bright future", or "I wish the baby to be smart and successful in studies in the future", "I wish the baby to be successful in studies, and to get a good score on the list of successful candidates", etc. These sentences are all praising the baby's future academic performance, which is in line with the meaning of the baby grabbing the brush.

Of course, the meaning of a baby grabbing a brush during the "Zhuazhou" ceremony is just an ancient saying. A baby's talent still needs to be developed, so don't take it as a prediction of the baby's future. Just treat it as a small game to liven up the atmosphere of a birthday party. And no matter what the baby catches, interpret it in a good way, for the sake of good luck and happiness.