The customs and taboos of the third day of the Lunar New Year. What does it mean for a mouse to get married?

The Spring Festival, commonly known as the New Year Festival, is the most important traditional festival of the Chinese nation. There are many special rules on the third day of the Lunar New Year, such as not being allowed to wash hair. So what are the customs and taboos on the third day of the Lunar New Year? When is the day for mice to get married?

Customs and taboos on the third day of the Lunar New Year

1. Avoid visiting relatives and friends

The third day of the Lunar New Year was called "Hungry Ghost Day" according to the old custom. People were not allowed to visit relatives and friends on this day. However, this custom has long been outdated. With the progress of the times, it is rare for people to get together to celebrate the Spring Festival, so this custom has faded a lot. But it is still better to avoid it.

2. Cleaning

In some places, the third day of the Lunar New Year is called "Broom Day". According to traditional customs, people do not move, sweep the floor, or take out garbage on the first and second days of the New Year, which means they will be rich and wealthy. There are some rules to follow when cleaning on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Garbage represents money, so when cleaning on the third day of the Lunar New Year, you should sweep from the outside to the inside. This has a good meaning, as it means money is being swept into the house, which indicates wealth and fortune will be brought into the house.

3. Avoid killing pigs

The third day of the Lunar New Year is called "Pig Day". In Dongfang Shuo's "Sui Zhan" in the Han Dynasty, it is stated: The first day is for chicken, the second day is for dog, the third day is for pig, the fourth day is for sheep, the fifth day is for cow, the sixth day is for horse, the seventh day is for man, and the eighth day is for grain. The third day of the first lunar month is Pig Day. On this day, if the weather is sunny, pigs will be healthy, and people cannot kill pigs, which means the livestock will prosper.

4. Avoid eating rice

Legend has it that the third day of the Lunar New Year is the birthday of millet. On this day, you cannot eat rice and you must pray for good weather and a good harvest in the coming year. In order to express gratitude for grain crops, the third day of the Lunar New Year is designated as the "Birthday of Millet", which means to thank and congratulate the grains.

5. Avoid lighting

The third day of the Lunar New Year is an auspicious day for "rat wedding". In order to ensure that the mice would have a lasting happiness, people went to bed early, turned off the lights and went to sleep. The main thing is to let the mice hold a wedding. At the same time, salt and rice are sprinkled around the house. This is called "the mice dividing the money."

6. Burning Door God Paper

In ancient times, people would burn the pine and cypress branches used for the festival and the door gods they hung on the third day of the Lunar New Year, indicating that the New Year was over and it was time to start doing business. Hence there is a saying that goes, "After burning the door god paper, you will have to find your own way."

What does it mean when mice get married?

In folklore, it is said that the third night of the Lunar New Year is the big day for "mouse wedding";

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, you can hear the squeaking sounds of mice. In order not to disturb the mice's wedding, people will try to turn off the lights and go to bed early that night, and sprinkle some rice salt and cakes in the kitchen or corners where mice often come and go with the mice to share the joy of the wedding and the harvest of the year. These things are commonly known as "rice makeup" or "mouse money". People hope to have good relations with mice so that there will be less rat infestation this year. The folk customs of mice getting married in various forms are even more colorful. It is not only in folk beliefs; the related rat marriage stories, folk arts and songs are spread all over the place in literature. At the same time, New Year paintings, paper-cuts, embroidery, clay sculptures, batik, window decorations, etc. with the theme of mice sending weddings are the reserved items of auspicious patterns.