What are the customs on the fourth day of the first lunar month? What are the rules for welcoming the Kitchen God on the fourth day of the first lunar month?

At midnight on the fourth day of the first lunar month, people prepare sacrificial animals, cakes, fruits, incense and candles, and ring gongs and drums, burn incense and worship, and respectfully worship the God of Wealth. This is one of the customs of the fourth day of the first lunar month. So what are the customs on the fourth day of the first lunar month? What are the rules for welcoming the Kitchen God on the fourth day of the first lunar month?

What are the customs on the fourth day of the first lunar month?

1. Worship the God of Wealth

In the old days, after the Spring Festival holiday, merchants would usually invite the Five Gods of Wealth on the fourth night of the first lunar month in the hope of auspicious opening of business on the fifth day. The five-way reception starts at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. The host takes incense and candles and goes to the five wealth god temples in the east, west, south, north and center to invite them. Every time a wealth god comes, a string of firecrackers is set off in front of the door. After receiving all the gifts, the host and the servants will worship the God of Wealth in turn. After the worship, they will burn the horse curtain on the original altar to send off the God of Wealth. The ceremony was finally over.

2. "Throw away poverty"

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, the whole family mixes together leftover food from the past few days and cleans up the garbage created in the house in the previous few days. Dust the room, sweep the floor, and pile the garbage in the yard ready to "throw away poverty." Most shops will host a banquet for their employees and distribute red envelopes on the fourth night of the New Year. The banquet has wine and food. After drinking, people usually eat steamed buns. Whoever the host puts the buns in is implied to be fired. The fired person will automatically pack up and leave after the meal, so this banquet is commonly known as "eating get-out-of-home buns".

3. Avoid going out on the fourth day of the lunar month

The first day of the first lunar month is said to be a taboo day for going out. There is also legend that the Kitchen God will come to check the household registration on this day, so it is not advisable to travel far. Therefore, many places also have the custom of not going out on the fourth day of the first lunar month.

4. Sheep Day

Dong Xun of the Jin Dynasty wrote in "Questions about Customs and Etiquette" that "The first day of the first lunar month is a chicken, the second day is a dog, the third day is a pig, the fourth day is a sheep, the fifth day is a cow, the sixth day is a horse, and the seventh day is a human. On New Year's Day, paint a chicken on the door, and on the seventh day, paste a human on the tent." In the old imperial calendar, sheep means "three sheep (yang) bring good luck" and is a symbol of good fortune, so people also hold banquets to celebrate on this day.

5. Eat Zheluo

On this day, the whole family eats Zheluo together. The so-called "zheluo" is a hodgepodge of leftover food from the first to the third day of the Chinese New Year. "Zheluo" is a special term in old Beijing and Hebei region.

What are the rules for welcoming the Kitchen God on the fourth day of the first lunar month?

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, the Kitchen God will check the household registration, so every household must stay home, prepare rich fruits, burn incense, light candles and set off firecrackers to show their respect for the Kitchen God, so it is not advisable to travel far. This is in line with people's need to stay home for a day to adjust after consecutive festivals. Therefore, there is a custom in old Beijing that people should not go out on the fourth day of the first lunar month. However, nephews can visit their aunts. "Aunts and uncles are close, and generations are close. Even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected. There are certain rules for being one family."