What are the customs on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month? Why do we wash our feet on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month?

Traditional folk culture has always been valued by the people, and various festivals, big and small, have distinctive customs and folkways. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, so what are the customs on the 27th day of the lunar year? Why do we wash feet on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month?

What are the customs on the twenty-seventh day of the lunar year?

1. Kill chickens and go to the market :
On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, every household has to slaughter their own poultry and go to the market to purchase goods. The main purpose of the market on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month is to buy firecrackers, spring couplets, incense and candles, paper for burning, beef and mutton, various gifts for children, various head ornaments for girls, etc.
2. Bathing and laundry :
According to traditional Chinese customs, people take a bath and wash clothes on this day to get rid of the bad luck of the previous year and prepare for the New Year. There is a saying in Beijing that "wash away illness on the 27th and wash away dirt on the 28th." Bathing on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month is to "wash away blessings and fortune."

Why do we wash our feet on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month?

There is a folk saying that goes, "Wash away sins on the 27th day." The implicit meaning is that on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, you must wash your feet well, which means you will be in good health next year. As the saying goes, "If you don't wash your feet on the 27th, the pus will form for seven months." It all means that you should wash your feet on that day.
By the evening, everyone would wash their feet with boiling water, and in the cold winter, even their faces would sweat. In fact, many people know that washing feet frequently is good for the body, but ancient people had bad daily living habits, and it was not realistic to wash feet every day, so on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, people would wash their feet solemnly to wash away the bad luck of the old year.
People in Luliang City, Shanxi Province pay attention to washing feet on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month. That evening, the women all washed their feet with boiling water. For ignorant girls, adults should also help them wash their feet clean to leave no dirt. There is a Chinese folk saying that goes, "On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, women wash their feet. If one does not wash her feet, she will have pus and watery feet for seven months."