What are the customs of the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month? The origin of slaughtering roosters on the 27th day

In China, from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month to New Year's Eve, every place uses various methods to create a New Year atmosphere, and there are also folk customs with local characteristics. So what are the customs on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month? What is the origin of slaughtering the rooster on the 27th?

What are the customs on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month?

On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, people sharpen knives, take a bath, and slaughter chickens for the big market.
1. Sharpening the knife <br/>Since people are busy with food all day long, chopping meat and vegetables very frequently, the knife will become dull. So people sharpen their knives on this day, firstly to make it easier to chop meat, and secondly to avoid doing dangerous work like sharpening knives during the Spring Festival. As everyone knows, it is unlucky to sharpen knives or move needles during the Spring Festival. So this day is the busiest day for the knife sharpener. But nowadays, knife sharpeners have basically faded from the historical stage, and everyone can only sharpen their own knives. If you don't know how to sharpen it, you can only use the knife once, or just buy a new one.
2. Take a bath <br/>In old Beijing, there is a saying: "Wash away illness on the 27th, wash away dirt on the 28th." Legend has it that as long as you bathe on this day, you can get rid of the bad luck of the year, wash away the diseases of the year, and bring good luck to the coming year. In Luliang, Shanxi, people pay attention to washing their feet on the 27th day of the lunar month. In the evening of this day, people would wash their feet clean, leaving no trace of dirt. That’s because people believe that feet are the dirtiest part of the body and washing feet can wash away the bad luck of the year and bring good luck in the coming year. There is a folk saying that goes, "On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, all wives and children should wash their feet. If one person does not wash his feet, he will have pus and watery feet for seven months."
3. Kill chickens and go to the market <br/>On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, every household not only kills their own poultry, but also goes to the market and shops to make centralized purchases. Compared with the market on ordinary days where the main purpose is to buy what is in short supply and sell what is in surplus, the market on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month is mainly for buying and selling New Year items, such as firecrackers, spring couplets, sacred horses, incense and candles, burning paper, beef and mutton, various toys and gifts for children, various head ornaments for girls, etc. On this day, markets everywhere are very busy and lively.

The Origin of Killing the Rooster on the 27th

1. The rooster is slaughtered on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month because "chicken" is the same as "auspicious", which means good luck and fortune. In addition, people believe that the chicken slaughtered on this day should not be eaten on the same day, but should be kept until New Year's Eve. Moreover, it cannot be eaten all on New Year's Eve, and some should be left. Because chicken itself represents good luck, during the festival, chicken should be seen on the table every day, so that it is considered perfect. In addition, according to traditional Chinese culture, no knife should be used on the first day of the new year, so of course these things must be prepared in advance.
2. There is a custom in old Beijing: the rooster in the sky is the Rooster Official, and he is the only auspicious god who incarnates on earth to tell time. The chicken is also a bird of virtue. The purpose of slaughtering the chicken is so that it can return to heaven to rest and report to the Jade Emperor whether the family is hardworking and whether good luck can be brought to the family on New Year's Eve.
3. This custom has two meanings. First, in feudal society, men are superior to women, males are considered the leaders, and males are considered the most important. The rooster is a big chicken, which is homophonic with "good luck", which means good luck. Another meaning is that the hen can lay eggs, so it is a pity to kill it. Only when there is a woman in the family giving birth or in confinement after childbirth, will they be willing to kill the hen.
4. Because slaughtering a rooster means "good luck", the chicken cannot be eaten all at once. Eat only two mouthfuls of food with chopsticks at each meal, just to show your appreciation, so that this "good luck" can last as long as possible. It can be seen that killing and cooking chickens during the Chinese New Year is just for show and they always have to be served. Don't eat it all until it goes bad.