What is the third day of the first lunar month? Do you know what the third day of the first lunar month is?

The third day of the first lunar month is the third day of the New Year, also known as "Pig Day". The joy of the Spring Festival is still in progress on the third day of the first lunar month, and it is still lively around us. So what festival is on the third day of the first lunar month?

What festival is on the third day of the first lunar month?

The third day of the first lunar month is also known as Xiaonianchao or Red Dog Day. As an ancient Chinese traditional festival, it is said that on this day Nuwa created the pig. According to Chinese folklore, the third night of the Chinese New Year is the day when mice get married, so most families turn off the lights and go to bed early to avoid disturbing the mice (some say that turning off the lights early at night is to prevent the mice from seeing and getting married, thus reducing their reproduction rate). They also sprinkle some rice grains and cakes in the corners of the house for the mice to eat, which is called "mouse sharing", and means sharing the year's harvest with the mice. The Chinese people regard the third day of the first lunar month as the birthday of millet. On this day, they offer sacrifices and pray for a good harvest, and do not eat rice.

Customs on the third day of the first lunar month

Little New Year

The third day of the Lunar New Year is also called "Little New Year" and is the day for opening the wells. Gu Lu of the Qing Dynasty wrote in "Qing Jia Lu·Xiao Nian Chao" that "the third day of the first lunar month is Xiao Nian Chao. People do not sweep the floor, beg for fire, or draw water, just like New Year's Day." On that day, every family with a well near their house would offer incense and vegetables to the well curb in the morning, and remove the red paper seal on the well that was left on New Year's Eve. This was called "opening the well." In some places, people would sweep the accumulated dust into a dustpan, add a broken broom, and dump it at the intersection of Sanyou Road to show that they were sending away poverty.

Tianqing Festival

The Tianqing Festival on the first day of the Lunar New Year was a court festival in the Song Dynasty. In the first year of Dazhong Xiangfu during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, it was rumored that a book from heaven had descended to the earth, so Zhenzong issued an edict to designate the third day of the first lunar month as the Tianqing Festival, and officials were given a five-day holiday. Later it was called Xiaonianchao, and people did not sweep the floor, beg for fire or draw water, just like Suichao.

Burning Door God Paper

In the old days, on the third day of the New Year, people would burn the pine and cypress branches used during the New Year as well as the door gods and paper money hung during the festival to indicate that the New Year was over and it was time to start a new life. There is a proverb that goes, "After burning the door god paper, one goes to look for business," so some businesses officially open for business on the third day of the Lunar New Year.