The role of pigs in folklore

The role of pigs in folklore

Pigs are also known as "Wujin", "Heimian Lang" and "Hei Ye". According to the "Morning and Wildlife", the people of Hongzhou in the Tang Dynasty raised pigs to get rich and called pigs "Wujin". "Miscellaneous Notes of Yunxian" of the Tang Dynasty quoted "Chengping Jiuzhui": "Hei Mian Lang is called pig." On the land of China, as early as the matrilineal clan commune period, domestic animals such as pigs and dogs have been raised. The imprisonment of the pottery pigs unearthed at the Hemudu Neolithic Cultural Site in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province is very similar to the current domestic pigs, indicating that the domestication of pigs at that time has taken shape.

Before the Spring Festival , people usually kill pigs before the 25th of the twelfth lunar month . When killing pigs in the Zhejiang area, they pay attention to "one-shot cleaning", that is, one-shot killing, otherwise they will be considered unlucky. When entering the knife, the butcher has to say "being out of the world", and children and women cannot watch it. After killing, press the paper with pig blood in the corner of the room or in the pig pen to show that the pig is not dead. Pig hair should be filled with a fire tube. After all the boiling water is in the bucket, dip the lower end of the fire tube into the soup bucket, blow the upper end with your mouth, and blow around the bucket to show that the pig will grow faster and bigger in the future. When Qiao pig hair, leave a quick hair on the head and tail of the pig, which means "head and tail", and then put the whole pig on the bench, first with the pig head facing out, the owner burns incense and the pig hair thanks to the world, and cuts the pig into pieces. Two slices, except for New Year's consumption, I put the rest in the tank for later use.

In Tianjin, Hebei and other places, there are "Fat Pig Arches" holiday window grilles, which are cut out of black wax paper. There is a cornucopia on the pig's back, and one on the left and one on the left and right of the towel is put on each side of the towel, indicating that it is fortune and treasure.

In Shaanxi, there is a wedding custom of giving pig's trotters. The day before the wedding , the man must give four catties of pork and a pair of pig’s trotter, which is called a "gift hanging", and the woman will return the pig's front hooves after leaving the "little hanging". On the second day after marriage, the couple should bring double noodles and pig hooves back to their natal home, leaving the noodles, and returning the hooves, commonly known as "hoofs come, hoofs go", which means that they will have a close relationship in the future.

The Blang people of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, on the day of their wedding, the male and female families have to kill pigs for a treat. except. In addition to the treats, the pork is cut into small pieces and skewered with bamboo poles to distribute to each family, to show the meaning of "kind of flesh and blood".

In the past, the Han nationality had a kind of folk exorcism activity of "killing sow ghosts". When there is a disaster in the family, the elders in the family set up incense cases to sacrifice sows and ghosts, and make vows to the gods to exorcise evil spirits. During the sacrifice, choose the auspicious days and kill the old sows. Put the idle, hooves, liver, intestines, and lungs in a basket in the middle of the hall. The host burns incense and prays. After the sacrifice, the internal organs are cooked Eat it. The folks believe that "kill a sow ghost and get rid of an evil." ( Chinese Zodiac http:///shengxiao/)

The Wa people in Yunnan have a custom of divination called "Pig Gallbladder Gua". After killing the pig, judge good or bad according to pig gall. If the gallbladder lines go up and down, there is more water in the gallbladder, which is Ji Gua. It is generally used when holding major events, and it is used by wizards.