The Customs in Grain Buds

   旧时水车车水排灌为农村大事,谚云:“小满动三车(三车指的是丝车、油车、水车)。”水车例于小满时启动。此前,农户以村圩为单位举行“抢水”仪式,行于海宁一带,有演习之意。多由年长执事者约集各户,确定日期,安排准备,至是日黎明即群行出动,燃起火把于水车基上吃麦糕、麦饼、麦团,待执事者以鼓锣为号,群以击器相和,踏上小河汉上事先装好的水车,数十辆一齐踏动,把河水引灌入田,至河浜水光方止。祭车神亦为农村古俗,传说“车神”为白龙,农家在车水前于车基上置鱼肉、香烛等祭拜之,特殊之处为祭品中有白水一杯,祭时泼入田中,有祝水源涌旺之意。以上旧俗表明了农民对水利排灌的重视。    Offering sacrifice to the Deity of Waterwheel“抢水”仪式 The waterwheel is an important tool for irrigation. A saying goes, “Three things start in Grain buds, filature, tanker and waterwheel.” Before the start Read More

Grain Buds Poem: Sheng hu zhu zhi ci

   近代人沈云有《盛湖竹枝词》云:“先蚕庙里剧登场,男释耕耘女罢桑。只为今朝逢小满,万人空巷斗新妆。”诗人描绘了小满时节江南蚕乡的祭祀活动“小满戏”的场景,锣鼓喧天,丝竹贯耳,观众摩肩接踵,热闹非凡。    Sheng hu zhu zhi ci is a poem written by a modern poet, Shen Yun. In the poem, a lively rendition of a Xiaoman Performance (a kind of performance on the Read More