The difference between Northern and Southern Xiaonian

The difference between Northern and Southern Xiaonian

The main differences between the Northern Year and the Southern Year are reflected in the following aspects:

Time:

Northern China: Xiaonian usually falls on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.

Southern region: Xiaonian mostly falls on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month.

Customs:

North:

Sacrifice to the Kitchen God: On this day, people will remove the old statue of the Kitchen God and burn it, and send the Kitchen God to heaven. Sacrifices usually include sweet foods such as sugar melons and Kanto candies, with the aim of making the Kitchen God's mouth stick to sugar and only reporting good deeds after ascending to heaven.

Cleaning the house: Thoroughly clean the house and remove dust.

Eating dumplings: Dumplings are a traditional food of the Northern Chinese New Year, symbolizing happiness and completeness.

south:

Sacrificial Kitchen: Sacrificial offerings may be more diverse and abundant, such as sugarcane, with the beautiful symbolism of high festivals. The sacrificial stove ceremony may not be as grand.

Dusting: Carefully clean the house and furniture.

Eating Nian Gao: Nian Gao is a traditional food of the Southern Chinese New Year, symbolizing steady progress.

Date:

Northern region: 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.

South: December 24th.

In addition, there are some special circumstances:

Jiangsu Zhejiang Shanghai region: The night before New Year's Eve is called "Little New Year's Eve".

Nanjing: The Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival) Festival on the 15th day of the first month is called Xiaonian.

Coastal areas: Residents maintain the custom of "boat five" and consider the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month as a small New Year.

In summary, the Northern and Southern Chinese New Year mainly differ in terms of time and customs. The Northern Chinese New Year is celebrated on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, and customs include offering sacrifices to the stove, sweeping the house, and eating dumplings; In the south, the Chinese New Year is celebrated on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, and customs include offering sacrifices to the stove, dusting, and eating rice cakes. In addition, some regions have other New Year's Eve dates, such as the "Little New Year's Eve" in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, and the Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival) Festival in Nanjing.