Chapter 392 The New Year is Coming
Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, commonly known as “New Year’s Eve”.

What does "passing the New Year's Gate" mean? In fact, it tells us that the New Year is a hurdle. If you do well in this year, the New Year's Gate will pass easily and you will naturally enjoy happiness and joy.

If you don't do well this year, how can you get through the New Year? Once the New Year comes, disaster will come.

Before the New Year, the accounts are settled. If you don't settle, others will. It's been a year, and you haven't paid back what you owe. They want to collect the debt, right? You promised it before, how can you fulfill it now?

Another term for "New Year's Eve" refers to the period during the Chinese New Year when people need to prepare New Year's goods, lucky money, new clothes, etc. For families with poor economic conditions, this is a considerable expense.

In addition, in ancient times, people who owed rent or were in debt had to pay off their debts at this time, and celebrating the New Year was as difficult as passing a customs check.

"Passing the customs" is easy to explain. In ancient times, during the New Year period, most people lived in rural areas, and winter was a relatively leisurely season.

However, once we enter the period around the Spring Festival, it is the critical time for field work and the backlog of agricultural activities must be dealt with as soon as possible.

However, due to limited transportation conditions in rural areas, agricultural products cannot be quickly transported to cities for sale.

At this time, if you are unlucky, you may encounter a "gate closure" situation, which makes it impossible to sell agricultural products in time. In this way, farmers will face economic difficulties.

Therefore, the Chinese New Year period is called the "New Year's Eve". On the one hand, it is because the Spring Festival is an important node that requires farmers to complete a large number of farming activities within a limited time; on the other hand, it is also because of inconvenient transportation that may lead to obstruction of material circulation.

Therefore, the "guan" in the term "nianguan" alludes to the problems of transportation and material circulation during the Spring Festival.

In addition, the New Year's Eve is also related to the tradition of sacrificial offerings. The people of the Xia Kingdom have always attached great importance to the respect of their ancestors and families, and the New Year is an important time for sacrificial offerings. In the agricultural society, people would worship their ancestors and gods and pray for a good harvest and peace.

It is said that if one does not receive the blessings of ancestors and gods at the end of the year or the beginning of the next year, it may affect the fate of the entire family.

Therefore, the preparations before the Chinese New Year are very tedious and important.

At the same time, there are some special customs during the Chinese New Year, such as pasting Spring Festival couplets, cutting window flowers, setting off firecrackers, etc. These customs are all related to the meaning of exorcising evil spirits and praying for blessings.

People hope that through these activities they can drive away bad luck and pray for peace and good fortune in the new year.

In the days leading up to the New Year, the family was very lively. Except for Liu Zhitai who had gone to East Germany and had not yet returned, the whole Liu family gathered together, adding a bit of childish fun.

"Big Sister" Liu Shuxian, with two "bodyguards", played in the house, looking like a king of children; Liu Wen and Liu Wu, the "little monkeys", chased and played in the yard, laughing continuously; and in the stroller, little baby Liu Qian was blowing bubbles leisurely, looking naive. Such scenes filled this winter home with warmth and joy.

The old man is now enjoying the happiness of living with four generations under one roof. Rather than time weakening his physique, he has become even healthier in recent years.

On weekdays, whether climbing a rugged mountain path or wading through a gurgling stream, for him it is as easy and comfortable as walking on a flat road, showing his demeanor of being still strong despite his old age.

Liu Zhiye firmly believes that the reason why he has such a strong physique is that Chinese medicine has played an indispensable role in health preservation. What is particularly remarkable is that the Five Animal Exercises of Hua Tuo that he inherited is unique and very different from the health preservation and fitness methods that are prevalent in the world. Every move and every form reveals extraordinary connotations and effects.

At this moment, he had a warm smile on his face, and his eyes gently followed the figures of his three grandchildren playing in the yard. Every lively jump and every crisp laughter moistened his heart like sweet rain, and his eyes were full of happiness like the autumn sun, warm and bright.

Liu Zhiruo smiled as bright as a flower, handed a piece of cool watermelon to her grandfather, and said softly: "Grandpa, please try this watermelon!" In the blink of an eye, she is already over 20 years old, and is about to come to the end of her postgraduate career and step into the door of society.

A few years of college time passed quietly like flowing water, making the once lively and active girl more calm and reserved.

She inadvertently exudes a scholarly air, and her every move makes her look like that of a fledgling scholar, revealing a bit of elegance and intellect.

The old man turned his eyes kindly to his most beloved granddaughter. The little girl who used to play on his knees was about to enter the palace of marriage and start her own independent life. He couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion in his heart, and whispered to himself: "Time flies, it really flies in a flash!"

Liu Zhiruo gently shook the old man's arm and said, "Grandpa! What are you talking about? Come and try this melon. I don't know how my brother preserved it, but it's as fresh as if it was just picked!"

The old man reached out and touched Liu Zhiruo's head and said, "Wow! Really? Could it be stored in the cold storage in our village?"

Liu Zhiruo is no ordinary person now. She is now a scientific research elite in the field of nuclear physics with an extraordinary IQ. Upon hearing this, she frowned slightly and said with some doubt in her tone: "How can refrigeration technology have such miraculous effects? I always feel that my brother is hiding some big secret, but I can't figure out what it is."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Could your brother be some kind of god or monster? Hehehe..." The old man is experienced and seems to be indifferent to worldly affairs, but in fact he has a clear mind and has long been aware of the extraordinary qualities of his eldest grandson.

But he did not delve into it further, because he was sure that his eldest grandson was not some "mountain monster" and was still his blood relative.

Even if Liu Zhiye had extraordinary talents, in his opinion, he was just one of the many extraordinary people in the world, so why should he be mentioned? This world is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, each leading the way.

Over the years, the strange events that happened to Liu Zhiye one after another quietly weaved a veil of mystery around him, making people close to him suspicious.

At first glance, you can tell that this watermelon was just picked from the fields. The vines are still somewhat green and full of vitality.

But now it is the coldest time of the year, and everything is withering. The sudden appearance of fresh watermelons is really surprising. Could it be that the village planted watermelons out of season?

Not only that, Liu Zhiye also occasionally brought out fruits that were not available in this season, such as cherries, peaches, melons, plums, grapes... and all kinds of fresh and lively seafood. Liu Zhiye was like a treasure house, with everything. He...

The doubts of the grandfather and grandson were just the tip of the iceberg of Liu Zhiye's extraordinary abilities. Other close relatives in the family also speculated whether Liu Zhiye had inherited the secrets of a certain master, otherwise, how could he have such extraordinary abilities?
Gan Ning was such a smart woman, she knew better than anyone that Liu Zhiye had collected antique artworks worth astronomical amounts over the years.

However, she had never seen any of these things at home. She had no idea how Liu Zhiye stored them, where he stored them now, and where the funds for purchasing these things came from.

Everyone has secrets, and as Liu Zhiye's bedmate, Gan Ning wisely did not interfere with his actions. However, she also had a vague guess.

"Hey, it's so cold, and you two, grandfather and grandson, are eating watermelon outside. Aren't your teeth afraid of freezing?" Liu Jingzhai was carrying heavy sacrificial supplies in his hands. As soon as he stepped into the front yard, he was stunned by the scene in front of him.

In the biting cold wind, the laughter of the grandparents and grandchildren formed a sharp contrast with the coldness of the surroundings, making them particularly eye-catching.

"Dad, can you come too?" Liu Zhiruo gestured with a smile.

"No, no, it's so cold, it's painful just looking at me. You two should have a snack too, don't get sick during the New Year!" Liu Jingzhai shuddered and couldn't help but refuse.

He then continued, "By the way, where is your brother? Why can't I see him? Didn't we agree that he would place the offerings with me?"

When Liu Zhiruo heard that they were looking for her brother, she couldn't help but burst out laughing, with a hint of joking in her words: "Just now, my brother had nothing to do, so he went to provoke that little guy Xiaoqian, but ended up getting peed on by the little guy. Right now, he is busy cleaning in the backyard. It's really funny, hahahahaha..."

“Hahahaha…” The old man on the side also found it funny when he heard this. It was rare to see his eldest grandson make a fool of himself.

"This... should..." Liu Jingzhai was also a little upset. Liu Zhiye sometimes looked very mature and steady, but sometimes he was like a child who had not grown up and always did things that surprised everyone.

"Hey, what are you happy about? You are laughing so happily, sister, share some of your happiness with me so that I can share in your joy!" Liu Zhiye squinted his eyes half-jokingly and said to Liu Zhiruo who was talking about his interesting stories.

He had just finished showering and changed into fresh clothes. As he went out, he ran into his sister making fun of his embarrassing incident, which made him so angry that his teeth itched.

"Grandpa, Dad, please come and save me!" Liu Zhiruo saw that her brother was approaching her with his hands ready to fight, and she panicked and shouted for help. Liu Jingzhai sighed, with a bit of helplessness and severity in his tone: "Okay, stop making trouble, have you two finished your work? Don't be lazy here.

Liu Zhiye, come here and pick up these items, and follow me to arrange the offerings. Be quick, it’s almost noon…”

Liu Zhiye had no choice but to let the little girl go for now. After glaring at her, he smiled and said to the old man, "Okay! Grandpa, I'll get busy first. You can take a rest!"

The old man waved his hand at him to signal him to get busy. Worshiping ancestors during the New Year cannot be careless and must be taken seriously. The sacrificial hall and other places must be arranged before the afternoon.

Today is the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month. “On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, let’s go get some wine.”

Wine is an indispensable part of the New Year's Eve dinner. The day before New Year's Eve is called "Little New Year's Eve", when families hold banquets and people visit each other, which is called "farewell to the old year".

Burning incense outdoors is called "Tianxiang", which usually takes three days. Because people used to drink loose wine, they would go to get enough wine on this day, to give to relatives, neighbors and friends for the New Year, to warm their hearts.

On the 28th and 29th days of the twelfth lunar month, housewives become even busier. First, they steam a few pots of steamed buns, some of which are even dotted with red dots for festive occasion. Then they stew meat and fish and put the stewed fish in the yard with a large basin, mainly to prevent cats from taking it away. They also prepare the dumpling fillings for welcoming the gods on New Year's Eve.

"On New Year's Eve, people stand in front of the altar to pay respect to their ancestors. Incense smoke fills the air as offerings are made, and descendants kneel down to pay homage to their ancestors."

The Spring Festival ancestor worship and welcoming gods is undoubtedly the most solemn and ritualistic event in Liujiazhuang. As the old patriarch who leads tens of thousands of people, he has long been responsible for presiding over the clan's sacrifices.

However, as the Liu family grew and its population increased, the old house became increasingly cramped during the Spring Festival and could no longer accommodate the large family members gathering together.

So, this year they decided to celebrate the New Year together in Liu Zhiye’s large courtyard with three entrances.

Since the 30th is a busy day, it takes a lot of time to decorate such a large yard, so some preparatory work needs to be completed in advance.

At noon, the elders in the family began to set up the altar for the evening ancestor worship.

The brothers Liu Zhiye and Liu Tielin carried out a wooden box about 1.5 meters long and 30 centimeters wide. They first took out two portraits of Taizu from the box. Grandpa said that this was called "shadow", a respectful name for the ancestor's portrait.

The two portraits were mounted on scrolls and hung on the north wall. The paintings showed the old man and his grandmother, the old man in his official uniform and the old grandmother in the clothes of an official's wife, looking very elegant and graceful.

Below the portrait is a long table, on which the wooden tablets taken out of the wooden box are arranged from the middle to both sides according to their seniority.

Each of these wooden tablets is about 20 cm high and 6 cm wide, and is divided into two layers, inner and outer, and inserted together.

On it, in neat small characters, are written "The seat of the late father" and "The seat of the late mother". Below is a rectangular wooden socket, four centimeters high. After it is plugged in, it looks like a tombstone in a cemetery.

Place an Eight Immortals table in front of the table, cover it with a tablecloth, and place a copper incense burner in the frontmost position, which contains gray-white incense ash. After worshiping, insert the incense inside and let it continue to burn.

To the left and right of the incense burner are tin wax holders with bright red candles on them. Use tall plates to serve various dried and fresh fruits, arrange them in pairs on the left and right, and place them one by one.

At this time, my mother Deng Ru would put a red dot in the center of the big steamed buns that had just come out of the pot, and stack them up high, with a plate on each side. On the ground in front of the altar, there was a cushion for kneeling and worshiping during the sacrifice.

Everything is ready, and the whole family will gather together to hold the ancestor worship ceremony before the reunion dinner tomorrow night.

The sacrificial hall is located in the main house of the central courtyard. This house is the largest, with three rooms and two side rooms, totaling about eighty to ninety square meters.

Originally, Liu Zhiye intended to use it as a place for family members to discuss matters and hold large gatherings.

Therefore, several houses were cleverly connected to form an open space.

In the room, only a few red-painted carved columns stand tall, firmly supporting the towering beams, making the entire space appear magnificent yet elegant and transparent.

Such a layout not only meets the needs of family members to discuss important matters together, but also provides sufficient space for grand gatherings, which is spacious yet warm.

After the busy schedule came to an end, the three of them washed their hands at the same time and walked to the front yard to prepare to enjoy their meal. In recent years, only during this time can the family get together for a reunion dinner.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the main hall of the front yard was warm and lively. Under the careful arrangement of Deng Ru and her sisters-in-law, several female generals showed their strengths, and plates of delicious dishes were neatly arranged on the table, exuding an enticing aroma.

Considering there are so many people in the family, it is better to eat separately.

On one side, there are women and children sitting around a table with laughter, enjoying their warm time; on the other side is the world of men, they are chatting and laughing, or drinking from their glasses, showing another kind of heroism and unrestrainedness.

The old man stared at his children and grandchildren, all of whom were outstanding, and a trace of trance flashed in his eyes. He had never expected that the Liu family would be able to regain vitality and revive the family glory in the hands of his children and grandchildren.

This sudden prosperity made him feel both relieved and a little bit unbelievable.

This remote mountain valley where his ancestors had lived for generations had quietly transformed and turned upside down, as if it were a different world. If it weren't for the Liu family's ancestral home that had stood for more than 300 years, he would almost suspect that he had stepped into a fantasy world in another time and space.

As time passes and things change silently, a stunning new picture has been painted on this once isolated land.

In the past few days, with the gradual return of Gan Ning, Liu Tielin, He Hongmei, Guo Lin, Liu Zhiruo and others, the house has become more and more lively.

Nowadays, most ordinary people have large families, with three generations living together, or even four generations living under the same roof. The Liu family is just like the one described in Lao She's novel "Four Generations Under One Roof", a large family with more than a dozen people living in a courtyard, eating and living together, and with many etiquettes of respecting the elders and the young.

…………

New Year’s Eve is the climax of the Chinese New Year. All the accumulation and preparation seem to be for this day of “carnival”.

Sometimes in the afternoon, a teenage boy would hold a pile of God of Wealth pictures in his hands and deliver a God of Wealth picture to each household. As soon as he entered the yard, he would shout: Here comes the God of Wealth! If you want one, you can answer: Take it! You just need to give the boy 10 cents to take a God of Wealth picture. The boy can earn a few dollars this afternoon!
On the night of New Year’s Eve, the family first puts the freshly cooked chicken, duck, fish, and dumplings on the altar. At this time, the altar is full with no empty space. They use this full table of food to express their filial piety to their ancestors.

At this time, everyone except Liu Zhitai had arrived, standing on both sides of the altar, lighting red candles and lighting the unpacked incense sticks, three sticks for each person.

The room was instantly filled with smoke, the fragrance was fragrant, and there was a solemn atmosphere.

Liu Shuxian's great-grandchildren dared not make a sound. They looked at their elders, one by one, and took turns burning incense and kneeling down to pay homage.

They lay on the futon, buried their heads deeply, then raised their heads, clasped their hands, and glanced at the memorial tablet. They repeated this three times before standing up, putting the incense in their hands into the incense burner, and then stood respectfully beside it.

In order of seniority and age, the elders came first and the younger came last, and they all paid respect to their ancestors. Under the guidance of the adults, the children in the family also knelt and kowtowed continuously until the adults pulled them up, and then they could breathe a sigh of relief.

This ancestor worship ceremony silently taught Xiaoxian and other descendants of the Liu family, and planted the seeds of filial piety in their hearts.

Confucius said that "rituals cultivate virtues". The seemingly cumbersome ancestor worship ceremony is a typical representative of the etiquette of the Xia Dynasty. It has a good social education function, making them know how to be grateful and remember the source of their roots. Abiding by ethics has also become the lifelong code of conduct for Liu's descendants.

(End of this chapter)