When I haven't got a job yet, I am looking forward to new year's Eve. I can wear new clothes and accept the new year's eve money from my elders. Although I will also hand in some money, the part I left behind is also a great fortune for me at that time. Can you still receive the lucky money this year? Do you know what's the saying, the legend and the origin of the lucky money that the elder sends to the younger generation?
The original intention of new year's money is to suppress evil and drive away evil spirits. People think that children are vulnerable to sneaky infringement, so they use new year's money to overcome evil spirits, help children celebrate the new year safely, and wish children good health and good luck in the new year.
However, the earliest 'money' of new year's money is not the currency in circulation on the market, but the lucky or evil avoiding products specially made into coins, which is the talisman worn by children. Because of the homophony of "Yu" and "Sui", the new year's money has the magic effect of "disgusting and surreptitious".
Since the Song Dynasty, people have used real currency as new year's money, which was widely popular in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the elders strung up the copper coins with red thread and gave them directly to the younger generation after having the new year's Eve dinner, or put them at the foot of the bed or beside the pillow after the younger generation slept.
If the sleepy child has fallen asleep, the elder should keep one and press it under his pillow. The next morning, the child got up and turned over from under the pillow, a surprise. After using banknotes, parents prefer to use new banknotes connected by numbers, because "couplets" and "lians" are homophonic, which bodes for future generations to "make money in succession" and "lianliangao students". And red paper wrapped banknotes, this new year's money is called 'lucky red bag', new year's money is not only used, but also related to new year's plate, new year's fruit, etc.
The amount of new year's money varies, but it can bring the joy of independent consumption to children. In recent years, with the improvement of living standards, the amount of new year's money is increasing day by day. Generally speaking, depending on the economic situation of the family, there are tens or hundreds of thousands less. On the one hand, it brings happiness to children, but at the same time, it has a great negative impact. There are more and more new year's money. Children can't rationally control such a large amount of money. Some young people blindly pursue the amount of money and keep up with each other. If the management of new year's money is improper, it may cause bad social consequences.
In a word, regardless of the form of new year's money, new year's money is not only a celebration of new year's day, but also the power of elders to protect the younger generation. To this day, people still keep the tradition of giving lucky money.
Legend of new year's money
The origin of Spring Festival money
There is a very popular story about lucky money. In ancient times, there was a little demon called "Su". On the eve of the new year's Eve, he came out to touch the head of the sleeping child with his hand. The child often cried out in fear, then he had a headache and fever, and became a fool. Therefore, every family is sitting with a light on this day, which is called "guarding".
There is a husband and wife who are old and have children, and they are regarded as sweethearts. On the eve of the new year's Eve, afraid of harming the children, they took out eight copper coins to play with them. When the child was tired and fell asleep, they wrapped eight copper coins in red paper and put them under the child's pillow. The couple did not dare to close their eyes. In the middle of the night, a dark wind opened the door and blew out the lights. As soon as he reached out to touch the child's head, a flash of light came out from the pillow, which made him run away. The next day, the husband and wife told everyone about how to scare back the money with eight copper coins wrapped in red paper. After everyone learned to do it, the child would be safe.
The origin of new year's money in Spring Festival
Another theory comes from the ancient "shock". It is said that there was a fierce animal called "Nian" in ancient times. Every 365 days, it would come out and hurt people, animals and crops. When children are afraid, adults use the sound of burning bamboo to drive away the "year", and comfort children with food, which is called "crushing shock". As time went on, it became money instead of food. In the Song Dynasty, there was "shock money". According to historical records, Wang Shaozi, Nanxin, was rescued by the emperor's chariot because he was carried away by a bad man and screamed on the way. Emperor Shenzong of Song Dynasty gave him the money to suppress the panic. Later, it developed into 'lucky money'.
It turns out that the eight copper coins were changed by the eight immortals and were secretly used to protect the children. Because of the homophony of "Yu" and "Sui", it gradually evolved into "New Year's money". In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the dragon shaped money was woven with colorful rope and money, which was called New Year's money. The money given to children by elders is also called lucky money. So some places call it "string money". In modern times, it evolved into a red paper package of 100 Wen copper money to give to the younger generation, implying 'longevity'. A silver dollar is put in the adult's red paper bag, which means "one capital, one profit". After the currency was changed to paper money, the elders like to go to the bank to exchange the new banknotes connected with the face number for the children, and wish the children a 'continuous rise'. The child's money is the money, the old's is the money. Old people's "lucky money" means that they can live for a few more years so that they don't grow old any more.