A Gallop on the Embankment with Spring Breeze - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: New Year’s Day

Translator: Liu Yanyan

Proofread by Fu Tianying

Yuan means the beginning of the year. The word ancient New Year’s Day was firstly used in the Book of Jin. Since Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, New Year’s Day was officially the first day of lunar January. Afterwards, every dynasty followed the practice.

Early in the morning of the New Year’s Day, Ma Chaosheng took Ma Tian’en and other clansmen to worship heaven and earth and memorial tablets of ancestors. Ma Family was very influential with many clansmen. They all followed Ma Chaosheng, walking into the ancestral hall of Ma Family and kneeling down in turns .

Altar and censer had been prepared. Ma Family’s family tree, family rules and memorial tablets were enshrined in the hall. The joss paper and other offerings were enshrined in the front of the memorial tablets of ancestors and gods. The offerings of ancestors’ memorial tablets were cooked meat of cows, sheep and pigs and the joss paper would be burned in three days. In front of god was fruit and vegetable and the joss paper would be burned after the Lantern Festival.

Kneeling down in the front of the ancestral hall, Ma Chaosheng meditated: “Dear gods and ancestors, unfilial Ma Chaosheng disguised his daughter as his son, cheating ancestors. I dare not defend myself but to accept the punishment of ancestors. I will have no complaints even though I were struck by lightning and split into halves. But my daughter is kind and innocent. I would like to use all my fortune to exchange for her life-time peace and safety.” Then he kowtowed reverently.

Looking at the unfamiliar memorial tablets, Ma Tian’en thought that if she died one day, whether she would be enshrined here. But if they knew she was a woman, they would criticize her. To avoid being cursed by a group of old codgers, she thought that she might as well not be placed here.

When they returned to Ma family after the worship, the younger generations expressed their blessings to the elders. Then the whole family made dumplings together. Of course, if they played outside, the younger generations should salute the elders when they came across them on the roads.

Ma Tian’en’s heart was not here. She wished everything to be over quickly so that she could play outside with her teacher and introduced him how they celebrated the Spring Festival in the capital of the country. Ma Chaosheng knew she liked playing by nature, so he didn’t want to restraint her on this occasion. After her kowtowing, he gave her some orders, together with lucky money threaded on a red string, and allowed her to go outside.

In this dynasty, it was no need to pay New Year’s visit to the elder’s on Spring Festival but to send New Year’s cards which were also called flying posts. There must be a red pocket on each families’ door which read: receiving blessings. It was used for placing flying posts. When Spring Festival was coming, red pockets of each family must be full, especially rich families like Ma Family.

The flying post was a card made by plum blossom paper, usually two inches wide and three inches long, on which there were names, addresses and blessings of receivers. People used it to replace New Year’s visit. Of course, the families who received flying posts would record names, generations, official positions and detailed addresses of the senders and reply accordingly. It was called courtesy needed for reciprocity.

Although Wu Zhong couldn’t worship his ancestors, he got up early. He paid a visit to master Ma and wished him a happy new year, then returned to his room and continued to read. He had thought that Ma Tian’en would play with her clansmen and wouldn’t come. Not for a while, he heard her call at the door.

Wu Zhong asked her to come in. Looking at Ma Tian’en wearing a smile with her hands behind her back, Wu Zhong knew that she must have thought of something new and was going to show it off.

“Sir, do I look pretty today?” Ma Tian’en stared at Wu Zhong and shook her head. Wu Zhong noticed that she wore a butterfly made of gold foil paper. The butterfly moved with her head shaking. It was so lively.

“The butterfly is nice. It suits you.”

“You have, too!” At this time, Ma Tian’en reached out her hand. In her hand, there was a big butterfly which was also made of gold foil paper. She gave it to Wu Zhong.

Wu Zhong accepted the butterfly with hesitation. Did he need to wear it? What custom was it?

“Sir, you don’t know, it is called ‘making some noise’. Besides butterflies, there are many other shapes, such as moths and locusts. Some are small; some are as big as my hand. I wear one on festive occasions while others will wear a lot. For example, Tian Fugui often wears five or six, which dazzles me. Sir, please wear it and then go to see lashing the cow.”

“Lashing the cow?” Wu Zhong looked at Ma Tian’en, puzzled.

“Yes, it is today. You can see it in front of the government office. The officers will line up according to their official positions, then lash the cow made by clay. When the last lash is finished, the clay cow will be smashed into pieces. Then we can grab the pieces of the clay cow and throw it into our own lands. This practice blesses us with good weather and bumper harvest for the whole year.” Ma Tian’en was glad to explain this to Wu Zhong, because there was finally something that the teacher didn’t know.

“By the way, there is another custom, which is called ‘walking on top of the city wall to get rid of all deceases’. This custom is for women. In Spring Festival, women can walk on top of the city wall. It is said that women will not fall ill this year if they do so. Actually, it offers an opportunity for women to have fun, as women usually stay at home. This society is unfair for women.” Talking of this, Ma Tian’en felt rather emotional. She couldn’t be cultivated as a man if the society was fair for women.

“We also have this custom. But we walk on bridges instead of walking the top of the city wall. Moreover, both men and women can walk together across the bridge, which is also said to bring us a good year with no disease or disaster. From this point, many customs are similar.” Looking at Ma Tian’en, who looked a little sad, Wu Zhong changed the topic kindly.

“Let’s go hurriedly. Even soil residue would not be got if we were late.” Ma Tian’en became happy again and took Wu Zhong out of the house.

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Although it is cold, the street is very lively. The children ran around and asked people how to celebrate the new year. Some people kowtow to greet elders when they meet in the street. There are also some small merchants selling gadgets, clay figurines, sugar figurines, and dried fruit desserts, yelling while walking. Ma Tianen will watch what he sees for a while, eating while walking. Seeing her jumping and happy, Wu Zhong has a feeling of hope that time will be retained, so that she can always be so carefree and happy.

Although it was winter, the street was noisy. Children ran around and greeted people they met. Some street-hawkers sold gadgets, such as clay figurines, sugar-men, dried fruits and cakes, calling out while walking. Ma Tian’en would stop to watch for a while whatever she saw, eating snacks while walking on the street. Wu Zhong wished to stop the time when he saw Tian’en’s happiness so that she could live without any sorrow or anxiety.

Not far away, a man stared at Ma Tian’en. Coldness could be noted in his gaze. That man was Guo Qi.

“Ma Tian’en, your happiness won’t be long.” Guo Qi recalled that he once had gone to the doorway of Ma Family after innumerable hardships. Before coming in, he saw the door open. Master Ma and Ma Tian’en walked out of the gate. Ma Tian’en’s skin was as smooth as silk and as white as white jade. Ma Chaosheng kept on calling with smile: “slow down, be careful.” Looking at himself, however, he could only see that his hands were full of scars and his knees got bruised. Who cared his feeling?

He pulled up his socks and ran towards Ma Chaosheng, stopping him with his hands. However, Ma Chaosheng’s eyes were still on Ma Tian’en. He threw him several coins from his pocket and went after Ma Tian’en.

Who was rubbish? Who was the apple of his eye? The man who was heartless and silly must be punished.

Guo Qi reached out his hand, and several coins lay in his palm.