Chinese people celebrate the Spring Festival with many customs and customs, one of which has the most widespread influence is sticking the word \”福\” on the door. The word \”福\” has a beautiful and auspicious meaning, which is very important to Chinese people who pay attention to etiquette.

However, the cultural tradition of posting \”福\” was not very popular in most areas, at least for a long time after liberation. In my impression, the popularity of \”posting blessings\” during the Chinese New Year was in the mid-to-late 1990s. CCTV\’s Spring Festival Gala in one year specifically popularized the method of pasting the word \”福\”.

Before that, many people didn\’t know how to paste the word \”福\”. Not only ordinary people are unclear, but sometimes even folklore experts are unclear. Not only are they unclear about how to affix the word \”福\”, but some people even get confused about how to write the word \”福\”, let alone ordinary people.

1. Water tanks and trash cans that are not \”blessed\”

There are many traditional folk customs, but there has never been an authoritative book or an authoritative organization to explain them. The public popularizes these \”specialties\” in festivals, including the way to affix the word \”福\”.

In the early years, the media taught the public to paste the word \”福\” upside down, so the characters \”福\” were posted upside down on doors and shops. In the past two years, another folklore expert has come out and said: Wrong, only the word \”福\” on water tanks and trash cans can be pasted upside down, while the word \”福\” on the door must be pasted upright.

The reasons given by these folklore experts are all the same, and they also say that the word \”福\” comes next to the word \”Shi\”. In ancient times, all the words next to the word \”shi\” were related to \”gods\”. How could they be used casually?

Some folklore experts said that they have inspected many large mansions of ancient merchants and found that the word \”福\” inlaid with bricks on the \”hanging flower gate\” and the courtyard were all upright. Therefore, the \”福\” (福) on the main entrance and gate must be affixed upright, while only water tanks and trash cans can be affixed upside down.

If the word \”福\” is pasted upside down on the main entrance and gate, it means \”pouring out\” the blessing, then the water tank and trash can What is the purpose of pasting the word \”福\” upside down on the trash can? Doesn\’t it mean \”blessing\” is thrown out with the garbage? It doesn\’t matter if the garbage is taken out, it\’s okay if some of the \”blessings\” are made for the garbage. After all, the trash can is dirty, so it seems natural that it is not \”blessed\”.

And some folklore experts said, The reason why the word \”福\” on the trash can is turned upside down is because when the trash can is emptied, the word \”福\” on it will be turned upside down. What\’s going on?

But the water tank is a container for water, and water is the source of life. Why is the water tank not \”blessed\”? If the word \”福\” is stuck upside down on the water tank, does it mean that the water in the water tank is also poured out?

What does this mean? The water in the water tank is obviously not meant to be poured out. , but need to use other containers to hold it out , it cannot be compared with the situation of the trash can. Regarding this, folklore experts did not give a specific explanation, but just said that it should be posted upside down.

Now I saw another statement on the Internet. : It turns out that in the Longnan area of ​​Gansu, there used to be a custom of \”stepping on blessings\”. Probably during the Spring Festival, people used their feet to draw the word \”福\” on the ground, and some people embroidered \”福\” on their insoles.

The word \”福\” fell completely under the feet. I don\’t know whether it counts as \”falling\” or not, because of the folk custom. Experts say that sticking them upside down is \”taking away the blessings\”. If you wear such insoles, wouldn\’t it take away all the \”blessings\” from your whole body?

In addition to the above \”notes\”, there is another note: If there are two doors in your home, you can put one \”福\” on each door, facing each other. However, for people who can still afford to live in such a big house with \”double doors\”, I think they are very \”blessed\” even if they don\’t post a word about it.

Finally, some folklore experts also said a \”note\” that is particularly worthy of modern people\’s attention, that is: you must not paste the word \”spring\” in front of the door because In the past, \”only brothels\” would have a single word \”春\” posted in front of the door.

This mistake is generally not made by people who don’t know calligraphy, because they simply don’t know how to write it themselves, and ordinary merchants will not sell calligraphy sheets with only one \”春\” \”Copybook.

Writing this, I suddenly remembered that I still have a rice vat and a cabinet at home, so I went to check and found thatsome people posted blessings on the rice vat and cabinet, while others posted them upside down. But in view of the logic of many ethnic experts, this must still be posted directly.

2. We don’t dare to ask, but we still have to listen.

Regarding the tradition of “posting blessings” during the Spring Festival, there don’t seem to be many records in official history. Only some local customs were introduced in the Ming Dynasty\’s miscellaneous book \”Convenience Picture Compilation\”, which is about the Dragon Boat Festival. In some areas, there is a custom of pasting the word \”白\” upside down on the door to avoid insects and ants.

The unofficial history of the Ming Dynasty also records the custom of posting \”福\” on doors in the Spring and Autumn Period, which was limited to \”Jiangnan\”. But it didn’t say whether to stick it upright or upside down. However, some folklore experts now insist that they cannot be pasted upside down, on the grounds that \”Chinese characters are square characters and must be respected.\”

As for why \”Chinese characters are square characters and must be respected\”, folklore experts have not explained clearly. The general meaning is that the word \”福\” has a word \”Shi\” next to it. In ancient times, words with this radical were related to \”gods\”, so how could it be reversed?

Although thesefolklore experts’ words make people feel a little unconvinced, but since they have been heard by us, we are embarrassed to pretend not to.heard. For example, folklore experts have said, \”The word \’Fu\’ in front of the door cannot be pasted upside down. If it is pasted upside down, your family\’s blessing will be \’poured\’ out.\”

Just imagine, if you are willing to take the time to put the word \”福\” on it, it means that you already believe it. I think this can bring good luck and good luck. Now that the folklore expert Chrysostom opens his mouth, do you still dare to post it backwards?

You can still \”barge\” on other things, you can screw them up, but this really doesn\’t work. For example, you said that I have been sticking it upside down for more than ten years, can you take care of it?

But your neighbors may tell you, \”You posted it wrong and poured out all the blessings of your family.\” Not only do your neighbors say it, but when you turn on the TV, it will be said on the TV; when you turn on your mobile phone, the APP will also say it.

In this way, \”the word \”福\” cannot be pasted upside down on the door\” will be dazzled in front of you more than three times a day. This is equivalent to saying: you must stick it like this, otherwise you will \”be unlucky\”. Think about it, how unlucky this is.

However, regardless of \”positive posting\” or \”reverse posting\”. On this matter, folklore experts have the final word. It basically blocks the possibility of \”posting randomly\”otherwise you will have no choice but not to post.

However, this is not a particularly big deal. Because ordinary people don\’t have time to put the word \”福\” on other places. At most, they can just put the word \”福\” on the door and stick it squarely.

Summary

The latest \”technique\” of pasting the word \”福\” is: in the middle of the main door and the second door, stick a piece of \”福\” directly. If your home has a \”double door\”, then put a \”福\” character of the same size on the left and right sides.

The words \”福\” on the wardrobes, rice buckets, and rice jars at home must be posted facing the \”福\” on the trash cans and water jars. \”The words must be pasted upside down. As for why, we don\’t know. We don\’t know why.\” I dare not ask, but we have to listen.

At the same time, there are buckets containing waste water in toilets. In theory, they should be labeled with the word \”福\” upside down. However, toilets generally do not have them. Outsiders are here to visit, so I won’t post it.

In addition, some folklore experts believe that the word \”福\” is relatively sacred and must not be pasted upside down. In this way, the character \”福\” in each position should be facing up. Post it, or \”post it\” backwards? Whose opinion should I listen to? ?

It seems that the traditional custom of pasting the word \”福\” was not common across the country in ancient times. It has only become \”popularized\” throughout the country in the past 20 years.So don’t go to too much trouble.