On the second of February, the dragon looked up
Text: Zhou Zheng
February 2 is the first festival to enter February, and the only festival in February. According to Jiaodong customs, this day is a festival for the Dragon King. Thus, there is the saying that "the dragon looks up on the second of February".
It is said that celebrating the Dragon King's Day should be the business of fishermen by the sea, but in Jiaodong, farmers have also passed, workers have also passed, and merchants have also passed. The saying is: Where there is water, there is the Dragon King.
Lo and behold, where do you say there can be no water?
On this day, the fishermen on the beach will go to the Dragon King Temple to burn incense, put red and paint the Dragon King, and sing in front of the Dragon King Temple. Jiaodong is mostly a good Beijing opera, a few good opera people in this village under the organization of the head of the meeting, set up a wild platform team, self-written and self-directed "Dayu Zhishui", "Tulong Old Li", etc., bald tail old Li in Jiaodong is the most widely circulated, is a good dragon, Jiaodong people love. On this day, it is time to eat rice cakes and noodle fish cakes. Rice cake is Jiaodong specialty of rice, also known as rhubarb rice flour mixed into a paste, fried in oil; noodle fish cake is a kind of small fish unique to Sangou Bay, that shaped like noodles, but not as long as noodles, only one inch long, thin, crystalline, transparent freshness. The method of noodle fish cake is very simple, take a portion of noodle fish, add half a point of white noodles, mix into eggs into a paste, add onion ginger salt seasoning, must not make MSG and soy sauce, a little vinegar and wine can be, fried in a frying pan, fried on both sides have golden yellow dumplings. At this time, the fresh fragrance that penetrates the nose, the gods and immortals of the past must also stay. On this day, bud rice wine is a must drink.
On this day, the farmers in the mountains also went to the Dragon King Temple to burn incense, but the Dragon King Temple in the mountains was much smaller than the Dragon King Temple on the seashore, and the Dragon King Was also a little shabby. However, in the eyes of the people in the mountains, the small gods of the temple are big, all of them are dragon kings, one rank, the same divine power. Therefore, the sacrifice is particularly religious. He placed the jujube feast of the New Year in front of the Dragon King, shaved the mane of a whole pig, and placed it on the offering table in white strips. The purpose is to make the Dragon King happy, to bless the people to live and work in peace and contentment, and to adjust the wind and rain smoothly. The plays performed by the people in the mountains in front of the Dragon King Temple are also wild stage plays, mostly small plays and operas that entertain themselves. However, Beijing opera must be sung, mostly "Three Niang Godsons", "Wang Baojun" and so on. On this day, the people in the mountains want to eat the beans, that is, soak the soybeans in water overnight, and then freeze dry them on the cold spring night, mix the bean flour, and fry them in a large iron pot. The firewood of fried beans is very exquisite. Most of them are mountain grasses on the top of the mountain. On February 2, the beans can be eaten by the people in the mountains until June 6. You want to use the beans of February 2 to make a pair of eyes of the six-sided steamed rabbit in June.
On this day, the people in the city also want to go to the Dragon King Temple to burn incense, but the tribute they set up is much more elegant. When the fruit is in place, the grasshoppers are fried, but the grasshoppers are made of flour. Now I still don't understand why the Dragon King's offering table is on the grasshopper, a nasty insect. I have asked many elderly people in the city, and they shook their heads and said unclearly, and a "don't know" word blocked me out of the painting. On that day, I also wanted to act for the Dragon King, but it was not the wild stage team, but the professional theater troupe. Most of the performances are "Dacai Lou" in "Wu Jia Po".
When I was a child, I was allowed to go to the big temple to see a play on the second day of February, and now I still remember the line.
"On the second of February the dragon looked up,
Miss Wang San played color balls,
……
February 2 Long Fa Xuan,
There are thousands of princes and grandsons
On this day, the people in the city are going to eat noodles and dumplings. Most of the noodles are the brine soup opened by red shoes and fish, and the dumplings are mostly stuffed with donkey meat and cabbage. Some shops also set off a few firecrackers in front of the shop door in the morning and evening, symbolizing the transfer of the Dragon King, and seeking to bless the source of wealth.
Ha ha
This is the second of February in Jiaodong!
One point number Zhou Zheng literature column