Zhuazhou, this traditional folk custom, has a long history and profound cultural heritage in Chinese folk culture.
1、 Origin and History
The custom of Zhuazhou can be traced back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, with a history of over 1500 years. According to ancient books such as the Yan Family Instructions, this custom was particularly prevalent in the Jiangnan region and gradually spread throughout the country. During the Three Kingdoms period, after the early death of Sun Deng, the Crown Prince of Eastern Wu, Sun Quan examined their talents by allowing the princes and grandchildren to freely grab items. This event is considered an important development node in the custom of Zhuazhou. With the passage of time, Zhuazhou has gradually become an important ritual in the New Year’s ceremony and has been widely spread among the people.
2、 Ceremony content and process
The Zhuazhou ceremony is usually held on the first day of a child’s birthday. Parents will carefully prepare a series of symbolic items, such as books, pens, abacuses, coins, small scales, silk, toys, etc. These items represent the meanings of academic career, literary talent, business acumen, wealth, justice, worry free food and clothing, and happiness. Before the ceremony begins, the child will be dressed up in a particularly festive manner and placed among these items, freely grabbing one or a few. Parents and family and friends sit around eagerly observing their children’s choices, in order to speculate on their potential career tendencies or personality traits in the future.
3、 Meaning of the item
Book: It implies that the child will achieve success in their future studies and may engage in education, literature, or academic research.
Pen: symbolizes the soaring literary talent and may have achieved success in artistic creation, calligraphy, or writing.
Abacus: implies business talent, implying that children may become businessmen or engage in the financial industry in the future.
Currency: directly related to wealth, indicating that the child may have good financial luck.
Small scale: represents fairness and justice, and may engage in legal, judicial, or highly impartial professions in the future.
Silk: symbolizes a prosperous life, representing worry free clothing and food, and a high-quality lifestyle.
In addition, there are also some local characteristic items, such as knives, swords, and other weapons that may represent the sign of a warrior, and wooden sticks that may indicate a lack of potential in the future. The symbolism of these items varies slightly depending on the region and ethnicity.
4、 Modern evolution
With the development of the times and the popularization of scientific concepts, the custom of Zhuazhou has incorporated many modern elements while retaining the essence of tradition. In modern families, in addition to traditional options, modern items such as computers, mobile phones, and musical instruments are also added to prepare for the development of the times. At the same time, more and more families regard Zhuazhou as a fun celebration activity, focusing more on the sense of ceremony and the joy of family reunion rather than overly trusting the predictive effect of Zhuazhou results.
5、 Cultural significance
The custom of Zhuazhou is not only a ceremony to celebrate a child’s first birthday, but also a cultural tradition that embodies parents’ expectations for their children’s bright future. It reflects the deep affection of parents for their children and their wishes for the continuation, smoothness, and prosperity of life. At the same time, Zhuazhou is also a cultural bridge connecting the past and the future, providing opportunities for family members to gather together and share family happiness, and becoming an important carrier for promoting excellent traditional culture.
As an important component of traditional Chinese folk culture, the custom of Zhuazhou has profound historical origins and rich cultural connotations. It is not only a ceremony to celebrate a child’s first year, but also an important way to express good expectations and inherit cultural traditions.
