What are the taboos on the 8th day of the first lunar month?

1. Avoid watching red wedding events
In ancient times, it was rare for people to get married in the first lunar month. There was a saying called "red head", meaning that if a man and a woman married in the first lunar month, it would bring bad luck to their descendants. Therefore, few couples got married in the first lunar month.
2. Avoid getting haircuts
An old saying goes: "Haircutting in the first lunar month brings death to your uncle." This is not true. According to the book "Rites" from the Qing Dynasty, the original meaning of "haircutting in the first lunar month" was "missing the past," but later it was misinterpreted as "death of the uncle."
3. Avoid breaking objects
Breaking dishes, bowls, or cups on this day is considered to bring "bad luck" throughout the year. The remedy is to wrap the broken pieces in red paper, recite auspicious words like "peace and safety every year," and place them on the altar for several days to eliminate the disaster. Alternatively, you can wrap the fragments with red paper and throw them into a river after the New Year, while chanting, "Breaking the porcelain brings a lot of money and silver."
4. Do not leave the rice jar empty
Leaving the rice jar empty may lead to the fear of running out of food throughout the year. This is called "accumulating wealth." On New Year's Eve, all water jars should also be full. In the countryside, a ceremony to seal the well is held. A large basket is used to cover the well, followed by a worship of the well deity. On the first day of the new year, the basket cannot be removed, because people often regard water as "wealth water." Removing the basket and using the water means exposing the wealth, which could affect the fortune of the new year.

What are the customs?

1. Grain Day
According to folk legends, the eighth day of the first lunar month is the birthday of grains. If the weather is clear on this day, it indicates a bountiful harvest of rice for the year; if it is cloudy, it suggests a poor harvest. The custom of "Grain Day" involves worshipping the tablets with grain names and not eating cooked grains. This custom embodies the idea of valuing agriculture and cherishing food.
2. Release of Animals for Blessings
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, there is a tradition of "releasing animals," which involves taking some fish and birds kept at home and releasing them into the wild. According to the "Imperial Capital Scenery and Objects" written by Liu Tong in the Ming Dynasty, it says: "On the eighth day of the first lunar month, in Shideng Lane, animals were released. Cages with birds and cages with fish and shrimp, baskets with snails and clams were arranged in front of the hall, monks chanted Buddhist sutras, thousands of people facing each other, and then they flew into the sky, and the birds landed on the rooftops, leaving after some time. Water creatures were thrown into the Golden Water River near the imperial palace, where nets and bait were rarely seen." Birds eat grains and can steal people's harvests, so on this day, they are released (mainly birds and fish) to express the virtue of compassion, and also to bribe the birds to be kind. Choosing to release animals also has another reason: the eighth day is the day of "receiving stars," allowing the stars to see one's good deeds and protect one's fortune for the whole year.
3. Receiving Stars
According to folk beliefs, the eighth day of the first lunar month is the day when many stars descend to earth. People make small lamps and burn them to offer sacrifices, known as "receiving stars" or "worshipping stars." On the evening of the eighth day of the first lunar month, whether or not people go to the temple to worship the star gods (i.e., receiving stars), after all the stars appear in the sky, every household will hold a ceremony to receive the stars. During the star-worshiping ceremony, a "golden lamp" (yellow flower lamp) is placed on the table, stove, threshold, and stove area and lit, known as "scattering lamp flowers," which is believed to ward off bad luck.
4. Eating Yuanxiao (Glutinous Rice Balls)
The eighth day of the first lunar month is traditionally known as the "Star Receiving Festival." One of the major customs of the "Star Receiving Festival" is to eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls). An old saying goes, "One star in the sky, one person on earth." Using the stars in the sky to correspond to people on earth, the abundance of stars symbolizes the prosperity of people. Eating yuanxiao on this day is to seek the protection of the star deities and show special gratitude to them.
5. The Festival of the Eight Immortals
According to folk traditions, the pronunciation of the number eight is used to transform the eighth day of the first lunar month into the festival of the Eight Immortals. The Eight Immortals are Li Tieguai, Han Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, Lü Dongbin, Han Xiangzi, and Cao Guojiu, who are legendary immortals in folklore. They are fearless of authority, look down upon wealth, often enter the common people, and help those in need, so they are deeply loved by the working people. On this day, people usually prepare delicacies and fruits to worship the Eight Immortals.
6. Women must not use needles or thread
The eighth day of the first lunar month is the "Year of the Silkworm." According to folk customs, the first to the eighth days of the first lunar month represent the "year" of different animals and people, such as the first day being chickens, the second day dogs, the third day pigs, the fourth day sheep, the fifth day oxen, the sixth day horses, the seventh day humans, and the eighth day silkworms. These are all related to agricultural work, and people hope for the prosperity of livestock, safe human population, and smooth silkworm activities. At the same time, there is another traditional taboo in the folk: during the "Year of the Silkworm" on the eighth day of the first lunar month, women must not use needles or thread.