Chapter 4 Section 2 Washing the Three Dynasties

The most important etiquette on the third day of birth is to gather relatives and friends to wash the baby's body, which is called "washing three dynasties", also known as "washing three".Its purpose is to wash away the filth and make it pure and white, and it can also increase children's courage and improve their health.This etiquette prevailed in the Tang Dynasty, and it is more specifically recorded in "Tokyo Menghualu" by Meng Yuanlao of the Southern Song Dynasty, and it has been popular until now. According to Hu Pu'an's "China National Customs Chronicle Jingzhao", on the day of "washing three" in Beijing, the midwife must be invited to the house, and the midwife must be entertained with wine and food. There are 13 gods such as the rash empress and the vision empress.On the kang head of the puerpera, there are statues of "the bed male and the bed mother", with snacks or oil cakes as offerings.After incense and kowtow, pour the water boiled with locust leaves and mugwort leaves into a copper basin and put it on the kang, and put a bowl of cold water and various red-dyed fruits (such as peanuts, dates, chestnuts, longan and eggs, etc.) One plate, and another plate containing soap, alum, rouge, sugar, white cloth, scales and locks, etc.At this time, family members, relatives and friends add cold water, fruits and copper coins to the basin in order of seniority, which is called "adding basins".When adding pots, the midwife sings congratulations, such as adding water, singing "long flowing water, smart";After adding the basin, the midwife will wash the baby.Children cry, known as "sounding basin".While washing, I read the words of congratulations: "wash your hair first, and become a prince; wash your waist afterward, and one generation will be higher than the previous generation; wash and wash eggs, and become a magistrate; wash and ditch, and become a magistrate." Then, light the moxa leaf ball For children, use ginger slices as a support, symbolically moxibustion on the baby's forehead, and then apply burnt alum powder to the navel.There are also words of congratulations when combing hair: "Three combs, two combs, and a red top (referring to being an official) when you grow up; draw eyebrows on the left, and temples on the right, and find a wife (or son-in-law) to complement it." There are other rituals for expressing wishes.For example, roll a baby's face with an egg, which means "life is safe"; hit it three times with green onions, which means "smart"; , tight feet, tight hands".Put the baby on the tea tray, and tuck the baby with the prepared gold, silver, and jewelry. The party is over.Although the congratulatory speech during the three-washing process has a feudal color, it basically expresses the hope that the baby will make a difference in the future.