Jieyang: Bustling scenes on the 'colorful bridge'

The practice of "Xingcaiqiao",meaning "crossing the colorful bridge",is a traditional custom in Jieyang City to celebrate the Lantern Festival. The 11^thday of the first lunar month, which falls on February 20^ththis year, marks the beginning of the "Xingcaiqiao" activity.

As the night closes in, local residents in Jieyang dress up and gather with their families delightedly at Shishi Bridge in Rongcheng District to participate in the vibrant "Xingcaiqiao" activity, where they express good wishes for the New Year through the process of "crossing the colorful bridge and touching the stone lions".The lively scene, with people filling the streets and alleyways, is especially spectacular.

The "Xingcaiqiao" activity consists of three rounds. The first round, called "Xingtouqiao" (literally meaning "crossing the first bridge"), takes place on the evening of the 11th day of the first lunar month. During this round, people collect banyan branches and leaves at the end of the bridge and insert them above their doorframes at home to pray for good luck. The second round, known as "Xing'erqiao" (literally meaning "crossing the second bridge"), takes place on the evening of the 15^thday of the first lunar month. On that day, the whole activity reaches its climax as people appreciate the lanterns decorated on the "colorful bridge" to celebrate the Lantern Festival. The third round, called "Xingweiqiao" (literally meaning "crossing the last bridge"), takes place on the evening of the 16th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the entire "Xingcaiqiao" activity.

As a provincial intangible cultural heritage project, the tradition of "Xingcaiqiao" boasts a long history and was first recorded during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1796 CE). However, due to historical reasons, the custom of "Xingcaiqiao" was interrupted for a considerable period from the 1960s to the 1980s. Not until the late 1980s, when the localresidentUncleLustarted the organizing work of the "Xingcaiqiao" activity, did Shishi Bridge become one of the earliest bridges to revive the tradition of "Xingcaiqiao" in Rongcheng District. As the first "colorful bridge" in Rongcheng since the reform and opening-up period, it has rekindled the passion for this tradition deeply rooted in the hearts of many local elderly residents.

It is worth mentioning that another provincial intangible cultural heritage project, the customs of "Wengzai Lantern" at Pomenlou Zheng in Rongcheng, has returned this year after being suspended for four years.

After crossing the "colorful bridge" on the 11^thday of the first lunar month, people usually gather together and walk through winding alleys to visit the Pomenglouzheng and admire the "Wengzai Lanterns".The interior of the Pomenglouzheng shines brightly, with exquisite lamp screens displayed in each cabinet from the courtyard to the hall, each telling a well-known folk story.

As a traditional activity in Rongcheng, visiting Pomenglouzheng and admiring the "Wengzai Lanterns" presents a profound folk cultural experience, adding a unique festive charm to the ancient city.

Source :Yangcheng Evening News

揭陽「行彩橋」熱鬧非凡

「行彩橋」是揭陽市鬧元宵的一項傳統的民俗文化活動，2月20日農曆正月十一，是揭陽民眾「行頭橋」的日子。

夜幕降臨，華燈初上，當地市民三五成群，扶老攜幼，興緻勃勃向揭陽市榕城區的石獅橋涌去，在「行彩橋、摸石獅」的過程中寄予諸多美好的新春祝願，萬人空巷的熱鬧場景尤其壯觀。

「行彩橋」共分三回合進行。正月十一日晚開始的「行彩橋」，稱為「行頭橋」。「行頭橋」時，人們採下橋頭的榕枝竹葉，拿回家裡插在門楣上，以祈帶來好運；正月十五日晚進行「行彩橋」的第二回合，稱為「行二橋」。人們既鬧元宵賞花燈，又「行彩橋」，達到高潮，但遠遠比不上正月十一晚熱鬧；正月十六日晚進行「行彩橋」的第三回合，稱為「行尾橋」，整個「行彩橋」活動至此結束。

據悉，作為省級非遺項目，「行彩橋」這項傳統民俗歷史悠久，在清朝乾隆年間就已有文字記載。不過由於歷史原因，揭陽行彩橋習俗在20世紀60-80年代中斷了較長的一段時間，至20世紀80年代末，石獅橋附近居民擼伯（已故）開始帶頭組織彩橋工作，才使得石獅橋成為榕城最早復興行彩橋習俗的古橋之一，這也是改革開放後榕城最先重現的彩橋，勾起了眾多老榕城人深藏於骨子裡的彩橋情結。

值得一提的是，另外一項省級非遺項目榕城破門樓鄭翁仔燈習俗在停辦了四年後，今年再次回歸。

通常人們正月十一行完彩橋後，便簇擁著穿過蜿蜒的小巷，趕到破門樓鄭看一看「翁仔燈」。破門樓鄭內燈火輝煌，從天井到大廳，一個個燈櫥里擺放著一組組製作精美的燈屏。每一組「翁仔燈」都在講述著一個個膾炙人口的民間故事。

破門樓鄭看「翁仔燈」作為榕城傳統活動，帶著濃烈的民俗文化色彩，是古城亮麗、獨特的節日風景。

文、圖丨記者 陳鍇躍 通訊員 黃晨發翻譯丨洪婷