White-Topped Spring Festival Couplets 白额春联

China - Putian

中国 — 莆田

Today is the second day of the Chinese New Year, and Xinghua people will not visit anyone.

今天是大年初二，兴化人不会去拜访任何人。

Why is there such a taboo?

为什么会有这样的禁忌呢？

Putian has the custom of pasting white-topped Spring Festival couplets.

莆田有张贴白额春联的习俗。

Xinghua people like to wear red clothes during festivals, so why are there white-topped Spring Festival couplets?

兴化人逢年过节都喜欢穿红色的衣服，那为什么会有白正面的春联呢？

In ancient times, Putian was invaded by Japanese pirates, so the custom of pasting green-topped Spring Festival couplets was popular there.

古早的莆田因为有倭寇侵害的历史的缘故，莆田境内流行着贴绿额春联的风俗。

Until the late period of the Cultural Revolution, the old ones were replaced with new ones, and production increased and became economical.

直至文革后期，破旧立新，增产节约。

The light green-topped couplets were turned white so the printing factory could save labour and materials.

把浅绿的联头变成白联头，这样印刷厂就省工减料了。

Xinghua people do not visit one another on the second day of Chinese New Year.

大年初二，兴化人不互相拜访。

The reason is that the second day of Chinese New Year is the "Condolences Day".

其原因是大年初二“探亡日”。

On the twenty-ninth day of the eleventh lunar month in the 41st year of Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty (1562), Japanese pirates captured Xinghua prefecture.

明嘉靖四十一年（1562年）农历十一月二十九，倭寇攻陷兴化府城。

On the twenty-ninth day of the first lunar month the following year, Qi Jiguang entered Fujian to fight against the Japanese, and the Japanese invaders abandoned the city and left.

次年正月二十九日，戚继光入闽抗倭，倭寇弃城而去。

The fleeing people returned home one after another, burying their relatives and friends and tidying up their homes.

逃亡百姓陆续返回家中，掩埋亲友，收拾家园。

Every household visits each other on the second day of Chinese New Year to check on the casualties.

大年初二，家家户户相互探视伤亡情况。

The second day of Chinese New Year has also become an unforgettable taboo day for generations in Putian.

大年初二这一天也成了莆田世代不可忘却的禁忌日。