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Nanxun has many folk customs, and a long history of holding events based on climate and other natural phenomena.
Celebrating the birth of a child
Presenting Soups
After a woman marries, she moves in with her husband's family. This is typical of most, if not all, parts of China. The woman is somewhat of princess when she is pregnant. About a month before she is due to give birth, her parents will prepare presents, collectively called "presenting soups." The presents are typically food items such as brown sugar, eggs, and milk powder. Some parents present baby clothing, diapers and other baby stuff made by themselves.
Third Day Noodles
A family will eat noodles on the third day after a baby is born, hence the name. The family will treat relatives, friends and neighbors to a hearty meal of noodles, chicken, fish and other delicious dishes to celebrate.
Full Month Drink
When a baby is a month old, it is said to have "completed its first month of life." The family typically throws a party called the "Full Month Drink," to celebrate with relatives, friends and neighbors. The baby is the star of the show at this party. Traditionally, the baby's mother's brother then holds the baby while it gets its first haircut.
Apprenticeship
It used to be that a teenager, usually a boy, would take up a skill or start a career in a certain trade at the age of 13 or 14. This involved an apprenticeship. The teen would first be recommended by a relative or friend to the master. If the master agreed to meet with the boy, the boy would go to him with gifts of a pair of pig trotters, red candles, local pastry called "Dingsheng Pastry", and a gift of money. After the pupil-master ceremony, the teen was formally accepted as an apprentice. Apprenticeship usually lasted for three years.
Back-Support Pastry
It might sound a little funny, but there's a logical explanation for the name of this pastry. Villagers would eat the pastry, made of rice flour, on the second day of February on the Chinese lunar calendar. This was and is typically when the "slack season" was coming to an end, and the spring plowing and toiling was close. The Back-Support Pastry was said to make the back strong so it wouldn't get hurt during farming.
Tea drinking
Nanxuners like drinking tea, so much so that tea drinking and teahouses were once considered a representation of every day local life in Nanxun. They drink tea any time of the day; early in the morning and even late at night. Teahouses are great places to catch up with friends, sharing news and stories, and information on market prices. In between sips of tea and the latest gossip, farmers also sell their farm produce and buy some groceries like cooking oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar, or fabric, or snacks for children. Some of the larger teahouses also provide entertainment like storytelling, and snacks.
Scented Soy Tea
The drink of choice for many Nanxuners is scented soy tea. The drink is made with scented soy mixed with tea, pickled orange peel, roasted white sesame seeds and salty clove-flavored dried turnip. The tea is refreshing, fragrant, and colorful. This is a treat during the Spring Festival.
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