STUST USR project team for "Local Creation and Dissemination of Cultural Heritage—Fucheng vs Yuejin," sponsored by the Ministry of Education, developed a zero distance live lecture broadcast series last year due to the severe pandemic, winning with a good response. A few days ago, the live lecture broadcast was held again, hoping to let the public have a deeper understanding of traditional folk customs through the lecture. In response to the arrival of July on the lunar calendar, the project team would undertake the high-quality performance of the "Three-color Cake—Hungry Ghost Opening Mouths," which was broadcast last year by the Baolai Incense Cake Shop to talk about the ghost month. This year the "16-year-old custom” of Fucheng was particularly promoted, with an interview aimed at the Chiniangma Pavilion Creative Store (formerly Chuanfeng Store) to clarify the origin of sixteen-year-old custom.

【The opening screen of the premiere of this year's zeo distance live broadcast series by Chiniangma Pavilion Creative Store for the “16-year-old custom”】

Chuanfeng Store, a century-old wedding and funeral festive supplies store located on Puji Street (formerly known as Shanxing Street), provided assistance and supplies for folk custom activities every month throughout the year in its good old days. During the New Year's Day in January alone, a large number of “spring flowers on rice” were made. The fourth generation owner, Mr. Bo-ming Dong, said that the traditional “spring flowers on rice” in the south are very simple, small, and cute, while the north like to make a double-layered big flower. The spring flowers are used for worshipping the gods during the New Year, which are necessary to connecting two flowers together to represent the meaning of forming a pair. In production, the spring flowers must be dyed with grass paper and made by hand. During the prosperous period of the Chinese New Year, the production should start in July and August every year when people are free, so as to meet the sales volume of 3,000 flowers required for the New Year.

【The signboard of Chuanfeng Store made a hundred years ago is still hanging in the store.】

The busiest thing in July is to hold a celebration for 16-year-old teenagers. The origin of the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers was in Five Port Area, more precisely in Nanhe Port. It originated from the Guo family from Chuanzhou to work as dock workers at Nanhe Port in the Ching Dynasty. At that time, wages were divided into two categories by the age of 16. Before the age of 16; a young laborer received half salary before he became 16 and received full salary after the age of 16. The custom was derived from the celebration for an young adult to be able to receive full salary. In the beginning, they worshiped Chiniangma in their own homes; yet, owing to the tediousness of preparing for the sacrifices, the celebration was held together in the Shiluo Hall for all the 16-year-old teenagers about 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, it was Mr. Dong who took charge of the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers. In addition to cosmetics, the 16-year-old sacrificial items included five animals, six wet foods and six dry foods, sweet taro, oily rice, meat wine, seafood, longevity noodles, a pair of tailed sugar cane, red turtle, longevity peach, etc. As the celebration for sixteen-year-old teenagers is completed, the red tortoise must be distributed to relatives, friends, and neighbors. There were many families in the entire Nanshi Street who needed to join the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers. Proverbs were created to describe the scene of red turtle cake being distributed everywhere on the celebration. As for the Chiniangma Pavilion, it was created by Mr. Dong's first-generation great-grandparents, who were specialized in making large paper for temple custom supplies (such as the Dharma-protecting six horses used for building rituals), mainly to add makeup to Chiniangma’s dresser. The form of Chiniangma Pavilion depends on the economic ability of each household. For rich families, it will be three-storey high, while the average family can only afford one-storey Chiniangma Pavilion. In the process of holding a celebration for 16-year-old teenagers at home, the family first needs to put all the sacrificial items in place and then start to worship, giving thanks to the goddess for her past protection as the teenager will leave the goddess palace today to become an adult. After that, the family will raise the Chiniangma Pavilion. The boys will drill three circles from the outside to the inside, and the girls will drill three circles from the inside to the outside because they will have to get married in the future.

【A scene of a century-old store that has no store name for its business items】

Deng-maw Lu, President of STUST, said that the cultural heritage USR Shennong Street team held the “Narcissus Market Storytelling" last year introducing wonderful old industries, which was very popular. Despite the severe pandemic this year, the team still continued to promote lecture courses. If you want to know the details of the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers that was originated in Five-Port Area. People are welcome to watch the online course on the Facebook of the Five-Port Cultural Association to gain a lot of knowledge of folk custom.

【Mr. Bo-ming Dong, the fourth generation owner, was introducing the “spring flowers on rice” and production methods used in Lunar New Year sacrifices.】

【Cosmetics as one of the offerings required for the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers】

【A live broadcast scene of Mr. Bo-ming Dong explaining how to use the Chiniangma Pavilion at the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers】

【A Chiniangma Pavilion at the celebration for 16-year-old teenagers】

【Scan QR Code to watch the live broadcast of "Fucheng’s First Store working on the Chiniangma Pavilion" used in the Celebration for 16-year-old teenagers】