Celebrating the Lunar New Year with You | An Appreciation of the Sequential Art Series “One Hundred Scenes of Ancient Customs” (No. 15)

The Year of the Rabbit, Gui Mao, has arrived. All the staff of the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou City extend their New Year greetings to you! Wishing you a year filled with abundant wealth, boundless good fortune, and great prosperity and success!
 

During the Spring Festival, our museum’s official WeChat account will continue to share the illustrated series “One Hundred Scenes of Ancient Customs,” showcasing the rich cultural essence and historical legacy of Chinese folk traditions, and helping you celebrate the New Year with joy!

Taiping Drum (Qing Dynasty)

The boss, in the mood for a game, idly plays along, letting the young men on the street vie with one another for glory.

—— Song Dynasty, Liu Kezhuang, “He Xinlang: Duanwu Festival”


 

A Blind Man Walking the Streets and Performing (Qing Dynasty)

Before the pavilion, a hundred performances vie for novelty; only the towering pole stands wondrously divine.

—— Tang Dynasty, Liu Yan, “Ode to Lady Wang’s Pole-Dancing”


 

Tattoo (Tang)

Old Tong sings a clear song, while Changrong plays with the purple mandarin ducks.

—— Ming Dynasty, Liu Ji, “A Journey Among the Immortals (Nine Poems)”


 

Cockfighting (Jin)

The fighting cock was first bestowed with brocade, and the dancing horse had already mounted the bed.

— Tang Dynasty, Du Fu, “Cockfighting”


 

Monkey Show (Ming Dynasty)

Children linger, while cattle and sheep play; passersby on the path ask, “Who is this?”

—— Song Dynasty, Zhao Wen, “Lament for Yi Zhou”


 

Cricket Fighting (Qing Dynasty)

Golden screens and emerald curtains suit the autumn; with these, year after year I lose myself in drunken bliss.

Only the poor are urged to weave, yet how many households can even afford a single skein of silk?

— Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi, “The Cricket”