春节是中华民族最盛大的传统节日。在山西，从农历腊月二十三“祭灶”始，一直持续到正月十五元宵节，人们都沉浸在节日气氛中。人们美化门户，沐浴修面，穿新衣，蒸花馍，请门神，贴年画，剪窗花，写楹联，奉神祭祖，祈祥纳吉。形成了丰富多彩的民俗民间艺术。

　　衣。春节期间，男女老幼，衣饰一新。各家主妇们自己巧手剪裁、刺绣，给小男孩戴虎头帽，穿虎头鞋，小女孩戴鱼莲帽，着绣花鞋。鞋帽刺绣精美，结实耐用，展示的是山西女性的才艺。

　　食。春节所食，如饺子、包子、馍，不仅是必备的食品，也是极具美感的工艺品。内包馅，馅有荤素之分；外塑形，形则千姿百态。花馍，也称“面塑”，用于馈访亲友，也引发孩子们的食欲，并有很强的装饰性。

　　住。春节期间，各家各户洒扫庭除，贴窗花，贴对联，贴年画，装饰美化居室，甚至院门、坑围都贴满花花绿绿的彩画。五颜六色的彩纸剪出的窗花，以寓意吉祥的各种动植物构图，纤巧秀丽。大红的春联、多姿多彩的窗花，将赭色的窑洞、灰色的屋宇装点得红彤彤、花蓬蓬，洋溢着节日的喜庆气氛。

　　乐。民间社火表演种类繁多，形式丰富。舟、车、轿类，背棍、抬阁、高跷类，以及舞蹈类的舞狮、舞龙，都是深受民众喜爱的传统娱乐活动。乐队是社火队伍的龙头和指挥。乐分文、武，文场乐器有唢呐、笙、板胡、横笛，武场乐器有锣、鼓、铙、钹。武场乐粗犷豪放，文场乐热烈欢快。

　　正月十五，大街小巷，张灯结彩，观灯猜谜，狂欢达旦。灯彩的造型有人物、动植物等，色彩艳丽缤纷。最奇妙的是“走马灯”，它将镂空的皮影人置于灯芯中，缓慢转动，亦真亦幻，令人称奇。

　　这里展出的数十件山西民俗民间艺术品，将使您亲身体验位于中国内地的山西省的风土人情。

Preface

　　Spring Festival is the the largest traditional festival of the Chinese people. In the province of Shanxi, the festive mood starts as early as the “Kitchen-God’s Day”(the 23rd day of December, by the Chinese lunar Calendar) and prevails until the “Lantern Festival” (the 15th day of January, by the Chinese lunar Calendar).

　　The Shanxi people prepare for and celebrate the Spring Festival in their own special way: cleaning houses, bathing and shaving, dressing up in new clothes, cooking flower cakes, pasting Gate-Gods and New Year Paintings, making window papercuts, writing Spring Couplets, offering sacrifices to various gods and ancestors. And these, of course, are all done with sincere wishes for good fortunes in the coming year.

　　As the Lantern Festival approaches, all the streets and alleys will be lined up with lanterns and lamps, and grand celebrations centered on the lantern tour and lantern-riddle parties will last till the next morning. There are many lantern designs: some may take the subjects of legendary figures, some of animals and plants, but the most amazing is the Zoumadeng, “Lantern of Galloping Houses”---a lantern with skin-made figures revolving inside, which creates an illusory and magical effect.

　　Spring Festival stands as a real pageant of Shanxi’s diverse customs and folk arts.

　　Costume. The Spring Festival is a good time for a change in look, and to show off the women’s artistry in needlework. The talents and tenderness of Shanxi women are given full display in such sturdily and exquisitely made articles as tiger-headed caps and shoes for little boys, and fish-and-lotus caps and embroidered shoes for girls.

　　Food. Fancy dishes always constitude an important part of the Spring Festival fun.The most well known ones like Jiaozi, Baozi(dumplings), and Mo(steamed bun), are as alluring in appearance as in taste. In the making of dumplings, creativity is not only contained in the diversity of shapes, but also in the different fillings ranging from vegetable th meat. Flower cakes(Huamo), or dough sculptures, are of special charm to children. These wittily kneaded, colorful and lovely figures seem more like ornaments and toys than anything else. No wonder they are sometimes presented as gifts.

　　House Decorations. In Shanxi, it is a great pleasure to beautify one’s home for the Spring Festival: cleaning, washing, pasting window papercuts, attaching Spring Couplets, putting up New Year Paintings, and hanging up colorful pictures over the wall. All this contributes to the dazzling festivity of the whole scene. With many gracefully designed mascots, like animals, plants and other motifs, and the omnipresent color of red that is a favorite symbol of celebration among the Chinese, the usually gray-and-brown-looking cave dwellings overflow with joy and excitement.

　　Entertainment. Shehuo Play, a kind of group show, takes many forms. Among the most popular entertainments, there are parades of land boats, vehicles, and sedan chairs; there are stunts like “Beigun”, “Taige”, i.e.,acting on long poles or pavilions carried by paraders, and “Gaoqiao”---stilts walking, and there are also dances like the lion dance or the dragon dance. The whole parade is led and directed by a traditional orchestra, whose style is categorized as “Wenchang”(literary) or “Wuchang”(military). The former features instruments like the “Suona”, the “Banhu” and the “Hengdi”, and is characterized by brightness and sweetness. The latter, backed by the gong, the drum and the cymbals, distinguishes itself as bold, strong and vibrant.

　　This exhibition invited you to enjoy a “slice” of the Spring Festival in Shanxi and to experience the real life of a typical inland province of China. Please enjoy.