Every Lunar New Year, households undertake a thorough spring cleaning. People spray and scrub their homes, wash furniture, and clean bedding—an ancient practice known as "sweeping the year."
This custom originated in the era of the legendary emperors Yao and Shun, evolving from ancient religious rituals to ward off disease. By the Tang and Song dynasties, the "sweeping the year" tradition flourished.As recorded in Wu Zimu's Song Dynasty text Mengliang Lu: "At the end of the twelfth lunar month... households of all ranks, great and small, sweep their doorways, remove dust and grime, and clean their courtyards... to pray for peace in the new year." To this day, the folk proverb "On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, dust off and sweep the house" remains popular.
This custom is said to originate from an ancient legend. In myth, Emperor Zhuanxu had a disgraceful son who was lazy and gluttonous, wearing ragged clothes and drinking thin porridge daily. One New Year's Eve, frozen and starving, he died in a corner of his house.Thus, on New Year's Eve, people seize the opportunity of the grand cleaning to gather their household's rags and leftover food, discarding them before the new year arrives—a gesture symbolizing the banishment of poverty from their homes.
Yet the ancient origin of dust sweeping holds a rather eerie tale. Legend holds that every person is accompanied by a Three Corpse Spirit, who constantly tattles to the Jade Emperor, reporting the misdeeds of mortals.Within a short time, the Jade Emperor received 99,999 secret reports from the Three Corpse Spirits, claiming that the mortal world was plotting rebellion against Heaven. Enraged, the Jade Emperor immediately summoned the Three Corpse Spirits and ordered them to write the crimes of those who had spoken ill of him on the walls of their homes. He then commanded spiders to weave large webs and hang them under the eaves.The Jade Emperor further commanded the Divine Guardian to descend on New Year's Eve. Any household bearing the Three Corpse Deity's mark would face execution of the entire family. Seeing his scheme nearly succeed—allowing him to monopolize the splendid mortal world—the Three Corpse Deity swiftly descended to earth, marking every household's walls.
The Kitchen God discovered the Three Corpse Spirits' plot and urgently summoned all household Kitchen Gods to devise a countermeasure: Starting from the day the Kitchen God was sent away, every household would be swept spotless before New Year's Eve. When the Divine Guardian descended on New Year's Eve to inspect as commanded, he found every home immaculately clean, without a single mark, and the people living lawfully and working diligently.Upon learning from the Kitchen God and the Divine Guardian that the Three Corpse Gods had falsely accused the righteous, the Jade Emperor flew into a rage and imprisoned the Three Corpse Gods forever. From then on, the benevolent Kitchen God was revered by all. The ritual of sacrificing to the Kitchen God on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month became established, and the custom of sweeping away dust on the twenty-fourth day also took root among the people.
Another folk legend explains the sweeping custom as originating from tenant farmers in Tongzhou (present-day Nantong) preparing to receive the Jade Emperor's annual grain allocation. Previously, these farmers labored tirelessly year-round, yet after paying taxes and rent, little remained.They prayed that the Kitchen God would speak favorably on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month when he ascended to heaven to present his report. They hoped the Jade Emperor would take pity and allocate some grain from the heavenly granary, sending down rice and snow before New Year's Eve—allowing them to enjoy a hearty reunion dinner.To welcome the Jade Emperor's bounty, tenant farmers would meticulously clean every corner of their homes by the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, preparing to receive the heavenly grain. Year after year, this tradition of spring cleaning for the Lunar New Year was passed down through generations.
Come the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, every household busies itself cleaning indoors and out. They wash mosquito nets and bedding, scrub baskets and furniture, leaving every corner spotless.Then, they take a few worn-out items to the village entrance and burn them in a bonfire, a ritual called "sending away poverty." This symbolizes burying all the bad luck to make way for good fortune in the new year.
Folklore holds that since "dust" (尘) sounds similar to "old" (陈), spring cleaning carries the meaning of "removing the old to make way for the new." Its purpose is to sweep away all "bad luck" and "misfortune." This custom embodies people's desire for renewal and their wish to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.
Focus on Dust Mite Removal During Spring Cleaning
When cleaning, pay attention to easily overlooked "blind spots," prioritizing dust mite elimination. Dust mites pose significant health risks. Take house dust mites, for example—they commonly trigger allergic conditions like allergic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma.
Carpets, upholstered sofas, cushions, curtains, and bedding readily harbor bacteria and mites. Carpets, if not cleaned promptly, become breeding grounds for dirt and mites. Plants also host mites, and bookshelves are another favorite spot for these pests.
Therefore, maintain air humidity when dusting, otherwise dust particles will become airborne and spread mites. Blankets and fabric items should be cleaned promptly. Before washing bedding, shake it outdoors thoroughly. Wash with hot water around 50°C (122°F), then dry in a sunny, well-ventilated area. Ideally, change and wash bedding every two weeks.
It's important to note that when cleaning indoors, use damp cloths and mops to prevent the spread of dust mites.