There are several areas in Anhui folk culture. What are their characteristics?

In terms of natural geographical environment, Anhui is located in the northwest of East China, spanning the Yangtze River and Huaihe River basins, with plains, hills and mountains and criss-crossing rivers and lakes. The whole province is divided into five natural areas: Huaibei Plain, Jianghuai Hill, Dabie Mountain, Central Anhui Plain and Southern Anhui Low Hill. In these natural areas, the production and life of people in cities and rural areas are different to varying degrees; Among them, the biggest difference is Huaibei and central and southern Anhui. As far as physical geography is concerned, Huaibei area is endless, mostly dry land, rich in wheat and miscellaneous grains; The terrain in western, central and southern Anhui is complex, including hills, plains, mountains, rivers, lakes and many paddy fields, mainly producing rice. This difference in natural geographical environment and products has a certain impact on local folk customs. In terms of human geography, Anhui has a long history and cultural tradition. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Huaibei, Huainan and other places belonged to Chu culture, while southern Anhui and other places belonged to Wu culture, which also influenced the local folk customs at that time, and these folk customs also became an integral part of Chu culture and Wu culture. Until now, some aspects of folk activities in Anhui Province still retain the heritage of Chu culture and Wu culture, such as red, worship of ghosts and gods, worship of tigers and tattoos of a few men (colorful dragons and handwriting on arms and chest).

Due to the regional differences and traffic conditions, the folk customs in Anhui across the Yangtze River and Huaihe River are rich and colorful, each with its own characteristics.

Huaibei is mostly Central Plains Mandarin; The taste is salty and spicy, the soup mouth is thick, and it is seasoned with coriander. "There is no food without wine at the dinner table", drinking and guessing rules, and choosing chopsticks to fight have become a habit. Because of its proximity to Huanghuai, frequent disasters, simple life, simple clothes (old people love to wear black and white and blue) and fierce folk customs, "even if they take risks, they will respond in groups", so heroes come forth in large numbers, as Liang Qichao said: "The Huaihe River Basin has been the center of China's political history for thousands of years, and heroes have been produced from generation to generation, for thousands of years for our country.

In Jianghuai area, most of them are Jianghuai Mandarin; The traditional cuisine (Yangzhou cuisine) along the Yangtze River is sweet and fresh. However, since the arrival of immigrants such as the "two lakes" in the late Qing Dynasty, many "dialect islands" have been formed, and the spicy flavor has moved eastward. The areas that have not been hit are still "morning tea shops, which are delicious to eat" (such as Tianchang and other places); Simple folk customs, words must be Bao Gong Yu Gong (Song Bao Zheng, Que); On holidays, get married when you are old, treat people to choose their residence, and mix ancient and modern times.

Located in the mountainous area of southern Anhui, the traffic is inconvenient and there are many dialects. As far as Huizhou is concerned, although there are many people who speak Huizhou dialect, the phenomenon of "different sounds in the same mountain, asking for directions for translation" still exists. Some villages still preserve the ancient customs of the Tang and Song Dynasties, which are called "living fossils of ancient sounds in China". Clans are deeply rooted, advocating Confucianism, and "adopting a son without reading is like raising a pig pen" has become a family motto, so for thousands of years, "ten households in one village do not waste reading." The road they take is: learning-official-business, or learning-business-official. Therefore, since the Song Dynasty, there has been a saying that "the literati in the world are half Huizhou". Due to the prosperity of business and the pursuit of material and spirit, the famous Huizhou opera and the exquisite Huizhou "three sculptures" (bricks, stones and wood) have emerged here, so folk customs are still popular.