元宵時節，除了掛燈籠猜燈謎，「2022臺中東勢新丁粄節」還有不同的慶祝儀式！
During the Lantern Festival, in addition to hanging lanterns and solving lantern riddles, there is a different ceremony for the festival in “2022 Taichung Dongshi Xin Ding Ban Festival!”
早期農業社會家中添丁是大事，只要家族逢弄璋之喜，便會於次年元宵節以糯米、蓬萊米製作
「新丁粄」敬神，新丁粄一個個層層堆疊，用以酬神慶賀家族添丁，並且祈求孩子成長過程健康平安。敬神後則會將新丁粄分送給街坊鄰居吃，分享喜悅與喜氣，同時也是感謝伯公（土地公）添丁賜福的表現。
In the early agricultural society, giving birth to a boy was important for a family. At the Lantern Festival of the following year, people will express their gratitude to the gods with “Xin Ding Ban” which is made with waxy rice and japonica rice, and also pray for the health and safety of the children. After worshipping the gods, the “Xin Ding Ban” will be distributed to neighbors as sharing the joy.
客家新丁粄使用可食用的「紅花米」將表面染成紅色，和閩南的紅龜粄不一樣，客家傳統式新丁粄不包餡、不壓花紋，閩南紅龜粄則通常包紅豆餡且壓花紋，花紋是以龜甲象徵幸福長壽。使用桃子形狀的粄印製作的桃紅色「桃粄」，又稱作「千金粄」，以及米麩製作的「桃糕」，則代表生女兒為「半丁」，也值得慶賀。
Hakka Xin Ding Ban is made with edible “Hong Hua Mi” (a kind of red food coloring) to dye the surface red, without filling and no embossing pattern, it is different from Hokkien Ang Ku Kueh that is usually with red bean filling and embossing pattern. The peach-shaped “Tao Ban”, which is also called “Qian Jin Ban,” and the “Tao Cake” made with rice polishings are used to celebrate the birth of a daughter.
現今東勢不論生男生女，皆會製作新丁粄、千金粄與親戚好友分享，每年元宵節日，東勢便以文化街各個廟宇為中心舉辦新丁會，分送新丁粄給居民及新丁會員，數量壯觀甚至大排長龍的新丁粄景象，遂變成特殊的東勢元宵節慶盛況，更曾連續 12 年榮獲行政院客家委員會列入「客庄十二大節慶」，吸引大批外地遊客前來朝聖。
Nowadays, whether giving birth to a boy or a girl, Dongshi people make Xin Ding Ban and Qian Jin Ban. Every Lantern Festival, the Dongshi government holds Xin Ding Party in the temples around Wenhua Street, and Xin Ding Ban will be distributed to residents and members of Xin Ding Party. This became a special Lantern Festival culture in Dongshi. It has been selected as of “12 Hakka Village Festivals” by the Hakka Affairs Council for 12 consecutive years.
在東勢的新丁會組織中，相傳還有「鬪粄」 的傳統文化，也就是「新丁粄比賽」。在新丁會組織中，參加的人依例繳納會費做為公賞賞金，會員中當年添丁或家中有新婚喜事者，需要製作新丁粄給所有會員分享，凡是新丁粄做得最大最重者，由公賞發給賞金獎勵，由於第一名獎金豐厚，又可名揚一時，因此參加者越做越大，甚至曾有120斤重的新丁粄令眾人大開眼界！
It is said that there is a traditional culture “Dou Ban,” also known as “Xin Ding Ban Competition.” The participants pay the membership fee as a public reward. If a member gives birth to a boy or his/her family members get married, they need to make Xin Ding Ban and distribute it to all the members. Anyone who has made the biggest and heaviest Xin Ding Ban will get the public reward. There was a member who even made a 72 kilograms Xin Ding Ban!
除此之外，2022臺中東勢新丁粄節更發展出15項慶祝活動，有求子儀式、求文昌、擲炮城、擲筊祈福求大粄等文化活動，還有踩街遊行「靚客行」、客家特色加值產業展售、哈客舞青春、新丁綻放之夜等膾炙人口的表演。今年更規畫「異國異地新丁文化展」於東勢客家文化園區內展出，預計展出越南、印尼、柬埔寨及中國黑龍江省的新丁文化，讓東勢的在地新移民也能分享關於家鄉的風俗民情，與東勢新丁文化相互輝映，共襄盛舉！
2022 Taichung Dongshi Xin Ding Ban Festival has developed 15 celebration activities, including the ceremony of asking for a son, throwing firecrackers, throwing the divination blocks and praying for Da Ban, parade, sales of Hakka specialty products, and Hakka dancing performances. This year, the “Foreign Xin Ding Cultural Exhibition” is planned to be exhibited in the Dongshi Hakka Cultural Park. It is expected to exhibit the Xin Ding cultures of Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Heilongjiang Province of China, so that the new immigrants in Dongshi can also share the customs of their hometowns!
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