In modern times, it's quite common for young people to throw a birthday party and invite a bunch of friends to celebrate and have fun together. But in the Great Tang, the custom of celebrating birthdays was still limited to Jiangnan, and the Central Plains were quite averse to it.
Before the Tang, even during the Sui, there were no birthday celebrations. The "Book of Songs" says, "Oh, how my parents toiled to give me life," and Yang Jian on his birthday would require everyone under heaven to eat vegetarian, as a way to commemorate his parents. Li Shimin had a similar sentiment and also refrained from birthday celebrations.
However, in Mao County, at the beginning of this year, Lin Wanwan was granted the title of Village Lady. After reconnecting with her Lin Family relatives, she had already attended several birthday banquets.
This shows that the cultural differences between Jiangnan and the Central Plains are quite significant.
