It means putting a piece of grass in the head to express selling oneself. The allusion has no specific origin, and the behavior is a habit passed down, but the first appearance of the word is in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

The Twenty-fifth Chapter of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms": Tun Tu Shan Pass Agreement Three Things to Save White Horse Cao Cao from the Encirclement p>

This means that Guan Yu believes that Yan Liang's strength is not worth mentioning. Fighting against him is like sticking a straw mark on his head. The outcome is determined, and he is just selling his own life.

The bid in "Insert the bid and sell the first one" is the grass bid. The twelfth chapter of "Water Margin" wrote: "On that day, I took the sword, inserted the grass bid, and went to the market for sale."

Extended information:

The evolution of "marking" behavior:

1. The initial property rights mark

The traditional property rights of the Yao people mark. Popular in mountainous areas such as Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and other places, placing a knot made of thatch on fallen dead trees, wild beehives on trees, chopped firewood, piled mushroom trees, etc. This thing has an owner and others cannot move or take it away casually.

Grass mark. Also called grass mustard. It is a naturally growing thing, but when it is inserted on an item sold or for sale, it has a symbolic meaning. "Grass" means cheap, which means that this thing is no longer "valuable" to me, so I will sell it if I put the grass mark on it.

In different historical periods of ancient Chinese society, grass mustard (grass label) was used in everything from daily necessities to poor families selling their children due to hunger and cold.

"Water Margin" has mentioned straw marks many times, the most famous one is the record about Yang Zhi selling knives: "Yang Zhi took the sword that day, inserted the straw mark, and put it on the market for sale." The grass mark here has the function of advertising media.

2. Road signs, etc. as signs

In the Tujia people in Xiangxi, Hunan, people also have the custom of tying grass signs. The grass signs often have the meaning of reminder. The meaning of tying grass signs at different places is Also different.

If there is a grass sign at a fork in the road, it means that someone is already walking on this road, so you can walk with confidence.

Throwing a grass sign in front of the mountain temple or in the temple shows respect for the land of the mountain god, and prays to the land of the mountain god to bless you for a safe journey or a safe day. In the deep canyon, grass signs remind you that there are many venomous snakes here, so be careful.

The grass signs on the branches indicate that the tree is not allowed to be cut down, or that the area is closed to the mountains.

The grass sign at the intersection of entering the crop field indicates that the crops have not been harvested yet, indicating that the property is owned and should not be touched.

There is a grass sign on the water outlet at the edge of the field, indicating that the field water is being stored and should not be blocked.

3. Selling oneself

Refers to the straw bundle inserted on the item as a sign that it is for sale. It is also used as a sign of selling oneself.

Chapter 12 of "Water Margin": "On that day, I took out the sword, inserted a straw mark, and put it on the market for sale."

Volume 20 of "The Surprise at the First Carving": "[Lan Sun] really had nothing to do, and in the end he was not free. He had to take a straw sign in his hand, put a piece of paper with four words written on it: 'Sell yourself to bury your father,' and bowed four times in front of the coffin."

Scene 1 of Lao She's "Teahouse": "A country woman pulled a teenage girl in. There was a straw stick stuck in the girl's head.

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Reference material: Baidu Encyclopedia-Insert the first selling mark

Reference material: Baidu Encyclopedia-Grass mark