In the north of China, there is a saying that "winter solstice jiaozi, summer solstice noodles". Why eat jiaozi on this day? Jiaozi, formerly known as Joule, is said to have been invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a doctor in China, with a history of 1800 years.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, a famous doctor, saw that many poor people were hungry and cold, and their ears were frozen and rotten, so he invented the soup for removing cold pepper ears, which was cooked in a pot with mutton, pepper and some herbs for removing cold, and then these things were taken out and boiled, chopped up, and the noodles were wrapped into ear-shaped "pepper ears". After cooking, give it to the patients, 20 cents each and a bowl of soup. After eating Quhan decoction, people feel feverish all over, their qi and blood flow smoothly, and their ears get warmer. The patient's rotten ears will be cured in a short time.

Zhang Zhongjing didn't give up taking medicine until New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day, people celebrate the New Year and the recovery of rotten ears. The food they make is like burnt ears, which are called "Jiao Er" and "jiaozi". Since then, the story of "Quhan Joule Decoction" has been widely circulated among the people. On the solstice of winter and the first day of New Year's Day, people eat jiaozi, and they still remember Zhang Zhongjing's kindness in their hearts. Therefore, there is a saying that eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter won't freeze your ears.

Eat glutinous rice balls in winter in the south of Japan.

There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls is one year older". Eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter is especially popular in Jiangnan. Tangyuan is also called "Tangtuan", and eating it on the solstice in winter is also called "the solstice in winter". The "winter solstice group" can be used to worship ancestors or give gifts to relatives and friends. In the past, Shanghainese were most particular about eating jiaozi. At the family dinner, they tasted the newly brewed sweet white wine, flower cakes and glutinous rice balls, and then put meat pieces on the plate to worship their ancestors. In some places in the south, there is a custom that on the night of winter solstice, the whole family get together to eat red beans and glutinous rice. According to legend, the people who worked together died on the solstice in winter, and became epidemic ghosts after death, which continued to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red bean rice from winter solstice to drive away the epidemic ghost and prevent diseases.

Ningxia should eat "brain pulp" from winter solstice

There is a custom in Yinchuan on the solstice of winter. On this day, we will have noodles in soup and noodles in mutton soup, jiaozi. Yinchuan people also gave mutton powder soup a special name-"brain". Mutton powder soup is made of mushrooms and mutton, with salt, ginger, onion, garlic, pepper, soy sauce and other seasonings. After the soup is boiled, add the cut pieces and soaked vermicelli, and then add leeks, garlic sprouts and coriander. A pot of colorful mutton powder soup is ready, with a fragrant and mouth-watering smell.

After jiaozi made the noodle soup, he presented a bowl first and then a bowl to his neighbor. The mutton powder soup dumpling jiaozi has a unique way, and its taste is spicy and delicious. Now it has become a special snack in Yinchuan.

Sacrificing ancestors and eating incense pills from winter solstice in Chaoshan area

In Chaoshan area, winter solstice, also known as "Little New Year", is a large-scale folk festival. On this day, ordinary people should prepare enough meat and fruits such as pork, chicken and fish, go to the ancestral temple to worship their ancestors, and then the family will have a meal around the table. In coastal areas, fishermen should worship their ancestors before going fishing, pray for the fishermen and pray for the gods and ancestors to bless their safe return from the sea.

There is a saying in Chaoshan that "eat the winter festival round for one year", in which "the winter festival round" is the glutinous rice balls, which are also called sweet pills in Chaoshan area. The custom of eating sweet pills from winter solstice is almost common in Chaoshan area. A long time ago, these sweet pills were not only used for eating, but also pasted on the roofs and beams of their homes. First, the sweet pills are round, which indicates a bumper harvest and family reunion next year. Secondly, they are used to thank the mice for sending five seeds to farmers. Nowadays, people don't eat sweet pills, but the custom of eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice is still popular today.

Eating red beans and glutinous rice on winter solstice in Jiangnan water town

In the water town in the south of China, there is a custom that the whole family get together to eat red beans and glutinous rice on the night of winter solstice.

According to legend, the people who worked together died on the solstice in winter, and became epidemic ghosts after death, which continued to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red beans and glutinous rice on the solstice in winter to drive away the epidemic ghost and prevent disasters.