Wuxi
People in Wuxi attach great importance to the solar terms from winter to sun, and there are folk sayings such as "fat winter and thin year", "winter to sun is as big as a year" and "winter to sun is a small year". The day before the winter solstice is called "Winter solstice night". People in Wuxi are going to break fast to worship their ancestors. The grand ceremony is similar to New Year's Eve, but there are fewer offerings, usually three meats and three vegetables. On the night of winter solstice, the whole family should get together for a winter solstice dinner. If they are not at home, they should also leave their seats, set up a pair of bowls and chopsticks, and hold some symbolic dinners to show their reunion.
Nanjing
In the history of Nanjing, there is a saying that the solstice in winter is like a year. The solstice customs in winter are very rich, mainly including "burning steamed stuffed buns nine times and eating tofu nine times". In the past, there was a saying in old Nanjing that "fried tofu with onions and burned large intestine", which said that tofu was mixed with onions and large intestine at that time, so that there was more oil and water, which could meet people's needs in the period of material shortage. There is also a meaning of "making rich" and "getting rich". But now people generally only burn green vegetables and tofu, which is neither greasy nor means "green vegetables and tofu keep safe".
Huaian
In Huai 'an, Nanjing and other places, there is also the saying of a chicken on September 19th. On the solstice of winter, people drink a bowl of old hen soup, and then stew an old hen on September 9 every year.
Changzhou
Changzhou must eat "chopped green onion tofu". Onion is a winter vegetable, which comes into the market just before the winter solstice. Tofu is homophonic for "full wealth", which means wealth.
Yangzhou
Yangzhou people call it "big winter", also called "off-year". In the past, on the solstice of winter, shops, workshops and schools had a day off. There was a saying that "winter goes and spring comes, every family eats dumplings, teachers don't have holidays, and students don't give money". On this day, Yangzhou people also have the custom of cooking fragrant rice (pumpkin), which shows that eating cantaloupe in winter can avoid disaster.
Suzhou
In old Suzhou, in addition to winter wine, winter solstice meat, winter solstice meatballs and stew, there is one thing that is essential, and that is "winter solstice board". "Winter solstice plate" is a gift box given to each other by the old Suzhou people before the winter solstice festival. In the past, rich people used boxes made of mahogany, while ordinary people used simple bamboo boards. "Winter solstice plate" includes winter wine, cakes, red beans and glutinous rice and other winter solstice foods. In recent years, the "Winter Solstice Board", which is deeply loved by Suzhou people, combines local customs, including "wine, rice, tea, jiaozi, fruits, pickled products" and other foods.
Zhenjiang
In the old days, people in Zhenjiang had the custom of eating glutinous rice balls from winter to Sunday. On the winter solstice, students in Zhenjiang schools are scrambling to recite this nursery rhyme to show that the winter solstice is also the custom of the New Year.
Nantong
The solstice in winter is one of the "eight festivals" in Nantong, and there are customs such as burning incense, offering sacrifices to ancestors, offering sacrifices to heaven, sweeping graves and eating jiaozi. In Nantong, people commonly call it "burning classics" to worship their ancestors from winter to morning, and prepare four kinds of dishes such as fish, meat, eggs and tofu at noon to pay homage to their deceased relatives. The solstice of winter is also the beginning of "counting nine", and the following slight cold and severe cold are the coldest seasons of the year, just as the Nantong folk proverb says, "There is heavy snow every year, not in March and September, but in April and September".
Jiangyin
Winter solstice is called "winter solstice night" overnight, and Jiangyin people will break fast at home to worship their ancestors as usual. On the solstice night in winter, some people will invite relatives and friends to dinner. In the past, it was on this day that landlords laid off long-term workers, so there was a folk song "In winter, the rich eat all night and the poor freeze all night". There is a custom in winter solstice in Yinxi Town and Qingyang, that is, there must be a dish of shallots and tofu in the winter dinner. As the saying goes, "If you want to be rich, you should eat a bowl of onion and tofu overnight on the solstice of winter." Hu Cong means "lush", and tofu is homophonic with "antithesis" in Jiangyin dialect.
Yancheng
There is a proverb in Yancheng, "When winter solstice comes, every family eats jiaozi. The winter solstice ruined the jiaozi bowl, and no one cared about the frozen ears. " . Besides jiaozi, eating jiaozi is also a traditional custom from winter solstice, which means "reunion" and "perfection".