The origin and customs of what to eat during the winter solstice

The origin and customs of what to eat during the winter solstice. The winter solstice is one of the traditional twenty-four solar terms. The customs about the winter solstice are all over the country. There are many different ones. There is a folk saying that "the winter solstice is as big as the new year". Let's share the origins and customs of what to eat during the winter solstice. The origin and customs of the winter solstice: What to eat 1

The origin of the winter solstice

The winter solstice is one of the "twenty-four solar terms". During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the twenty-four solar terms were absorbed into the "Taichu Calendar" as a supplement to the calendar to guide farming, and the "Ping Qi Method" (i.e., the average time method) was used to divide the solar terms.

The "Ping Qi Method" uses photometry to determine the day short solstice in the Yellow River Basin as the winter solstice, and divides the date between the winter solstice and the next winter solstice into twelve equal parts, called "Zhong Qi". Then the dates between adjacent "Zhong Qi" are divided into equal parts, which are called "solar terms"; on average, there is one "Zhong Qi" and one "solar term" every month, collectively called the "twenty-four solar terms".

What to eat during the Winter Solstice Festival?

South

Many places in southern my country celebrate the Winter Solstice. Many areas along the southern coast have the traditional custom of worshiping ancestors during the winter solstice. Every household places ancestor statues, tablets, etc. in the upper hall of the home, sets up the offering table, arranges incense burners, offerings, etc. While worshiping ancestors, some places also offer sacrifices to the gods of heaven and earth, and worship the gods to pray for good weather and prosperity for the family and everything in the coming year.

Cantonese people eat roast pork and ginger rice during the Winter Solstice. On the Winter Solstice day, most Cantonese people have the custom of eating winter solstice meat with "added vegetables". There is a folk proverb in Chaoshan area that "Dongjie pills can celebrate the New Year as soon as they are eaten", which is commonly known as "adding years to the year". Hakka people believe that the water tastes most mellow during the winter solstice, so it has become a custom for the Hakka people to make wine during the winter solstice.

Hangzhou people eat rice cakes during the winter solstice. From the late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty, Hangzhou people like to eat rice cakes during the winter solstice. On every winter solstice, three meals of rice cakes with different flavors are made. Eating rice cakes during the winter solstice will make you grow taller every year, which is auspicious. In Sichuan, mutton soup is eaten during the winter solstice. Mutton is the most nutritious in winter. In the Hunan and Hubei areas, red bean and glutinous rice must be eaten on the day of the winter solstice.

In some areas in the south, it is more popular to eat Dongzhi Tuan (Dongzhi Wan), which means reunion. Every winter solstice morning, every household grinds glutinous rice flour, stuffs it with sugar, meat, vegetables, fruits, shredded radish, etc., and wraps it into winter solstice dumplings, which are not only eaten by their own family, but also given to relatives and friends as a token of blessing. In fact, eating glutinous rice balls during the Winter Solstice is a traditional custom in my country, and it is even more common in Jiangnan. There is also a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls makes you one year older".

North

In many areas of northern my country, there is a custom of eating dumplings on the winter solstice every year. According to legend, when the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing saw the frozen people when he returned home from old age, he used mutton, some anti-cold medicinal materials and dough, wrapped them in the shape of ears, and made a medicine called "Expelling Cold Jiao Er Decoction" and gave it to the people. eat. Later, every winter solstice, people would imitate and eat it, forming a custom. In most parts of northern my country, dumplings are eaten on this day because dumplings have the meaning of "repelling cold". There is still a folk proverb "If you don't bring dumpling bowls during the winter solstice, your ears will freeze and no one will care". The Origin and Customs of Winter Solstice: What to Eat 2

What does Winter Solstice mean?

Winter Solstice means the coming of cold winter. At the winter solstice, the sun's ecliptic longitude is 270°. On the day of the winter solstice, the sun shines almost directly on the Tropic of Capricorn. Our northern hemisphere has the shortest day and the longest night, and begins to enter the coldest days. This day is astronomically designated as the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. After the winter solstice, the direct sunlight position gradually moves northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually become longer. As the saying goes: if you eat winter solstice noodles, one day will grow longer.

The origin of the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the earliest one to be formulated among the 24 solar terms. However, most people do not know that the origin of the Winter Solstice actually comes from a national-level capital planning. As early as more than 3,000 years ago, Zhou Gong began to use the Tugui method to measure the shadows of Luoyi and determined its position in the world, and designated it as Tuzhong. This move had political significance at the time, but it became a festival that has influenced later generations for thousands of years. one.

When Zhou Gong went to Luoyang, he used the Tugui method to determine that the place where Luoyang is located is "in the world", and then began to divine the auspicious places for the country and the country.

"Shang Shu Luo Gao" records: Duke Zhou "went to Luoshi" and inspected several places around Luoyang, and finally determined that Jianshuidong, eShuixi and eShuidong were all "only Luoshi" (all built in A good place for the ancestral temple and community). The historical fact that Zhou Gong selected the base site of Luoyi through the "Tugui Scenery Survey" was recorded in ancient classics and was also regarded by later generations as the founding method of feudal state and nation-building.

The purpose of "Tugui Scenery Surveying" is to find "Tuzhong" (the center of China). The essence of this method is that "the tree is eight feet tall, and on the summer solstice, the view is five feet long; on the winter solstice, the view is one foot, three feet, and five inches long." , the shadow of the sun at noon is 1.5 feet, and the shadow of the sun at noon on the winter solstice is 13.5 feet), "Measure the depth of the soil, correct the shadow of the sun, find the center of the ground, and check the four seasons." What is measured using this method is the theoretical position of Luoyang and Luoyi "in the soil".

According to the world determined by the Duke of Zhou, the Zhou people planned in detail the first national capital after the destruction of the Shang Dynasty. "Yi Zhou Shu? Zuo Luo" contains: "It was built as a great city and formed a Zhou Dynasty in the land...it was connected to the Luoshui River in the south and Mang Mountain in the north, so it was considered as the great gathering of the world." "Ding Tianbao, according to the heavenly room", after the completion of the national system (capital, ancestral temple), Zhou Gong made rituals and music in Chengzhou Mingtang, and formulated the national etiquette system in detail. According to records, in the Zhou Dynasty, November in winter was the first month, and the winter solstice was To celebrate the New Year at the beginning of the year, that is to say, Zhou Gong chose the day with the longest "sun shadow" in the year as measured by the Tugui method, as the day when the new year began.

From the Zhou Dynasty to the Qin Dynasty, the winter solstice has always been regarded as the beginning of the year. This was still the case in the Han Dynasty. The "Book of Han" says: "The yang energy rises during the winter solstice, and the king and Taoist minister congratulate you..." In other words, people originally celebrated the winter solstice to celebrate the arrival of the new year.

The ancients believed that from the winter solstice, the Yang Qi of heaven and earth begins to rise and strengthen, which represents the beginning of the next cycle and is an auspicious day. Therefore, customs such as ancestor worship and family dinners during the Spring Festival often appeared during the Winter Solstice. The winter solstice is also called the "small year". Firstly, it means that the new year is approaching and there are not many days left; secondly, it means that the winter solstice is important. Celebrating the Winter Solstice as a festival originated in the Zhou Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and continues to this day. The first month of the Zhou calendar is November of the Xia calendar. Therefore, the first month of the Zhou Dynasty is equal to today's November, so there is no difference between greeting the new year and greeting the winter. It was not until Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty adopted the lunar calendar that the first month and the winter solstice were separated. Therefore, it can also be said that the special celebration of the "Winter Solstice Festival" only existed after the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and is still used today.

Customs of the Winter Solstice

Wonton noodles

In the past, there was a saying in old Beijing that “Winter Solstice Wonton and Summer Solstice Noodles”. According to legend, during the Han Dynasty, the Huns from the north often harassed the frontiers and the people had no peace. At that time, there were two leaders in the Xiongnu tribe, the Hun clan and the Tun clan, who were very ferocious. The people hated it so much that they used meat fillings to wrap it into wontons and called them "wontons" after taking the sounds of "hun" and "tun".

Eating dog meat

The custom of eating dog meat during the winter solstice is said to have started in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, ate dog meat cooked by Fan Kuai on the day of the winter solstice. He thought it tasted particularly delicious and was full of praise. Since then, the folk custom of eating dog meat during the winter solstice has been formed. Nowadays, people eat dog and mutton on the winter solstice in order to have a good omen in the coming year.

Eating dumplings

On the winter solstice of the lunar calendar every year, whether rich or poor, dumplings are an essential holiday meal. As the saying goes: "On October 1st, when the winter solstice arrives, every household eats dumplings."

Red bean and glutinous rice

In the Jiangnan water town, the whole family gathers together on the night of the winter solstice to eat red beans. The custom of sticky rice. According to legend, there was an untalented man of the Gong clan of the Han Dynasty who committed many evil deeds. He died on the winter solstice and turned into a plague ghost after his death, continuing to harm the people. However, this plague ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook and eat red bean rice on the winter solstice to ward off plague ghosts and prevent disasters and diseases. The origins and customs of what to eat during the Winter Solstice 3

What traditional foods to eat during the Winter Solstice

1. "Wontons" in Beijing

According to legend, during the Han Dynasty, the Huns from the north often harassed the frontiers. , the people are not at peace. At that time, there were two leaders in the Xiongnu tribe, the Hun clan and the Tun clan, who were very ferocious. The people hated it so much that they made wontons with meat fillings and called them "wontons" from the sounds of "hun" and "tun". He eats his hatred and hopes to quell the war and live a peaceful life. Because wontons were first made on the winter solstice, every household eats wontons on the winter solstice.

2. Ningxia eats "brain" during the Winter Solstice

On the day of the winter solstice, Yinchuan people drink rice noodle soup and eat mutton rice noodle soup dumplings. Mutton rice noodle soup is called "brain" . Mutton noodle soup is made from mushrooms and mutton, and is seasoned with salt, ginger, onion, garlic, chili, soy sauce and other seasonings. After the soup boils, add chopped noodle cubes and soaked vermicelli, then add leeks, garlic sprouts, Made from coriander, the aroma is tangy and mouth-watering. After the noodle soup dumplings are ready, a bowl is served first, and then a bowl is served to the neighbors.

3. Henan "Pinch Frozen Ears"

Eating "Pinch Frozen Ears" is a common name for Henan people eating dumplings during the winter solstice. Why is there such a food custom? It is said that Zhang Zhongjing, the medical sage of Nanyang, once served as an official in Changsha. When he retired and returned to his hometown, it was a snowy winter with biting cold wind.

He saw that the villagers on both sides of the Baihe River in Nanyang were not fully clothed, and many people's ears were rotten by the cold. He felt very sad, so he asked his disciples to set up a medical tent in Guandong, Nanyang, and used mutton and chili peppers. Put some cold-repelling medicinal materials in a pot and cook them, take them out and chop them into pieces, wrap them in dough to look like ears, put them in the pot and cook them, and make a medicine called "Cold-Repelling Ear Correction Soup" and give it to the people. .

After taking it, the villagers’ ears were cured. Later, during the winter solstice, people would imitate the cooking process and eat it, thus forming the custom of "pinching frozen ears". From now on, people called it "dumplings", and some also called it "flat food" and "hot noodle dumplings". People also said that eating dumplings during the Winter Solstice would keep people from freezing.

4. Tengzhou Mutton Soup

The custom of eating mutton during the Winter Solstice is said to have started in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, ate the mutton cooked by Fan Kuai on the day of the Winter Solstice and thought it tasted particularly delicious. From then on, the custom of eating mutton during the Winter Solstice was established among the people. On the day of Winter Solstice, people eat mutton and various nourishing foods for good luck in the coming year. Nowadays, every family in Tengzhou, Shandong Province drinks mutton soup.

5. Jiangnan. "Red bean glutinous rice"

In the Jiangnan water towns, there is a custom of the whole family gathering together to eat red bean glutinous rice on the night of the winter solstice. According to legend, there was a man named Jiang Gong, whose son He died on the Winter Solstice and turned into a plague ghost, continuing to harm the people. However, this plague ghost was most afraid of red beans, so people cooked and eaten red bean rice on the Winter Solstice to ward off the plague ghost. Prevent disasters and cure diseases.

6. Taizhou Leiyuan

People in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, love delicious food. The winter solstice is an important solar term in the year. On this day, you should make special dishes and foods. First of all, It is necessary to pay homage to the ancestors and pray that the whole family will be safe and happy in the coming year. Then the whole family happily gathers together to drink and eat vegetables. Among them, eating "Winter Solstice Yuan" (leiyuan, also called hard leiyuan, fangangyuan) is a traditional custom in Taizhou. Traditionally, Leiyuan means roundness and reunion.

7. Suzhou Winemaking

The Suzhou area attaches great importance to the winter solstice. There is a saying in the Jiangsu area: "The winter solstice is like the New Year." Traditionally, people in Suzhou drink winter wine on the night of the winter solstice. Dongjiu wine is a kind of rice wine brewed with osmanthus. The people in Gusu drink winter wine on the night of the winter solstice. At the same time, it will also be paired with various braised dishes such as braised beef and braised mutton. In the cold winter, winter wine can not only ward off the cold, but also express a good wish for life of Suzhou people. < /p>

8. Eating rice cakes in Hangzhou

Hangzhou people will make and eat rice cakes on the winter solstice, use rice cakes to worship their ancestors or as gifts to relatives and friends. They will eat rice cakes with different flavors, such as sesame, for three meals a day. Rice cakes mixed with white sugar, stir-fried rice cakes with shredded pork, etc. mean good luck and longevity.

9. Jiangxi Mochi

Mochi is a specialty of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Fujian. It is a traditional snack of Fujian people and can be steamed, fried, grilled or stir-fried after being dried in the shade.

" During the winter solstice and Chinese New Year, every family eats glutinous rice balls. "Masters don't have holidays, and students don't give money" - Macau folk song.

In Macau, people usually worship their ancestors during the winter solstice and hang paper in front of their graves, which is commonly known as "hanging winter". There are many festivals during the winter solstice. People buy roast chicken, roast meat and other festival foods to worship gods.

11. Guangdong Tangyuan

On the day of the Winter Solstice Festival, many places in Guangdong have the custom of worshiping ancestors. In addition to every household having wine, meat, animals, fruits, and glutinous rice balls for worship, There are also ancestor worship in Zongtong. The ancestor worship is organized by the clan, which often involves killing pigs and cows, performing plays to reward the gods, etc., and rituals to commemorate the ancestors, such as reading genealogy and telling family history.

Generally, families also steam cakes, make rice cakes, glutinous rice balls, etc., and kill chickens and ducks to prepare a sumptuous dinner to celebrate. The glutinous rice balls eaten during the Winter Festival are salty, stuffed with seaweed, pork, and dried shrimps, and served with chicken soup. In western Guangdong, the glutinous rice balls are wrapped in a vegetable leaf, called "caibao." In the past, Cantonese people still had the habit of "fish raw during the winter solstice and dog meat during the summer solstice." Qu Dajun wrote in "Guangdong News": "Pairs of butterflies eat like water, and fish raw during the winter solstice is better than autumn." However, eating fish raw is not suitable for eating. Hygiene, later changed to "Dabian Lu" (hot pot) and boiled dog meat, which are also eaten before and after the Winter Festival.

In addition, people like to make "dried ginger" on the winter solstice, which is called "winter ginger", which can invigorate the fire of Mingmen without causing excessive heat; they also like to grind the powder before the winter solstice, which is called "winter ginger". "Powder" in preparation for making rice cakes during the New Year. It is said that "pre-winter powder" will not deteriorate.

12. Taiwanese Glutinous Cake

In Taiwan, my country, we still preserve the tradition of using nine-layer cakes to worship ancestors during the Winter Solstice. We use glutinous rice flour to knead chickens, ducks, turtles, pigs, cows, etc. Sheep and other animals that symbolize good fortune, wealth and longevity are then steamed in layers in a steamer to worship ancestors to show that they do not forget their ancestors. People with the same surname and the same clan gather in the ancestral temple in order of age and worship their ancestors one by one at the winter solstice or an early date agreed before or after. This is commonly known as "ancestral worship". After the ceremony, a grand banquet will be held to entertain the clan members who come to worship their ancestors. Everyone drinks happily and connects with each other after long separation, which is called "eating ancestors." The ancestors of the Winter Solstice Festival have been passed down from generation to generation in Taiwan to show that they do not forget their "roots." Radish, green vegetables, tofu, fungus, etc.