According to twenty-four solar term, the origin of the summer heat: "Go, go, and the summer heat stops here." It means that the hot summer is coming to an end. Although the average daily temperature in the vast areas east and south of Beijing, Taiyuan, Xi 'an, Chengdu and Guiyang in China and the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang is still above 22 degrees Celsius, it is in summer, but at this time, the number of cold air going south increases and the temperature drops gradually.
In ancient China, the summer heat was divided into three stages: "The eagle is a sacrificial bird; Second, wait for heaven and earth to begin; Sanhou Wo Naideng. " In this solar term, the eagle began to hunt a large number of birds; Everything between heaven and earth began to wither; "He Naideng" refers to millet, millet, rice and sorghum crops, and "Deng" means maturity.
Summer is a solar term that reflects the change of temperature. "Chu" means hiding and ending, and "Chu Xia" means that the hot summer day is over. That is to say, the hot summer is about to pass, so much for it. After the summer, except for South China and Southwest China; The rainy season is coming to an end in most parts of China, and the precipitation is gradually decreasing. Especially in North China, Northeast China and Northwest China, we must pay close attention to water storage and moisture conservation. In case of drought during autumn planting, the sowing date of winter crops will be delayed.
The custom of summering in summer 1. Sacrificing ancestors to welcome autumn
The folk customs before and after the summer solar terms are mostly related to ancestor worship and welcoming autumn. Before and after the summer vacation, there will be folk activities to celebrate Zhongyuan, commonly known as "July 30" or "Zhongyuan Festival". In the old days, there was a ceremony to open the ghost gate from the beginning of July, and until the ghost gate was closed at the end of the month, Purdue giving activities would be held. It is said that Purdue activities began with opening the ghost gate, and then the lanterns were erected and the river lanterns were set off, causing lonely souls; The main body is building Purdue altar, setting up solitary shed, intervening to rob orphans, etc., and finally ending with closing the ghost door. Today, it has become a major activity time for ancestor worship.
Step 2 eat ducks
"Duck in July and a half, August and a half", the ancients thought that ducks in the middle of July in the lunar calendar were the most fat and nutritious. On the summer day, old Beijingers will buy lily ducks for the summer, while in Jiangsu, a bowl of duck dishes should be served to neighbors, which is the so-called "sending ducks for the summer, making everyone sick".
Step 3 put out the river lights
River lanterns are usually placed with lamps or candles on the base. Before and after the summer vacation, there will be activities to celebrate Zhongyuan, commonly known as "July 30" or "Zhongyuan Festival", in which river lanterns are put in the water and allowed to drift, mourning the dead and praying for peace.
4. Fishing Festival
After the summer vacation, the fishing harvest is a period, and the coastal areas of China often hold various activities in this solar term to send fishermen out to sea and look forward to a bumper harvest. At this time, the water temperature in the sea area is still high, and the fish will still stay around the sea area, and the fish, shrimp and shellfish will mature. Therefore, from this time on, people can often enjoy a wide variety of seafood.
Fishing Festival For coastal fishermen, the annual grand fishing festival will be held in the coastal areas of Zhejiang Province during the harvest season after the summer heat, and it is decided to hold a grand fishing ceremony on the day when the fishing in the East China Sea ends, so as to send the fishermen off to sea. Since the first China Fishing Festival was held in Xiangshan, Zhejiang Province in 1998, it has been held once a year. The fishing festival not only has a solemn ceremony to worship the sea, but also carries out various cultural, tourism and economic and trade activities, attracting countless merchants and tourists from home and abroad. So that they not only appreciate the local warm fishing culture, but also taste the delicious seafood.
5. worship the earth god
The summer solar term coincides with the harvest time of crops, and farmers have held various ceremonies to thank the earth god. Some kill animals to worship in the land temple, some put flags in the middle of the field to express gratitude, and some don't wash their feet when they come home from working in the field on this day, for fear of washing away the harvest they got. On the 15th of July, it was still popular among the people to offer sacrifices to land and crops. Scatter the offerings into the fields. After burning paper, it is wrapped around the ears of crops with five-color paper cut into pieces. Legend has it that hail can be avoided and a bumper harvest can be achieved in autumn. At the same time, some places have to go to Houtu Temple to offer sacrifices.
6. Water splashing carnival
There is a custom of splashing water in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan.
What to eat in the summer 1. Tremella
It can moisten lung, relieve cough, promote fluid production and nourish yin, and also has the functions of eliminating muscle fatigue, strengthening brain and preventing aging.
2.pomegranate
Summer is the season to eat pomegranate. Vitamin C and vitamin E in pomegranate are higher than those in apple and pear. Pomegranate with red powder skin contains high vitamin C, and pomegranate with green skin contains high vitamin E.. Pomegranate is warm, sweet and sour, and has the functions of promoting fluid production, quenching thirst, killing insects and stopping dysentery. Pomegranate can be eaten directly or can be drunk by squeezing juice. Acid pomegranate is very effective in preventing and treating diarrhea, and sweet pomegranate can prevent and treat throat dryness and thirst.
3. Corn
Summer is the season when corn matures. Lysine in fresh corn is an essential amino acid for human body, which can only be taken from food, while the content in other foods is very small. Therefore, fresh corn is one of the main sources of lysine. The nutritional value of special corn is higher than that of ordinary corn. For example, the content of protein, vegetable oil and vitamins in sweet corn is1~ 2 times higher than that in common corn, and the content of selenium as a "life element" is 8 ~10 times higher.
4. Chinese yam
It can clear the heart, soothe the nerves, tonify the middle energizer, help the five internal organs, strengthen the bones and muscles, maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and prevent arteriosclerosis.
5. American ginseng
It can resist fatigue and hypoxia, and people will suffer from yin deficiency, lack of qi, dry mouth and thirst, and listlessness in summer. Putting some American ginseng in porridge or stew can not only calm down and prevent autumn dryness, but also gently nourish.
6. Duck
The traditional dietary custom of Nanjing people is to eat ducks in the summer. Ducks, especially Ma ducks in the cooked area of Jiangning Lake, Nanjing, are the most sought after. It is reported that the ducks there are sweet and cool, and fat and thin. If there is no time, the old Nanjing people will go to the deli to buy half a duck to go home; People who are free will stew "radish old duck pot" or make "braised duck pieces" at home and give them to their neighbors. This is what the saying goes, sending ducks in the summer will save everyone.
7.longan
When the "summer heat" arrives, the "summer heat" will be over. Old Fuzhou no longer drinks herbal tea after the summer heat, but eats more things of "invigorating qi" and "enriching blood". Old Fuzhou is used to eating longan, which is soaked in porridge after peeling.
8. white balls
In addition, another food that old Fuzhou eats in the summer is white meatballs. White meatballs are actually glutinous rice balls. The method is very simple. Knead glutinous rice flour into a small grain, cook soup, add some sugar, and taste sweet, which can not only supplement carbohydrates, but also solve the greasy mouth in summer.
9.herbal tea
The custom of decocting medicinal tea in summer has been popular since the Tang Dynasty. During the summer, every household has the habit of frying herbal tea. First, they go to the pharmacy to prepare prescriptions, and then they fry tea for drinking at home, which means that they should eat something "bitter" in autumn, which is quite beneficial in clearing away heat, removing fire, promoting digestion and removing lung heat.
10. Sour plum soup
In the sixties and seventies of last century, there were tea stalls selling sour plum soup in the streets of Wenzhou city, so there was a proverb that "the sour plum soup in the summer was completely extinguished". Making sour plum soup is very simple. At night, soak dried plums in boiling water and add rock sugar. After cooking and cooling, put it into a wooden ice bucket with a cover to reduce its temperature. It tastes sour and sweet, sweet and slightly salty, and tastes good.