1, the story of jiaozi
Zhang Zhongjing is a native of Gedong, Nanyang. He wrote Treatise on Febrile Diseases, which is a masterpiece of doctors and is regarded as a classic by doctors of all ages. Zhang Zhongjing has a famous saying: "If you advance, you will save the world; if you retreat, you will save the people;" You can't be a good doctor, but also a good doctor. "
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as the prefect of Changsha, visiting the sick and applying medicine, and practicing medicine in the lobby. Later, he resolutely resigned and returned to his hometown to treat his neighbors. When he returned home this year, it was winter. He saw that the villagers on both sides of the Baihe River were sallow and emaciated, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. He asked his disciples to set up a medical shed and cauldron in Dongguan, Nanyang, and treat frostbite with "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction" on the day of the winter solstice.
What is "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction"? That is, mutton, peppers and some cold-dispelling herbs are boiled in a pot, and then the mutton and medicines are fished out and chopped. Then use bread to make ear-like "Jiaoer", and after cooking, give two "Jiaoer" and a big bowl of broth to each person who comes to ask for medicine. People eat "Jiao Er" and drink "Quhan Tang", and they are warm all over, and their ears are hot, and frostbitten ears will naturally recover.
Later generations learned the look of "Jiao Er" and packaged it into food, also called "jiaozi" or "flat food". Eating jiaozi on the winter solstice is the kindness of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", in "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction". Up to now, there is still a folk song in Nanyang, which says, "The winter solstice misbehaves the jiaozi bowl, and nobody cares if you freeze your ears.". Eat a bowl of hot jiaozi on the winter solstice, and bless yourself to get through this winter and usher in the new year.
2. The story of wonton
In addition to eating jiaozi on the northern winter solstice, another popular custom is to eat wonton. "Yanjing Years Old" records: "Winter Solstice Wonton Summer Solstice Noodles." Eating wonton on the winter solstice is popular in the north, which is related to the story of Xi Shi.
According to legend, when wuyue was fighting for hegemony, the King of Wu defeated the King of Yue, and he not only got a lot of gold and silver treasures, but also got an ingenious beauty. When I tried to eat the food made by Xi Shi with stuffing wrapped in dough, I was greatly amazed. When I asked Xi Shi what it was, Xi Shi thought that the bad king was addicted to beauty and ignored the political affairs, so he took the word "chaos" as a homonym and said it was wonton. Since then, wonton has flowed into the people. In order to commemorate the wisdom and creativity of Xi Shi, the King of Wu stipulated that wonton should be eaten at the winter solstice to commemorate it.
There is also a saying that originated from the Western Han Dynasty. It is said that eating wonton is the ancient people's pursuit of a peaceful and stable life, in order to drive away the wicked.
According to legend, in the Western Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu in the north often harassed the frontier, and the people were restless. At that time, there were two leaders of Hun tribe and Tun tribe, which were very cruel. The people hated it, so they wrapped it into a corner with meat stuffing and called it "wonton" with the sound of "muddy" and "tun". Hate and eat, and seek to calm the war and live a peaceful life. Because wonton was originally made on the winter solstice, it became a custom for every household to eat wonton on the winter solstice.
By the Southern Song Dynasty, the custom of eating wonton to worship ancestors on the winter solstice was very popular. People also think that eating wonton is a respect, memory and sacrifice to the Yellow Emperor or those who have done epoch-making things.
3. The story of glutinous rice
Compared with the north, southerners choose to eat dumplings or red bean glutinous rice on the winter solstice.
In most people's impression, eating glutinous rice balls in the southern winter solstice is related to the original name of glutinous rice balls, and glutinous rice balls have the meaning of reunion, indicating the meaning of reunion after the winter solstice, that is, the Spring Festival. Now, people often use the second explanation, that is, the meaning of reunion.
However, few people know about the custom of eating red bean glutinous rice on the winter solstice. In fact, about the cultural inheritance of red bean glutinous rice, legend has it that it is related to epidemic ghosts.
According to legend, there was a man named * * * Gong's. He had an incompetent son who died on the winter solstice and became a plague after his death, continuing to harm the people. But this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red bean rice on the winter solstice to avoid epidemic ghosts, get rid of diseases and prevent disasters.
Later, people wrapped all kinds of vegetables with glutinous rice on the winter solstice, and meat was used as stuffing, both for ancestor worship and for giving to relatives and friends.
4. The story of dog meat
As the saying goes: "When the winter comes, dog meat is fat" and "Dog meat rolls three times, and the gods can't stand still". In the cold winter, eating a delicious dog meat suddenly makes you feel warm and full of strength. Chinese medicine generally believes that dog meat has the effects of warming spleen and stomach, tonifying kidney and yang, strengthening strength and nourishing blood vessels; Eating dog meat can strengthen people's physique, improve digestion and promote blood circulation; Eating it often in winter can also enhance the cold resistance of the elderly.
In fact, there is a historical story about the custom of eating dog meat on the winter solstice, which also originated from the Han Dynasty.
Both Liu Bang and Fan Kuai are from Pei County. When Fan Kuai sold dog meat to support his family, Liu Bang often went to Fan Kuai's house to drink and eat dog meat. After a long time, Fan Kuai's wife had an opinion and muttered, "This guy Liu Bang often comes to eat dog meat and drink without giving money. Aren't you losing money if you go on like this?" Fan Kuai didn't care at first, but he couldn't stand his wife's nagging, so he had to think of a way to hide in Hedong and sell it.
When Liu Bang saw it, he said that Fan Kuai was still soft-hearted, so he ran to Hedong and said to Fan Kuai, "Brother, if I don't come to eat, can your dog meat still be sold?" Fan Kuai nodded, from early to now, did not sell a piece of dog meat. Liu Bangxiao asked Fan Kuai to cut the meat to eat. Suddenly, it smelled fragrant and made the people around him drool. People in the market swarmed and snapped it up.
Fan Kuai was stunned, and Liu Bangzhen was a man of God! Since then, the custom of eating dog meat on the winter solstice has gradually formed among the people. Nowadays, people combine health knowledge, not only eat dog meat, but also eat various nourishing foods such as mutton, in order to have a good body in the coming year.
In all kinds of legends and stories of the winter solstice, it comes down to the fact that the ancients were influenced by nature and the concept of ancestor worship, but it also reflected the ancients' pursuit of a better life. Thousands of years of good cultural genes should be passed down by us.