After the summer solstice, the position where the sun directly touches the ground gradually moves southward, and the days in the northern hemisphere are shortened day by day. There is a folk saying that "eating noodles on the summer solstice makes a day shorter". The following is the origin and traditional food of the summer solstice solar terms I compiled for you, hoping to help you.

the origin of the summer solstice

the summer solstice is the earliest solar term among the 24 solar terms. In the 7th century BC, the ancestors used Tugui to measure the sun's shadow, which determined the summer solstice. The annual summer solstice begins on June 21st (or 22nd) and ends on July 7th (or 8th). According to the Transcript of Compliance with the Constitution: "The sun arrives in the north, the day is long, and the shadow is short, so it is called the summer solstice. To the best, it is extremely good. " On the day of the summer solstice, the sun's direct exposure to the ground reaches the northernmost point of the year, almost directly to the Tropic of Cancer (23 26' north latitude), and the days in the northern hemisphere reach the longest, and the days get longer as you go north.

For example, the day length in Haikou, Hainan is a little over 13 hours, in Hangzhou it is 14 hours, in Beijing it is about 15 hours, and in Mohe, Heilongjiang it can reach more than 17 hours. At the same time, for the Tropic of Cancer and its northern areas, the summer solstice is also the day with the highest sun height at noon in a year. In Beijing, the height of the sun at noon on the summer solstice is as high as 73 32'.

After the summer solstice, the position where the sun directly touches the ground gradually moves to the south, and the days in the northern hemisphere begin to shorten day by day. For the Tropic of Cancer and its northern area, after the summer solstice, the noon sun height will also decrease day by day. There is a folk saying that "eating noodles on the summer solstice makes a day shorter". At this time, the southern hemisphere is in the middle of winter.

what traditional food to eat on the summer solstice

1. Dog meat

The habit of eating dog meat on the summer solstice is also popular in some places. Eating dog meat can strengthen the body. According to historical records, "Qin people use dogs to resist evil, and it is said that dog meat is suitable for summer solstice". It means that there are many epidemic diseases in summer, and it is suitable to eat dog meat in summer solstice to enhance resistance. Therefore, the custom of eating dog meat in the summer solstice has been inherited to this day.

2. Litchi

Besides eating dog meat, there is also the habit of eating litchi. Cantonese in Guangzhou and Qinzhou and Yulin in Guangxi like eating dog meat and litchi on the summer solstice very much, and they are not hot together. Eating a lot of litchi is easy to cause hypoglycemia, that is, "litchi disease", so it must be moderate.

3. Over the water

On the day of the summer solstice, all parts of Shandong want to eat cold noodles, that is, over the water, weave a delicate small hedge with wheat straw, and get noodles in the soup again and again. For children, it is not just a meal, but also a game full of fun.

4. Wonton

People in Wuxi eat wonton at noon, which means chaos and harmony. There is a folk saying: "Summer solstice wonton winter solstice group, four seasons Ankang people reunion." There is also a folk custom of weighing children after eating wonton stew, hoping that children will gain weight and be healthy.

5. Amaranth and gourd

In some areas, underage nephews and nieces will go to their parents' homes for dinner on the day of the summer solstice, and my uncle's family will prepare amaranth and gourd for cooking, which means that eating amaranth will not make you sick, and eating gourd legs will give you strength.

6, round paste

The paste is made of rice flour and cooked with leeks and other condiments, also known as round paste. "In the summer solstice, when you eat a round paste, you will tread on a stone." In the past, many farmers would put a bamboo stick on the prepared paste, insert it in the gap of the paddy field, and burn incense as a sacrifice to pray for a bumper harvest. Therefore, Shaoxing, Zhejiang still has the habit of eating round paste on the summer solstice.

7. Zongzi

Some areas in northwest China eat Zongzi on the summer solstice. In northwest China, such as Shaanxi, zongzi is eaten in this solar eclipse, and chrysanthemums are taken as ash to prevent wheat from being damaged by pests.

8. Wheat porridge

People in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province eat wheat porridge for breakfast on the summer solstice. Wheat porridge is not only delicious, invigorating the spleen and nourishing the stomach, but also delicious for people of all ages in Xian Yi. It can effectively relieve people's loss of appetite during the "bitter summer", and at the same time, it can dispel dampness and promote diuresis. It is a rare delicacy in the summer solstice.

9. Summer solstice soup

On the summer solstice, people in Changsha, Hunan Province eat soup balls made of glutinous rice flour mixed with rat's grass, which is called "Summer solstice soup". As the folk saying goes, "Eat summer solstice soup, and mashi will step into a pit", and "Eat a ball (pronounced" Tuo ") on the summer solstice, and cross the river with one foot", which means that it is extremely powerful and as light as a swallow.

1. Summer solstice cake

After the summer harvest, new wheat comes on the market, so it is a custom to eat noodles every day, and some people mix them with wheat flour and spread them into pancakes to bake cooked food. Sandwiched with vegetables, pods, tofu, and bacon, they are eaten after ancestor worship, which is commonly called "summer solstice cake".

11. Pea Cake

On the summer solstice, in the custom of old Nanjing, adults asked children to sit on the threshold and eat pea cakes to prevent all diseases. The origin of this custom is because the summer weather is hot, and people don't think much about diet, so that children can eat pea cakes first to appetize. In addition, old Nanjing will eat bowls of cold noodles and weigh themselves on the summer solstice.

12. Summer solstice eggs

Hengyang, Chenzhou, Yongzhou and Xiangxi in southern Hunan eat summer solstice eggs. On the summer solstice, the whole egg is cooked, peeled and boiled with red dates, which is called "eating summer solstice eggs". In southern Hunan, mainly Jiahe, Lanshan and Guiyang get up in the morning of the summer solstice, cook the whole egg, dye the skin of the egg with red paper or red dye, put it in a small net bag, tie it on the chest of teenagers and children, and hang it until noon or afternoon, then peel off the eggshell and eat the egg. People think that eating eggs on the summer solstice can strengthen the body and stomach and walk vigorously. As the saying goes, "The summer solstice eats eggs, but the slate is trampled." .

13. New wheat

In some parts of Shandong Province, it is a custom to cook new wheat grains to eat on the summer solstice. Children use small hedges made of new wheat stalks to get new wheat grains from soup, which is both a taste and a game.

14. Hot noodles

Some people like to eat hot noodles in hot summer, which is called "pot picking". It is said that it means "evil". Eating hot noodles is to drive away evil and sweat more to get rid of the moisture and summer heat in the human body.

15. Lettuce and cold noodles

In the past, there was a saying in old Beijing that "winter solstice wonton and summer solstice noodles". According to the customs of old Beijing, lettuce and cold noodles can be eaten as early as the summer solstice every year. Eating these raw and cold foods can effectively help reduce fire and stimulate appetite, but it will not damage your health because it is too cold. Therefore, whenever the summer solstice approaches, cold noodles and other foods begin to sell.

key points of summer solstice health care

1. Keep raw and cooked food separately

Most people intuitively think that the refrigerator is low in temperature and the food stored inside is safe.

but the refrigerator is not a "safe"! All kinds of foods are jammed, stored incorrectly, or neglected to clean the refrigerator, which will lead to the potential danger of "illness from mouth to mouth", such as acute gastroenteritis and even "food poisoning", so it is necessary to separate raw and cooked foods.

2. Avoid eating cold at night

Summer nights are short, and you should be careful not to eat cold and sticky things at night, otherwise you will have abdominal distension, vomiting and diarrhea.

3, "bitter" taste for health

The hot summer often makes people upset, while the annoyance is even hotter, which will affect the functional activities of the human body and thus have many adverse effects on the spirit.

Momordica charantia can relieve the heat in the heart and eliminate toxins in the body. Cold salad is recommended to keep the vitamins contained in bitter gourd.

4. Drink plenty of water to prevent acute myocardial infarction

During the summer solstice, the temperature is high, and a lot of water in the human body is lost. If water is not replenished in time at this time, the blood volume of the human body will be reduced, and the brain will be short of blood supply, which will easily induce acute myocardial infarction and cerebral thrombosis. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish water in the summer solstice.

5. Resting and regulating the heart

According to the five elements theory of traditional Chinese medicine, summer is the season of nourishing the heart, and it should be "always like ice and snow in the heart", that is, "the heart is calm and naturally cool". Listening to slow music is a good way to adjust your breath. Soothing music can help you slow down your breathing and give your heart a rest.

6. Warm water bathing

Warm water bathing can reduce the excitability of nervous system, accelerate blood circulation, improve the nutrition of skin and tissues, reduce muscle tension, eliminate fatigue, improve sleep and enhance resistance.

7. Exercise properly

The best time for exercise is in the early morning or in the evening when the weather is cooler. The venue can be in places with fresh air such as rivers and lakes, parks and courtyards. Walking, playing Tai Ji Chuan and doing radio gymnastics are the best exercise items, and strenuous exercise is not suitable.

8. Take sun protection measures when going out

During the summer solstice, avoid exposure to strong sunlight. When going out, take sun protection measures, such as umbrella, sun hat and sunscreen. You can also carry Dan, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, ten drops of water, cool oil, etc.