Jiaxing, Zhejiang.

in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, there is a traditional diet with longan and eggs. Since ancient times, Jiaxing people have attached great importance to the winter solstice, which can be seen from the common saying "The winter solstice is as big as a year". Most people born and raised in Jiaxing choose longan to burn eggs for the winter solstice night

According to the Records of Jiaxing Prefecture (Volume 34 Customs), "The winter solstice is worshipped first, and the crown is covered with greetings, such as New Year's Day instruments". Folk advocates winter solstice tonic, including red bean glutinous rice and ginseng soup; White fungus, walnut stew, longan boiled eggs, etc. Up to now, Jiaxing still inherits the custom of eating "longan and burning eggs" on the winter solstice.

Eating longan and burning eggs is a custom in Jiaxing on the winter solstice. This delicious food is stewed with longan and eggs. Eating a bowl of boiled eggs with longan in cold winter can warm our bodies.

the custom of Jiaxing

1. Burning incense of the Eight Temples

During the Republic of China, a large number of farmers (mostly middle-aged women) in Jiaxing went to the city to burn incense of the Eight Temples on the eighth day of August. Eight temples: Lengyan Temple, Jingyan Temple, Xiangfu Temple, Tianning Temple, Baozhong Temple, Jinming Temple, Dongta Temple and Chachan Temple. In addition, the "four pagodas" are burned, and the four pagodas refer to the East Pagoda, the Trench Pagoda, the True Pagoda and the Three Pagodas. Abandoned after the founding of the people's Republic of China. Mid-Autumn Festival The 15th day of August in the lunar calendar is the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as "August and a half". Eating moon cakes and enjoying the moon are the same in the whole country.

Jiaxing is unique, and there is a trip to South Lake with wine in mid-autumn night. According to the Records of Jiaxing Prefecture (Volume 34 Customs), "Girls plant poppies at night". In the early Qing Dynasty, Zhu Yizun also wrote a poem: "The autumn lights stopped with flameless scissors, and the cold dew was thick with osmanthus trees. I am afraid that I will undress and grow poppies, and the moon will be like flooding the atrium. " Poppies are planted for viewing. This custom has been abandoned for a long time.

2. Tide-watching Festival

The old custom is that August 18th is the birthday of the tide god. People often go to salt officials to watch the tide, and the modern times are more prosperous. Before the Revolution of 1911, local officials prepared three incense sticks every day to offer sacrifices to the tide gods in the Daguan Pavilion next to Zhenhai Tower, and the imperial court sometimes sent dignitaries to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Sea.