Legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, a medical sage who was then the prefect of Changsha, went back to his hometown in Nanyang to visit relatives one winter and walked to the bank of the Baihe River. He saw many poor people naked, their hands and feet were frostbitten, and some even their ears were frozen. Zhang Zhongjing was particularly sad to see the villagers in this situation. Zhang Zhongjing, who is pregnant with superb medical skills, lamented that the lives of ordinary people were too sad in this period of turbulent times and poor people, so he hoped to do something for the villagers with his medical skills.
He asked his deacon to build a shed in an open space in Dongguan, Nanyang, put a big pot on the plate, and opened it on the winter solstice day to give medicine to the poor to treat frostbite. The medicine is called Quhan Jiaoer Decoction. The practice is to use pepper and some cold-dispelling medicinal materials to boil in a pot. After cooking, take out the mutton medicine and chop it up, and put it into the pot with a face bag in the shape of an ear. Then give it to people who come to ask for medicine, and each person will give a big bowl of soup and two charming ears. People eat jiao 'er and drink Quhan decoction, but they feel warm all over and their ears are hot.
After that, on the winter solstice every year, people will eat jiaozi with food such as herbs for expelling cold+mutton and peppers. On the one hand, to commemorate Zhang Zhongjing's medical skills and merits, on the other hand, it can really play a role in expelling cold and keeping warm. It is said that eating jiaozi on this day will not freeze your ears.
The custom of winter solstice
1, Drinking: In some places, people also drink alcohol on the winter solstice to celebrate the festival and enhance the yang in the body. In ancient times, the winter solstice festival was regarded as an important day, and people would hold sacrificial activities to commemorate and celebrate this day. At the same time, people will also entertain visiting relatives and friends on this day and invite them to drink together.
2. Eat dumplings: Tangyuan is another famous food on the Winter Solstice Day. It is usually made of glutinous rice flour, and the stuffing is red bean paste and sesame paste. It symbolizes reunion and integrity.
3. Eat chicken: In some areas in the south, people will eat chicken on the winter solstice, which is symbolic of honor and celebration. In ancient times, chicken was regarded as a noble food, so eating chicken on the winter solstice also represented wealth and good luck.
4. Eat Pumpkins: On the winter solstice, people in some areas in the south will eat pumpkins because they are rich in nutrition and easy to store. Pumpkin can also be used to cook porridge or stew soup, which is a nutritious food.