1, welcome winter
Lidong and spring, summer, autumn, collectively known as the four Li, an important festival in ancient society. In the past, it was a farming society, laboring for a year, using the day of winter to rest and reward the family for their hard work. The proverb, "Ridong is the best way to make up for the winter, and to make up for the empty mouth" is the best analogy. In ancient times, this day, the son of heaven has out of the countryside to welcome the winter ritual, and give the officials winter clothes, the system of compassion for widows and orphans. The later generations are largely the same. Lu Shi Chun Qiu. Yu Dong (盂冬):"It was the month when winter was established. The first three days of winter, Taishi visited the Son of Heaven, saying: 'A certain day to establish winter, Shengde in the water.' The son of heaven is fasting. On the day of winter, the son of heaven personally rate three dukes and nine ministers to welcome winter in the northern suburbs. Also, is rewarding the dead, compassionate widows and orphans." Gao Yuxi's note: "Those who died in the king's service to secure the countryside and the earth and grain were rewarded by their descendants; those who were orphaned or widowed were given compassionate treatment." Jin Cui Bao "Ancient and Modern Note": "Han Wendi to winter day to give the palace service to the grace of the person and the hundred officials to wear a jacket." And "the big hat of the rocky old man wild clothes, Wei Wendi imperial decree of the hundred officials often to winter day of the noble and lowly through wear, called the warm hat."
2, He winter
He winter is also known as the "winter worship", in the Han Dynasty, there is this custom. The Eastern Han Dynasty, Cui Ding, "Four People's Monthly Order": "Winter solstice day into the wine and food, congratulations on the visit to the master of the elders, as on the day." In the Song Dynasty, people change new clothes on this day, celebrating the exchange, as in the New Year's Day. Qing dynasty "to the day for the winter solstice, the court, the scholarly family to congratulate the elders, but also out of the visit. Fine people of both sexes, also must be more fresh clothes to greet each other, called "worship winter." (See Gu Lu "Qing Jia Lu" Volume XI). Since the Republic of China, the traditional customs of winter greetings seem to have a tendency to simplify. But some activities, gradually fixed, programmed, more universal. Such as winter school, worship activities, are held in the winter.
Some places to celebrate the winter way also have innovation, in Heilongjiang Harbin, Henan Shangqiu, Jiangxi Yichun, Wuhan, Hubei and other places on the day of winter, winter swimming enthusiasts have used winter swimming this way to meet the arrival of winter. Winter swimming, whether in the north or the south, is a favorite method of physical exercise in winter.
3, eat dumplings
The original name of the dumplings is allegedly called "Jiao Er", which was first invented by Zhang Zhongjing, the sage of Chinese medicine. The story of his "Cold-removing Jiao Er Soup" is still circulating in Chinese folklore. "Winter does not end the bowl of dumplings, freezing off the ear no one care", winter means the arrival of winter, the day is cool, the ear is exposed to the outside is easy to get frostbite, so eat some dumplings look like the ear, make up for the ear, which is the most intimate care of the family to their loved ones.
Why eat dumplings in winter? The reason for this is the fact that the dumplings come from the expression "the time of the handing over of the son". The first three days of Lunar New Year is the intersection of the old year and the new year, and the first day of winter is the intersection of the fall and winter seasons, so you can't afford not to eat dumplings at the time of the intersection of the old year and the new year. Modern people continue this ancient custom, and on the first day of winter, all kinds of dumplings sell like hot cakes. "Dumplings are the most indispensable food at the turn of autumn and winter. In the northern region, especially in Beijing, what are the customs of winter: Tianjin area has the custom of eating dumplings in winter.
China's Hedong Shuixi "old Tianjin Wei" settlement, winter has eaten bonobo dumplings custom. The bonobo is also known as wugua, what are the customs of the winter: fanggua, what are the customs of the winter: rice melon and northern melon, is a common vegetable in the north. Generally, the Japanese melon is bought in the summer, stored in the hut or on the windowsill, after a long period of saccharification, in the winter solstice day to make dumplings stuffed with flavor that is the same as the cabbage, but also with the summer Japanese melon stuffing different, but also ??? vinegar and garlic to eat, a special flavor.
4, winter swimming
Interestingly, the way to celebrate winter is now also innovative, in Harbin, on the day of winter, the winter swimming association of Heilongjiang Province, the children across the Songhua River, in this way to meet the arrival of winter. For winter swimming enthusiasts, it is important to have a certain foundation and make gradual progress. They should insist on going into the water every day from the time the weather warms up and continue to exercise. In addition, it is important to choose a location for winter swimming that is familiar with the conditions of the water and bank. If you are not familiar with the water and the bank, you should not go into the water easily in order to avoid accidents. Also, travel in pairs so that you can take care of each other.
In fact, whether indoor or outdoor sports, it is necessary to do a good job of preparatory activities. Because, in winter, the venue, what are the customs of winter: the density of equipment and other increased, the impact on the human body also increased. Moreover, when it is cold, the human body's muscles, what are the customs of winter: joint tissue mobility is reduced, with a certain degree of inertia, so the exercise is more to do a good job of full preparatory activities, step by step.
5, make up for the winter
After the winter, it means that this year's winter is officially coming. Grass and trees withered, dormant insects dormant, the activities of all things tend to rest. Although there is no human hibernation, but folk winter winter custom. In the south, people will eat some nourishing yin and yang, higher calorie food, such as chicken, duck, fish and meat, some will also be cooked with Chinese medicine to increase the efficacy of medicinal tonic.
Winter tonic eating cream is the old tradition of Suzhou people over the winter. In the old days in Suzhou, some big families also use red ginseng, what are the customs of the winter: cinnamon, what are the customs of the winter: walnut meat, in the winter soup drink, there is a tonic blood to help the efficacy of Yang. Usually every winter season, Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as some of the old pharmacy will be opened specifically to supplement the clinic, for the public to boil ointment, the sale of winter tonic health care products.
According to the memories of some old people in Changzhou, there was a trend of making up for the winter in the old days, and people who had labored for a year took advantage of the winter to take a rest on this day, and rewarded the family for their hard work over the year. There is a proverb "winter fill winter, fill mouth empty" is the best analogy, so every winter, the major hospitals cream clinic began to heat up.
6, winter school
Winter night is the longest, and is the idle season, in this season to do "winter school" is the best time. Winter school non-formal education, there are a variety of nature: such as "literacy classes", enrollment of adult men and women, aimed at literacy; "training classes" enrollment of people with a certain degree of expertise, professional knowledge training, training of human resources; "general study classes The "general study class" mainly improves culture and popularizes scientific and technological knowledge. Winter school site, mostly located in the temple or public housing. Teachers are mainly employed in the village or outside the village to undertake, appropriate remuneration.
7, worship
Winter, many villages are held in worship activities, is the season for students to visit teachers. After winter, the towns and villages school director (school administrators), led by parents and students, the upper plate (plate put four dishes, what are the customs of winter: a pot of wine, what are the customs of winter: a wine glass), carrying fruit and snacks to the school to pay tribute to the teacher, is called "worship teacher".
Some teachers' families, in the winter or the winter solstice this day, like a big event, hosted a banquet to worship students. In the court room hanging statue of Confucius, with the inscription "great to the holy master Confucius". Students in front of the statue of Confucius to perform a crisp worship, chanting: "Confucius, Confucius, great Confucius! There was no Confucius before Confucius, and who will be like Confucius after Confucius!" Then the students greeted the teacher, and after the salute, the students divided into groups to do some chores at the teacher's home.
7, ancestor sacrifices to the sky
Old times, the day of the winter, people also held ancestor sacrifices to the sky. Even if the busy farmers have to rest at home for a day, kill chickens and slaughter sheep, prepare seasonal delicacies, on the one hand, sacrifices to ancestors, in order to fulfill the obligations and responsibilities of the children and grandchildren; on the one hand, sacrifices to the heavens, thanks to heaven for the gift of a good year, and prayed for heaven to give the next year of wind and rain; and after the ceremony of the rituals of the wine and food can also be a year of hard work for the farmers to treat themselves well.