2. The origin of Shoutao
According to legend, Sun Bin/Kloc-left his hometown at the age of 0/8 and went to Yunmeng Mountain thousands of miles away to study the art of war with Guiguzi as his teacher. It was twelve years since I left. On the fifth day of May that year, Sun Bin suddenly thought, "Today is my mother's eightieth birthday." So I asked the master for leave to go home and visit my mother. The master picked a peach and gave it to Sun Bin, saying, "You failed to repay your mother's kindness while studying abroad. I will give you a peach to take back to your mother for her birthday." Sun Bin returned home, holding out the peaches sent by the master from her arms to her mother. I didn't expect the old mother to look younger before she finished eating the peach, and the whole family was very happy.
People heard that Sun Bin's mother became younger after eating peaches and wanted her parents to live a long and healthy life, so they all followed Sun Bin's example and sent fresh peaches to their parents for their birthdays. However, fresh peaches are seasonal, so people make birthday peaches out of flour to celebrate their parents' birthday in the season when there are no fresh peaches.
Giving birthday peaches is one of the traditional folk customs in China, which symbolizes the filial piety of the younger generation to the older generation. Whenever the elderly celebrate their birthdays, children should give birthday peaches to the elderly to wish them health, longevity and happiness. In the old days, people thought that old people would become younger and live longer after eating longevity peaches.
Why do peaches occupy such an important position when celebrating their birthday? This is probably related to the belief of ancient China people in peach trees and the myths and legends of the Queen Mother of the West. "Divine Classic" records: "There is a tree in the East, which is fifty feet high and named peach. His son's diameter is three feet three inches, which is delicious and makes people live longer. " It can be seen that peach trees are immortal trees, and their fruits can prolong life.
It is also recorded in "Notes on the Picking Up": "It's too late for Pangyan Mountain to go to Fusang for 50,000 miles. In the cold, peach trees are surrounded by thousands of flowers, and their flowers are blue and black. Long live a meal. " The peach trees on this mountain are "long live and eat", and eating people can certainly prolong life.
Xu Jian's Book of Beginners in the Tang Dynasty, Volume 28, quoted Canon, saying: "Peach lovers are the essence of five trees. Therefore, the evil spirits are suppressed, and hundreds of ghosts are suppressed. Therefore, today's people make peaches and doors to suppress evil spirits. This fairy wood is also. " It has been officially recognized here that peach trees are immortal trees. Since they are called "immortals", they certainly have the meaning of longevity.
Shoutao was not called Shoutao in Nanjing in Ming Dynasty, but called Guitao. Turtle and peach evolved from face turtle and face peach. "Sacrifice Records" said that in ancient times, turtles were made of flour and peaches were used to pray for longevity. Later, they were simplified into one, and they were called turtles and peaches in the middle of the Ming Dynasty.
Throughout the ages, the Chinese people have been particularly proficient in eating this piece. Even ordinary food can make all kinds of tricks. This time, we talked about the origin of Shoutao and the story of Shoutao. Our Chinese food is full of wonders. Only you can't imagine that there is no Chinese food that you can't eat. This is China's ancient culture "Shoutao".