What is the origin of the custom of eating jiaozi on the winter solstice?
Zhang Zhongjing is a native of Gedong, Nanyang. He wrote Treatise on Febrile Diseases, which is a masterpiece of doctors and is regarded as a classic by doctors of all ages. Zhang Zhongjing has a famous saying: "If you advance, you will save the world; if you retreat, you will save the people;" You can't be a good doctor, but also a good doctor. " ?
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as the prefect of Changsha, visiting the sick and applying medicine, and practicing medicine in the lobby. Later, he resolutely resigned and returned to his hometown to treat his neighbors. When he returned home, it was winter. He saw that the villagers on both sides of the Baihe River were sallow and emaciated, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. He asked his disciples to set up a medical shed and a cauldron in Dongguan, Nanyang, and offer "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction" to cure chilblain on the winter solstice. ?
He boiled mutton, peppers and some herbs for dispelling cold in a pot, then fished out the mutton and medicines, chopped them up, and lived them with bread. They looked like ears, so they were named "Jiao 'er". After cooking, give each person who comes to ask for medicine two "jiao Er" and a big bowl of broth. People ate "Jiao Er" and drank "Quhan Tang", and they were warm all over, with fever in both ears and frostbitten ears cured. Later generations learned the look of "Jiao Er" and packaged it into food, also called "jiaozi" or "flat food". ?
Since then, the custom of making "soup for dispelling cold and charming ears" on the winter solstice has been handed down, and gradually evolved into the custom of making jiaozi food on the winter solstice. Therefore, eating jiaozi on the winter solstice is also the kindness of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", in "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction". This is the origin of eating jiaozi on the winter solstice.
The origin of the winter solstice festival
Since ancient times, China has attached great importance to the winter solstice festival. In the pre-Qin period, there was a ritual of offering sacrifices to ghosts and gods on the winter solstice; After the evolution and development of time, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the winter solstice crossing in the north and south showed different development trends. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, it was quite lively to celebrate the winter solstice in the north, and there was also a saying that the winter solstice was as big as a year in the south.
Due to the gap between the lunar calendar and the solar calendar, the winter solstice season in China is generally around1February 2 1 day ~23 every year, and the night of the winter solstice is very long. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, 24 solar terms was used to guide the agricultural calendar, mainly using the average time method to divide the solar terms, so the date between the winter solstice and the next winter solstice was called Zhongqi.
In addition to the custom of eating jiaozi, the Winter Solstice Festival also has the customs of offering sacrifices in winter, praying for blessings, eating dumplings, fighting cold in the ninth year, eating glutinous rice balls, eating rice dumplings and so on.
Introduction to other customs of winter solstice festival
1, eat glutinous rice balls. Eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice is a traditional custom in China, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. Eating dumplings on the winter solstice is also called "winter solstice dumplings"; Tangyuan can be used to worship ancestors or to give gifts to relatives and friends.
2. Eat wonton. Many places in our country have the custom of eating wonton on the winter solstice. According to "Yanjing Years Old", on the winter solstice, people in Jingshi eat more wonton. In the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a custom of eating wonton on the winter solstice in Lin 'an. People in the Song Dynasty said carefully that people in Lin 'an ate wonton on the winter solstice to worship their ancestors.
3. Eat red bean glutinous rice. In Jiangnan water town, there is a custom that the whole family get together on the night of the winter solstice to eat red beans and glutinous rice. People cook red bean rice on the winter solstice to ward off epidemic ghosts and prevent diseases.
4. Eat soba noodles. Every winter solstice in Zhejiang and other places, the whole family, men, women and children, should gather together, and the married daughter should also rush back to her husband's family. Every household should make buckwheat noodles to eat. According to custom, eating buckwheat on the winter solstice can remove pig hair and chicken feathers from the stomach.
6. Eat dog meat. There is a custom of eating dog meat in Guizhou and other areas on the winter solstice. It is said that the custom of eating dog meat on the winter solstice began in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu, ate dog meat cooked by Fan Kuai on the winter solstice, which made him feel particularly delicious and full of praise. Since then, the custom of eating dog meat on the winter solstice has been formed among the people. Now people in Guizhou and other areas are eating dog meat, mutton and various nourishing foods on the winter solstice in order to have a good omen for the coming year.
The above is about the origin of eating jiaozi on the Winter Solstice Festival, the origin of the Winter Solstice Festival, and the related customs of the Winter Solstice. I hope I can help you ~ ~