The winter of solstice is the beginning of the Han dynasty, so there is a proverb in Wuxi: the winter will increase to solstice one year later. Wuxi, located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province, has been a land of plenty since ancient times. The province's economy is the second and the country's ninth. Wuxi people also attach great importance to the solar terms of winter solstice, such as "fat winter is rare", "winter solstice within a year" and "winter solstice competition within a year"
On the solstice of winter, the emperor offered sacrifices to heaven and earth. In ancient China, twenty-four solar terms were used to measure time, and the winter solstice was one of them, usually 15 days after heavy snow. At this time, the shortest day and night in the northern hemisphere marks the end of the winter and spring seasons, that is, the time for the winter and spring seasons to change. About the winter solstice festival, it has a long history. In the Zhou Dynasty, November is the first month, so the solstice in winter is the beginning of a year, which is what we usually call the New Year today.
traditional custom
Although the summer calendar will change later, the old customs still exist. Therefore, the number of people in Wuxi increased one year after winter, and it is commonly known as "Tiansui" to the day. People in Wuxi attach great importance to the winter solstice, and the day before the winter solstice is called "the night of winter solstice" Wuxi people want to fast and worship their ancestors. The ceremony is similar to New Year's Eve, except that there are fewer sacrifices, usually three meats and three vegetables.
On the night of winter solstice, the family will get together for winter solstice dinner. If you are out of town and can't go home, be sure to reserve a seat, put a pair of dishes and symbolically hold something to eat to show your reunion. People in Wuxi have the custom of "eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter". On the night of winter solstice, every household wraps jiaozi with glutinous rice flour. Therefore, there is a poem that says: every family gets together to eat rice, and everyone knows that this is the winter solstice of the Ming Dynasty.
Reference to the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Wuxi