In ancient times, the first day of the first month was the beginning of a year, which was called "January Day", "New Year's Day", "Duanri Day" and "Shuori Day", which is now the Spring Festival. Year is the product of the calendar. Only by making a calendar can we calculate the length of the year and month and the specific time of January, and the determination of the winter solstice is the key to making a calendar. There is a saying that the solstice of winter comes first, and then the January day.
To calculate the calendar of a year, we must first set a starting point, which is called the calendar. It is said that the Yellow Emperor lived a long life, observed the movement of the sun, the moon and the stars, and took the winter solstice of the 11th New Moon Jiazi as the calendar, thus establishing the first calendar in China-the Yellow Emperor Calendar, and took the winter solstice of the first New Moon Jiazi in Jiazi year as the Yuan Day. From this point of view, there is a good winter first, and then a Yuan day, so "winter"
A brief introduction to the winter custom of solstice
1, eat red bean porridge
Before Laba porridge appeared, there was a custom of drinking "red bean glutinous rice porridge" on the solstice in winter. According to Jingchu Chunqiu, it is said that Gong, the water god, is a gifted scholar who often does evil. He died in the solstice winter and became an epidemic ghost. "He is an upright man, afraid of red beans, pretending that red bean porridge is a curse." Because it is said that epidemic ghosts are most afraid of red beans, people will cook red bean rice or red bean glutinous rice in winter solstice to drive away epidemic ghosts and prevent diseases.
Step 2 eat "wonton"
There is a saying in old Beijing that "winter solstice wonton, summer solstice noodles". According to legend, during the Han Dynasty, the northern border was often harassed by Huns, and the people were restless. At that time, there were two khans in Xiongnu tribe, Xiongnu and Tun, which were very cruel. The people hated it, so they wrapped it into a corner with meat stuffing and called it "wonton" with the sound of "muddy" and "swallowing". I hate eating, and pray that the war will subside and the people will live a peaceful life as soon as possible.
Baidu encyclopedia-winter solstice