the winter solstice is a very important solar term in the Chinese lunar calendar, and it is also a traditional festival. Up to now, there are still many places that have the custom of the winter solstice festival. The winter solstice is commonly known as "winter festival", "long solstice festival" and "sub-year-old". As early as the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,5 years ago, our country had determined the winter solstice by observing the sun with Tugui, which was the earliest one of the 24 solar terms.
In ancient China, the winter solstice was divided into three phases: "First, earthworms knot; Two-phase angular solution; Three waiting for the spring to move. " Legend has it that earthworms are creatures with yin bending and yang stretching. At this time, although the yang has grown, the yin is still very strong, and the earthworms in the soil are still curled up. Mi and deer belong to the same family, but the yin and yang are different. The ancients thought that Mi's horns were facing the afterlife, so it was yin, while the winter solstice was a yang, and Mi felt that Yin gradually retreated and solved the angle. Because the yang is born, the spring water in the mountain can flow and be warm at this time.
It takes about 1 hours from sunrise to sunset in most parts of southern China. After the winter solstice, as the earth moves in orbit around the sun, the direct sunlight zone gradually moves northward, making the days in the northern hemisphere gradually grow and the nights gradually shorten. On the winter solstice, although the sun has the lowest height and the shortest sunshine time, the ground absorbs more heat than it loses. After the winter solstice, it begins to count nine, and every nine days is a "nine". Before and after the "March 9th", the heat accumulated on the ground was the least, and the weather was the coldest. There is a folk saying in China that "it is cold in the March 9th and hot in the dog days".
In ancient China, great attention was paid to the winter solstice, which was regarded as a big festival. There was a saying that the winter solstice was as big as a year, and there was a custom to celebrate it. "Han Shu" said: "The sun is shining on the winter solstice, and the monarch is long, so congratulations." People think that after the winter solstice, the days are getting longer and the sun's spirit is rising, which is the beginning of a solar cycle and an auspicious day and should be celebrated. The Book of Jin records that "Wei, Jin and Winter Solstice were celebrated by all nations and hundreds of people?" Its instrument is inferior to Zhengdan. " Explain the importance attached to the winter solstice in ancient times.
customs and activities of winter solstice in different places
1. Eating jiaozi jiaozi in the north, also known as Jiaozi, is an ancient traditional pasta, and northerners always eat jiaozi on the 3th. And "the winter solstice is as big as a year", of course, it is also a day to eat jiaozi. There is a folk saying that "on October 1st, when the winter solstice comes, every household will eat dumplings". According to legend, eating dumplings on the winter solstice is also related to Zhang Zhongjing, a Chinese medical scientist. jiaozi was invented by him, originally named "Jiao Er". He used "Quhan Jiao Er Tang" to treat many poor people whose ears were damaged by hunger and cold at that time. People also ate jiaozi on the New Year and the winter solstice to commemorate him. There is still a saying that eating jiaozi on the winter solstice will not freeze your ears.
2. People in Ningxia eat "brains"
On the winter solstice in Yinchuan, Ningxia, they eat a kind of delicious food called "brains". The "brain" is actually the mutton powder soup jiaozi, which is made of mutton and mushrooms, onion, ginger, garlic, pepper, salt and soy sauce. After boiling, cut pieces and soaked vermicelli are added, and then chopped garlic sprouts, parsley and leek are put in, and a pot of mutton powder soup is made. It is also a special snack in Yinchuan.
3. Eating glutinous rice balls in Shanghai
Eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice is also called "Winter Solstice Group", which is particularly popular in the south of the Yangtze River. According to historical records, this custom existed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the old days, Shanghainese were most particular about eating glutinous rice balls, which meant "perfection" and "reunion" and symbolized family harmony and auspiciousness. The winter solstice group can also be used to worship ancestors and give gifts to relatives and friends.
4. Suzhou people remember Xi Shi when they eat wonton on the winter solstice
Suzhou was the capital of Wu 2,5 years ago, and the ancestor of Wu was a descendant of King Tai of Zhou, who once took the winter solstice as the beginning of a year in the calendar of Zhou Dynasty, so the ancient city of Suzhou still has the custom of "the winter solstice is as big as a year".
On the winter solstice, Suzhou people also have the custom of eating wonton. According to legend, the prince of Wu, who was tired of eating delicacies, had no appetite, so beauty Xi Shi went into the imperial kitchen and wrapped up a snack for him. The king of Wu ate a big bowl in one breath and repeatedly asked, "What kind of snack is this, so delicious?" Xi Shi thought, "The muddled monarch can't get away from chaos, so he casually replied," Chaos. " Later, in order to commemorate the delicious food created by Xi Shi, Suzhou people designated wonton as the food for the Winter Solstice Festival.
5. Worship ancestors and eat sweet pills on the winter solstice in Chaoshan area
In Chaoshan area, the winter solstice is also called "Little Chinese New Year", which is a big folk festival. On this day, ordinary people should prepare enough three kinds of animals and fruits, such as pork, chicken and fish, go to the ancestral temple to worship their ancestors, and then their families will gather around the table for a meal. In coastal areas, it is necessary to worship the ancestors before the fishermen go fishing, pray for the fishermen, and ask the gods and ancestors to bless their safe return from the sea.
there is a saying in Chaoshan that "eating the winter festival round is one year older", in which "the winter festival round" is the glutinous rice balls, which are also called sweet pills in Chaoshan area. The custom of eating sweet pills on the winter solstice is almost universal in Chaoshan area. A long time ago, these sweet pills were not only used for eating, but also pasted on the roofs and beams of their own houses. First, the sweet pills were round, indicating a bumper harvest and family reunion next year, and second, they were used to thank the mice for sending five-grain seeds to farmers. Nowadays, people don't stick sweet pills, but the custom of eating glutinous rice balls on the Winter Solstice Festival is still spread to this day.
6. Eating red bean glutinous rice on the Winter Solstice Festival in Jiangnan Water Town
In Jiangnan Water Town in China, it is a custom for the whole family to get together on the night of the Winter Solstice to eat red bean glutinous rice.
According to legend, * * * Gong's family was a gifted scholar who did many evils and died on the winter solstice. After his death, he became an epidemic ghost and continued to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red beans and glutinous rice on the winter solstice to ward off the epidemic ghost and prevent disasters.
7. People in Hangzhou eat rice cakes three times a day.
People in Hangzhou like to eat rice cakes on the winter solstice to celebrate. Every winter solstice, cakes are made to worship ancestors or give gifts to relatives and friends. In the diet, three meals will make rice cakes with different flavors, such as rice cakes mixed with sesame powder and sugar, fried rice cakes with shredded pork and so on. People in Hangzhou eat rice cakes on the winter solstice for good luck, which means getting older.
All kinds of winter solstice eating customs in China are still widely spread, which shows the important influence of this day on people's farming, work and daily life. Indeed, the winter solstice is the arrival of the cathode, and the sun is the spirit. After that, there are slight chills, severe chills and the number of nine, which indicates that the coldest day of the year is coming. Therefore, we should pay more attention to keep warm in winter after the winter solstice, and eat more warm food in the diet to enhance our ability to keep out the cold.