Because glutinous rice balls are a very representative food in China, their appearance is round, and they are usually eaten during the Lantern Festival, which means reunion. Eating glutinous rice balls on the Winter Solstice Festival is actually a sign of reunion, and they are usually sweet, so eating a bowl of soft glutinous and sweet glutinous rice balls on the Winter Solstice Festival means family reunion, happiness and sweetness.

Eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice actually means adding new year in ancient times, because in ancient times, the winter solstice festival was a very important solar term, which had the significance of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, so there would be various activities to worship ancestors on the winter solstice festival. When offering sacrifices to ancestors, glutinous rice balls are essential, so a bowl of glutinous rice balls must first pay homage to ancestors.

After the memorial ceremony, dumplings can't be thrown away, but should be given to the family, especially to the younger generation, which is also called "adding years", so on the winter solstice, dumplings have become one of the foods that everyone must eat.

The Origin of Eating Tangyuan on the Winter Solstice

Eating glutinous rice balls has been established in Ming and Qing dynasties. On the winter solstice, it is necessary to "make glutinous rice balls" or "powder glutinous rice balls", which are also officially recorded in historical materials. It is called "winter solstice, powder glutinous rice balls, named glutinous rice balls". After making glutinous rice balls, it is necessary to worship the gods and ancestors, and then eat glutinous rice balls around the family, which is called "adding years". Therefore, eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice is called "adding years".

Eating glutinous rice balls is a traditional custom of the winter solstice, especially in Jiangnan; The winter solstice group can be used to worship ancestors or to give gifts to relatives and friends. In the old days, Shanghainese paid the most attention to eating dumplings. The ancients said: "Every family makes dumplings with rice, knowing that it is the winter solstice of the Ming Dynasty." "Round" means "reunion" and "perfection". Eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice symbolizes family harmony and auspiciousness.