What does Guangdong eat in summer solstice to dispel evil and strengthen the body?

In summer solstice, the diet needs to be light, but Cantonese people have a different custom of eating dog meat, and there has always been a proverb, such as "dogs have nowhere to hide from summer solstice". Then, let the old calendar tell you what to eat during the summer solstice in Guangdong. Eating dogs can dispel evil spirits and strengthen the body.

Cantonese people have the habit of eating dog meat, especially in Yangjiang. According to relevant data, the solstice of killing dogs in summer originated in the Warring States period, and Qin Degong ascended the throne the following year. The weather is very hot in June, and epidemics are prevalent. Qin Degong ordered his subjects to kill dogs to ward off evil spirits according to the saying that "dogs are yang animals, which can bring misfortune", and later formed the custom of killing dogs in summer solstice. The folk song "long summer, food tonic" also shows that tonic began in the long summer. Eating dog meat and litchi in the summer of solstice is a "patent" that Lingnan people want to eat.

It is said that dog meat and lychee are not spicy in summer solstice, and there is another saying that "winter solstice fish give birth to summer solstice dogs". Therefore, the habit of eating dog meat and litchi from summer solstice has continued to this day. There is a folk saying that "dogs have no way to go in summer solstice", which means that many dogs are killed in summer solstice and have no way to escape.

According to folk sayings, dog meat is warm, invigorates vitality and is hot and dry. It is only suitable for eating in autumn and winter. Eating dog meat in summer will get angry, and external heat and internal heat are harmful to the body. But the solstice in summer is an exception. Eating dog meat on the solstice in summer is not only not hot, but also good for your health. It may be true that we live together.

It is based on this beautiful wish that the unique folk food culture of "dog meat in summer solstice" came into being. The only difference from the folk tradition is that with the continuous improvement of people's living standards, the scene of killing dogs by every household in summer solstice no longer exists. However, every household's habit of eating dog meat remains the same. The only difference is that they buy more food than they kill.

The custom of eating dog meat in summer has been passed down to this day. On the one hand, there are reasons for avoiding evil spirits. Some citizens think that "eating dog meat on the solstice in summer can be full of vitality and luck" and "can be promoted to get rich"; On the other hand, it is because dog meat nourishes and warms the stomach. After the summer solstice, farmers must harvest and cultivate, and their physical strength is very abundant. Eating dog meat can strengthen their physical strength. Dog meat is a popular food, so now many people just taste it symbolically. Many people will drink a bowl of herbal tea before and after eating dog meat.