What do people mean when they say that the solstice of winter is a New Year?

In the Yin period, the year ended on the day before the winter solstice, and the last 24 solar terms were headed by the winter solstice. Therefore, there is a folk proverb in China that the solstice in winter is as big as a year.

The winter solstice is also called "off-year". First of all, it shows that the year is coming, and when the winter solstice comes, the New Year is just around the corner, so the ancients thought that the winter solstice was as important as the New Year. The second is to show the importance of the winter solstice. The solstice in winter has both natural and humanistic connotations. It is not only a natural solar term, but also a traditional festival to worship ancestors.

In the winter solstice festival, due to the solar term "the sun shines on the winter solstice and the sun shines on the heavens and the earth", the ancients thought that since the winter solstice, the sun shines on the heavens and the earth, so the ancients regarded the winter solstice as an auspicious day, and sacrificed gods and ancestors in the winter solstice, forming a festival custom.

Extended data:

The custom of winter solstice:

1, pay for ancestor worship.

There is a proverb in Shaanxi: "The solstice in winter is as big as a year. If you don't take a vacation, you won't give money." The solstice in winter is like a festival, and the host refuses to rest. "In other words, the solstice in winter is as important as the Spring Festival in China, and students, long-term workers and short-term workers have holidays.

In the past, domestic helpers used to settle their wages with their employers during the winter solstice and then prepare to go home. Traditionally, the host will hold a banquet to entertain the guys and discuss the affairs of next year with each other. Today, some rural self-employed people still keep this custom, holding banquets and drinking alcohol on the winter solstice.

2. jiaozi in the north and Mariko in the south.

As we all know, jiaozi is eaten in the north and Tangyuan is eaten in the south.

3. Uncle menstruation sent shoes and hosted a banquet for the teacher.

In the winter solstice festival, there is also the custom of giving shoes, which has a very old origin. Later, the custom of sending shoes to uncles and aunts gradually became that uncles and aunts sent shoes and hats to nephews, mainly reflected in children. It used to be mainly hand embroidery.

In the winter solstice, the old custom is that teachers are entertained by respected people in the village. Teacher Wang will lead the students to worship Confucius memorial tablet. Then the students will be led by respected people, Miss Bai. Now, Shaanxi still has the custom of inviting teachers to dinner on the winter solstice. Northwest Shanxi is used to entertaining teachers with stewed mutton, which is very affectionate.

Baidu encyclopedia-winter solstice

Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia-Chinese New Year from winter to Sunday

People's Daily Online-Winter solstice custom: Go to the grave to worship ancestors and entertain teachers.