What are the customs of winter solstice?

First, offering sacrifices to heaven and ancestors:

Since the Zhou Dynasty, there has been a ritual activity for the winter solstice. Zhou Li Chun Guan Shen Shi: "With the winter solstice, ghosts and gods all come."

On this day, many places will worship ancestors, and even the poorest families will take out their usual savings to buy new clothes and prepare sacrificial supplies.

Second, the traditional diet:

Every place in winter has its own special cuisine, such as jiaozi in the north, Chaoshan Tangyuan, Southeast Mashi, Yuan Lei in Taizhou, Pumpkin Cake in Hefei, Ningbo Sweet Potato Soup, Tengzhou Mutton Soup, Jiangnan Rice, Suzhou Brewing and so on.

The custom of eating jiaozi in the north is to commemorate the medical saint Zhang Zhongjing, who gave up medicine on the solstice of winter.

Liu Jiafan is from Chaoshan. Remember when I was a child in my hometown. On the solstice of winter, my parents will stick two winter festival rings on the doors and windows of my house, and some people will put them in conspicuous places such as tables, cabinets, ladders and beds. Fishermen's bows, farmers' horns, pig houses for raising pigs and fruit trees planted by fruit farmers are no exception. This is a sacrifice to the gods and the world to protect the family.

Three, winter solstice health:

Winter solstice is one of the most important solar terms in health preservation, mainly because "winter solstice is sunny", so women and the elderly should pay special attention to keep warm and cold on this day. At the same time, you can soak your feet at night, supplement them appropriately, and eat some foods that nourish and protect your liver, such as spinach, celery, pig liver and so on.

Extended data:

The origin of winter solstice:

The winter solstice is recorded in the literature. As early as 2500 years ago in the Spring and Autumn Period, people began to celebrate the winter solstice. According to records, in the Zhou and Qin Dynasties, November was the first month, and the solstice in winter was the beginning of the year. In other words, people celebrate the New Year on this day.

Hanshu said: "The sun is the spirit from winter to day, and the ruler is the dragon, so congratulations ..." In addition, there is a cloud: the ancients thought that the sun was the spirit of heaven and earth, and it was a "lucky day" from winter to day, that is, the next cycle.

There is also a saying that the winter solstice originated in the Han Dynasty as a festival. The winter solstice is a "winter festival", so it is regarded as a big festival. There is a saying that "the winter solstice is as big as a year".

Baidu encyclopedia-winter solstice