The origin and custom of summer vacation (excerpt)

Summer solar term is the fourteenth solar term among the twenty-four solar terms, and it is also the second solar term in autumn. After summer, the heat will slowly dissipate. How much do you know about the origin and customs of summer heat? Let's take a look at the Origin and Customs of Summer (Selected) with me. I hope you will like it and welcome your reference!

According to the 24 solar terms, the origin of the summer heat: "Go, go, the summer heat stops here." It means that the hot summer is coming to an end. Although the average daily temperature in Beijing, Tai, An, Cheng, Gui and the vast areas east and south of Tarim Basin in Xinjiang is still above 22 degrees Celsius, which is in summer, the cold air going south is increasing and the temperature is gradually decreasing.

In ancient China, the summer heat was divided into three stages: "The eagle is a sacrificial bird; Second, wait for the beginning of heaven and earth; Three Hou Wonaideng. " In this solar term, eagles began to prey on birds in large numbers; Everything between heaven and earth began to wither; "Henaideng" refers to millet, millet, rice and sorghum crops, and "Deng" means maturity.

Summer is a solar term reflecting the temperature change. "Chu" means to hide and die, and "early summer" means that the hot summer has passed. In other words, the hot summer is coming to an end, that's all. After the summer, except South China and Southwest China; The rainy season is coming to an end in most parts of China, and the precipitation is gradually decreasing. Especially in North China, Northeast China and Northwest China, we must pay close attention to water storage and moisture conservation. If there is drought during autumn sowing, the sowing date of winter crops will be postponed.

The custom of summer vacation 1. Worship ancestors and welcome autumn.

The folk customs around the summer solar terms are mostly related to ancestor worship and welcoming autumn. Before and after the summer vacation, there will be folk activities to celebrate the Central Plains, commonly known as "July 30th" or "Central Plains Festival". In the old days, there was a ceremony to open the gate of hell from the beginning of July until the gate of hell closed at the end of the month, and Purdue giving activities were held. It is said that Purdue activities started with the opening of the gate of hell, and then lanterns were erected and river lanterns were set off, causing lonely souls and wild ghosts; The main body is to build Pudu altar, build solitary shed, and intervene in robbing orphans. Finally, it ends with closing the gate of hell. Today, it has become the main activity time for ancestor worship.

Eat duck

"July and a half duck, August and a half duck", the ancients thought that ducks in the middle of July in the lunar calendar were the most fat and nutritious. In summer, old Beijingers will buy lily ducks to cool off the summer, but in Jiangsu, it's so-called "sending ducks to cool off the summer makes everyone sick" to serve a bowl of duck dishes to their neighbors.

Put out the river lamp

River lanterns usually have lights or candles on their bases. Before and after the summer vacation, there will be activities to celebrate the Central Plains, commonly known as "July 30" or "Central Plains Festival", in which river lanterns are put into the water to drift, to mourn the dead and pray for peace.

4. Fishing Festival

After the summer vacation, fishing harvest is a period, and the coastal areas of China often hold various activities in this solar term to send fishermen out to sea and look forward to a bumper harvest. At this time, the water temperature in the sea area is still high, and the fish will still stay around the sea area, and the fish, shrimp and shellfish are mature. Therefore, from this time on, people can often enjoy all kinds of seafood.

Fishing Festival for Coastal Fishermen, the annual grand fishing festival will be held along the coast of Zhejiang Province in the harvest season after the summer heat, and it is decided to hold a grand fishing ceremony on the day when fishing in the East China Sea ends to see the fishermen off to sea. Since the first China Fishing Festival was held in Xiangshan, Zhejiang from 65438 to 0998, it has been held once a year. The fishing festival not only has a solemn ceremony to worship the sea, but also carries out various cultural, tourism and economic and trade activities, attracting countless merchants and tourists at home and abroad. Let them not only appreciate the local warm fishing culture, but also taste delicious seafood.

5. Worship the land god

The summer solar term coincides with the harvest season of crops, and farmers hold various ceremonies to thank the land god. Some killed animals to worship in the land temple, some planted flags in the middle of the field to express their gratitude, and some didn't wash their feet when they came home from work in the field on this day, for fear of washing away the harvest. On July 15, offering sacrifices to land and crops is still a folk custom. Scatter sacrifices in the fields. After burning the paper, wrap it on the ears of crops with cut five-color paper. Legend has it that autumn can avoid hail and get a bumper harvest. At the same time, some places have to go to Houtu Temple to offer sacrifices.

6. Water splashing carnival

There is a custom of splashing water in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan.

What to eat in summer 1. Tremella fuciformis

It has the effects of moistening lung, relieving cough, promoting fluid production and nourishing yin, eliminating muscle fatigue, strengthening brain and preventing aging.

2.pomegranate

Summer is the season to eat pomegranate. Vitamins C and E in pomegranate are higher than those in apples and pears. Pomegranate with red powder skin contains high vitamin C, and pomegranate with green skin contains high vitamin E. Pomegranate is mild, sweet and sour, and has the functions of promoting fluid production, quenching thirst, killing insects and stopping dysentery. Pomegranate can be eaten directly or drunk by squeezing juice. Acid pomegranate is very effective in preventing and treating diarrhea, and sweet pomegranate can prevent and treat throat thirst.

3. Corn

Summer is the season when corn ripens. Lysine in fresh corn is an essential amino acid for human body, which can only be taken from food, but the content in other foods is very small. Therefore, fresh corn is one of the main sources of lysine. The nutritional value of special corn is higher than that of ordinary corn. For example, the content of protein, vegetable oil and vitamins in sweet corn is 1 ~ 2 times higher than that in common corn, and the content of "life element" selenium is 8 ~ 10 times higher.

4. Chinese yam

It can clear the heart, soothe the nerves, tonify the middle energizer, help the five internal organs, strengthen the bones and muscles, maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and prevent arteriosclerosis.

5. American ginseng

It can resist fatigue and hypoxia, and people will have symptoms such as yin deficiency, qi deficiency, dry mouth and thirst, and listlessness in summer. Putting some American ginseng in porridge or stew can not only soothe the nerves and prevent autumn dryness, but also gently nourish.

6.duke

The traditional dietary custom of Nanjing people is to eat ducks in summer. Ducks, especially the duck in the cooked area of Jiangning Lake in Nanjing, are the most sought after. It is reported that the ducks there are sweet and cold, fat and thin. If there is no time, the old Nanjing people will go to the deli to buy half a duck to go home; People who are free will stew "radish old duck pot" at home or make "braised duck pieces" for their neighbors. This is what the saying goes, send ducks in summer to save everyone.

7.longan

When the "summer heat" comes, the "summer heat" is over. Old Fuzhou no longer drinks herbal tea after the heat, but eats more things that "replenish qi" and "replenish blood". Old Fuzhou used to eat longan, peeled and soaked in porridge.

8. White ball

In addition, another food that old Fuzhou eats in summer is white meatballs. White meatballs are actually dumplings. The method is simple. Knead glutinous rice flour into small particles, cook soup, add some sugar, and taste sweet, which can not only supplement carbohydrates, but also solve the problem of greasy mouth in summer.

9.herbal tea

The custom of decocting medicinal tea in summer has been popular since the Tang Dynasty. In summer, every household has the habit of frying herbal tea. First go to the drugstore to make a prescription, and then cook tea at home, which means that eating something "bitter" in autumn is quite good for clearing away heat and fire, resolving food stagnation and removing lung heat.

10. Sour plum soup

In the sixties and seventies of last century, there were tea stalls selling sour plum soup in the streets and alleys of Wenzhou city, so there was a proverb that "sour plum soup is extinct in midsummer". Making sour plum soup is very simple. Soak dried plums in boiling water at night and add rock sugar. After cooking and cooling, put it into a wooden ice bucket with a cover to reduce its temperature. It tastes sour and sweet, sweet and slightly salty, and tastes good.