What are the customs and pressures of the winter solstice?

With the process of modernization and urbanization, many ancient local customs have gradually died out! When it comes to paying attention to the traditional 24 solar terms in China, we have to look at the Chaoshan area in the north and Guangdong, where the traditional customs, especially those in rural areas, are relatively complete.

1. It is a traditional custom in China to eat jiaozi in Guangzhou and glutinous rice in winter solstice, especially in Guangdong. There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls is one year older". Eating jiaozi in winter solstice is also called jiaozi, and eating jiaozi in winter solstice is also called "jiaozi in winter solstice". In many childhood memories of Lao Guang, the solstice of winter is inseparable from a reunion dinner.

2. Eating sweet pills: According to legend, during the winter solstice of Han Dynasty, there was a custom of "drinking wine and delicacies and paying respects to the elderly". Sweet pills have been popular since the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Sweet pills are not only sweet soup made of glutinous rice flour and water pills, but also the most representative food from winter to Sunday. Before the winter solstice, farmers' housewives made glutinous rice flour (now mostly rolled mechanically), and some exchanged needed items as gifts for relatives and friends.

3. Eating jiaozi: Eating jiaozi was established in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. On the solstice of winter, it is necessary to "make dumplings" or "make dumplings". These are also officially recorded in historical materials, and they are called "Winter Solstice Day", and glutinous rice flour is a pill, named Tangyuan. After jiaozi is wrapped up, it is necessary to offer sacrifices to the gods and ancestors, and then the whole family will eat around. This is called "adding years". Therefore, it is very old to eat glutinous rice balls on the solstice in winter.

4. Eat roasted meat: On the solstice of winter, most Cantonese people have the custom of "adding vegetables" to eat meat on the solstice of winter. Among them, barbecue is an indispensable traditional food for Cantonese people on the table from winter to Sunday. The whole family prepared some bacon and sausages to eat after paying homage to their ancestors, hoping to come to lucky strike next year.

In addition, in Sichuan, where I often stay, eating mutton soup pot in winter is also a traditional folk habit.