Why is the north different from the south?

In the middle and late Qing Dynasty, the emperor usually held a ceremony to worship heaven on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and offered sacrifices to the kitchen god together on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. At that time, the political culture moved to the north, which was greatly influenced and followed the custom of celebrating the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, while the south had less influence, so the south still followed the 24th of the twelfth lunar month.

According to the Song Dynasty's "Old Wulin Events and Years", "The 24th of the twelfth lunar month is the night of sacrifice, and the 30th is the night of sacrifice." The "small night" here refers to the off-year period, that is to say, in the Song Dynasty, the off-year period between the north and the south was still the same day.

Dietary differences between north and south in small years

There are great differences in diet between the north and the south in different years.

In southern China, jiaozi is usually made into rice cakes during off-year holidays. Because jiaozi is shaped like a gold ingot, it means to be rich and auspicious. The rice cake can be made into the shape of fish to represent the annual surplus, or it can be made into rice cake with other foods, meaning auspicious and festive. Some people also make zongzi during the New Year, which means reunion with high school.

Jiaozi is also eaten in the north, but jiaozi is mainly cooked and put on the altar for the kitchen god to eat, and sesame paste cakes are also famous snacks.