Is the winter solstice a solar term or a festival? Why do you eat jiaozi on the solstice in winter?

The solstice of winter is coming soon. Is it a solar term or a festival? Why do you want to eat jiaozi on the winter solstice? Let's take a look together.

Is the winter solstice a solar term or a festival?

This is a solar term and festival.

The winter solstice is the 22nd of the 24 solar terms, and it is a traditional folk ancestor worship festival in China. This is a special season to show seasonal changes. From winter to the sun, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is most inclined to the northern hemisphere, and the solar altitude angle is the smallest. In the northern hemisphere, the days are the shortest and the nights are the longest. The farther north, the shorter the days are, and even the extreme night phenomenon appears near the Arctic Circle.

Why do you eat jiaozi on the solstice in winter?

To commemorate Zhang Zhongjing's charity "Quhan Joule Decoction".

According to legend, Zhang Zhongjing, a medical sage, has been treating his neighbors since he resigned from his post and returned to his hometown. When he saw the people who were frozen to death in winter, he was very distressed. In order to help the people drive away the cold, he chopped up mutton and medicinal materials and made them into "charming ears" with flour bags for the people. Later, every winter solstice, people imitate and cook, forming a custom. Today, there is a saying among the people that "on the solstice of winter, jiaozi bowls run amok and nobody cares about frozen ears". Eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter is also to commemorate the kindness of Zhang Zhongjing's "Quhan Joule Decoction".

Why is the winter solstice sometimes 2 1 and sometimes 22?

It will be different according to different years.

According to astronomy, the day when the sun directly hits the Tropic of Capricorn is the winter solstice, so the winter solstice in normal years is usually on February 22, 65438. However, if there is a leap year, the date of winter solstice is February 22, 65438+2 1, and its annual time is not fixed.

What can I eat besides jiaozi on the winter solstice?

tangyuan

Tangyuan means "reunion", so many people choose to eat it on the solstice of winter. In addition, it is made of glutinous rice, which is warmer. Eating a little glutinous rice balls on the solstice in winter can also play a role in driving away cold and keeping warm.

mutton

Mutton has a good warming effect. After the winter solstice, the temperature will gradually drop to the lowest in a year. At this time, it is also a very good choice to stew some mutton.

Barbecue and ginger rice

Some areas in the south will also eat barbecue during the winter solstice, especially in Guangdong and Guangxi, which means adding vegetables to add years. In addition, Wuchuan people also have the custom of "eating ginger rice" from the winter solstice.