Why should we eat rice cakes in the cold season?

How did the custom of eating rice cakes in cold weather come from? When it comes to eating rice cakes, many people think that they will only be eaten during the Chinese New Year holidays, but in fact, there is a custom of eating rice cakes in the cold season. Old Beijing believes that eating rice cakes in the cold season can not only drive away the cold, but also have other good meanings. Let's understand the significance of eating rice cakes in cold weather.

The implication of the custom of eating rice cakes in the cold weather in solar terms

The implication of the custom of eating rice cakes in the cold weather in solar terms

Great cold custom

The custom of eating "Lianggao" has a long history in Beijing. "Cold-dispelling cake" is a kind of rice cake, not only because its glutinous rice has a higher sugar content than rice, which makes the whole body feel warm after eating, and it has the effects of warming up the cold, moistening the lungs and strengthening the spleen and stomach, but also because people choose to eat rice cake on the day of "severe cold", which also means "high year", which means good luck and good luck, peace every year and promotion step by step.

Therefore, in the custom of old Beijing, on the cold day, the whole family eats rice cakes separately, which not only has auspicious taste, but also can dispel the chill on the body, so it is called "eliminating cold cakes".

There are three colors of rice cakes: red, yellow and white, which symbolize gold and silver. Also known as "rice cake", it is homophonic with "getting taller every year", which means that people's work and life are getting better every year. Therefore, there is a poem by predecessors, which called the rice cake: "The meaning of the rice cake is slightly deeper, and it is as white as silver and gold. I hope that when I get old, I will be profitable, and I sincerely hope that my wealth will come. "

As a kind of food, rice cakes have a long history in China. 1974, archaeologists discovered well-preserved rice seeds at Hemudu site in Yuyao, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province (Hemudu matriarchal social site in Yuyao) more than 7,000 years ago, which shows that as early as 7,000 years ago, our

Our ancestors have begun to grow rice. In the Han Dynasty, rice cakes were called "rice cakes", "fish bait" and "glutinous rice". In the book Dialect of Han Dynasty, the title of "Gao" was popular in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. The ancients also had a development process from rice cakes to rice cakes. In the 6th century A.D., the cookbook Historical Records contained the method of making "white cocoon candy" for rice cakes, which said: "If the rice is cooked thoroughly and hotter than that in Chu Jiu, it must be cooked extremely well so as not to have rice grains ..." That is, after the glutinous rice is steamed, it is boiled into rice and then cut into peach kernels. As early as the Liao Dynasty, it was said that on the first day of the first month in Beijing, every family had the custom of eating rice cakes. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, rice cakes have developed into perennial snacks in the market, with different flavors in the north and south. The rice cake is delicious, sweet and mellow, and has a strong historical flavor.

Types of rice cakes eaten in cold weather

The implication of the custom of eating rice cakes in the cold weather in solar terms

Great cold solar terms

Yiyang rice cake

Also known as "Yiyang Dahe Rice Country". It is a national geographical indication protection product. Yiyang Rice Cake is made from Gu Mi, a big river in Yiyang, by a unique process of "three steaming and two hundred hammering". It has the characteristics of "Bai Rushuang, transparent as jade, soft and smooth, tough but not sticky, and non-sticky after long cooking". Can be steamed, fried and boiled, is convenient to eat and has a unique flavor. It is a traditional treasure. Yiyang rice cake production began in the Tang Dynasty, with a history of 1200 years. According to the earlier ten-year edition of Yiyang County Records Tongzhi, "Yiyang County Records" records: "Big rivers grow up with rice and white rice. Production and processing of Dahe rice, Dahe Gu Mi rice is difficult to make many balls, and it needs to be steamed three times for 200 kg. Yi Shi rice is rich in water, soft and delicious. Yiyang dumplings are always called in the province, and other counties are the most famous. Local businessmen are far away to make gifts. " "Jiangxi Specialty 1982 Edition" and "Jiangxi Custom Specialty 1986 Edition" recorded in detail that "Yiyang crispy rice Bai Rushuang is transparent as jade, shiny and excellent in toughness, which is undoubtedly superior to rice cakes around the world". Rich local traditions and characteristics, unique production technology, with Yiyang County's unique local river valley as raw materials. Dahegu is a kind of late rice with waxy stems. It is planted in a cold slurry field with low air temperature and water temperature, high humidity and short illumination time. Narrow planting area, long growing period and low yield. Therefore, sowing in spring, sowing and nurturing in summer, nurturing in autumn and harvesting in winter have absorbed the moisture of the four seasons, so "heaven and earth nourish". At the same time, it is convenient to eat, sweet and salty, and suitable for steaming, frying, boiling and baking.