What are the customs of winter solstice?

Every year, during the winter solstice of the Lunar New Year, jiaozi is an indispensable holiday feast for both the rich and the poor. This custom was left in memory of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", who gave up medicine from the winter solstice. Besides jiaozi, there are other customs in winter solstice: eating Wonton Noodles, eating dog meat and eating red bean glutinous rice. Let's take a closer look.

Winter solstice custom one, eat jiaozi.

Speaking of the solstice in winter, I have to say eat jiaozi. Every year, during the winter solstice of the Lunar New Year, jiaozi is an indispensable holiday feast for both the rich and the poor. As the saying goes: "On October 1st, when the solstice of winter comes, every family eats jiaozi." This custom was left in memory of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", who gave up medicine from the winter solstice.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when Zhang Zhongjing was an official in Changsha, he often relieved the suffering of the people. At that time, the plague was prevalent, and he made a cauldron at the entrance of Yamen, giving up medicine to save people, which was deeply loved by Changsha people. Later, after Zhang Zhongjing retired from Changsha and returned to his hometown, he went to the bank of Baihe River and saw many poor people hungry and cold, and their ears were frozen. He was very uncomfortable and determined to treat them. When Zhang Zhongjing returned to his hometown, many people came to see him. He is as busy as a bee, but he always remembers those poor people with frozen ears. Taking Changsha as an example, he told his disciples to build a medicine shed and cauldron in an open space in Dongguan, Nanyang, and open it on the solstice in winter to deliver medicine to the poor. The medicine she prescribed was called "Quhan Joule Decoction". The practice is to put mutton, pepper and some cold-dispelling herbs into a pot and cook them, then take them out and chop them up. After being cooked with bread-shaped dumplings, they are distributed to patients who come to seek medical treatment. Twenty cents each, a big bowl of medicine soup. After eating "Pepper" and drinking "Quhan Decoction", people will feel feverish all over, their qi and blood will be smooth, and their ears will be feverish. After eating for a while, the patient's rotten ears will be cured. Zhang Zhongjing's practice of opening a shed to deliver medicine lasted from the solstice of winter to the New Year's Eve and the first day of the New Year's Day. People call this kind of food "jiaozi ears", "jiaozi" or "flat food". Eating it on the solstice of winter and the first day of New Year's Day is to commemorate the day when Zhang Zhongjing opened a shed to deliver medicine to patients.

On the solstice of winter and the first day of New Year's Day, people eat jiaozi, and they still remember Zhang Zhongjing's kindness in their hearts.

Winter solstice custom 2, eat wonton

In the past, there was a saying in old Beijing that the solstice in winter was boring, and so was the solstice in summer. According to legend, during the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu in the north often harassed the frontier, and the people were restless. At that time, there were two leaders, Xiongnu tribe and Tun tribe, which were very cruel. The people hated it, so they wrapped it in a corner with meat stuffing and took the sound of "muddy" and "swallowing", calling it "Kun Blunt". I hate eating, and I want to quell the war and live a peaceful life. Because it was first made on the winter solstice, every family eats it on the winter solstice.

Winter solstice custom three, eat dog meat.

It is said that the custom of eating dog meat on the solstice began in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty, ate dog meat cooked by Fan Kuai on the solstice in winter, which was particularly delicious and full of praise. Since then, the custom of eating dog meat from winter solstice has been formed among the people. Nowadays, people eat dog meat, mutton and all kinds of nutritious food on the solstice of winter, which is a good sign for the coming year.

Winter solstice custom four, eat red bean glutinous rice.

In Jiangnan water town, there is a custom that the whole family get together to eat red beans and glutinous rice in the evening from winter to Sunday. According to legend, * * * Gong was a troubled wit who died in the winter. Become a plague ghost after death and continue to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red bean rice from winter solstice to drive away the epidemic ghost and prevent diseases.

Winter solstice custom five, eat winter solstice group.

Also known as "Winter Solstice Pill". Winter solstice food for Han people. Popular in southern China. Every winter solstice (Gregorian calendar1February 2 or so), glutinous rice flour is ground and contains sugar, meat, vegetables, fruits, red beans, shredded radish and so on. , wrapped into balls, known as the "winter solstice ball", and presented to relatives and friends. There is also a family reunion at breakfast, which means reunion.

"The solstice in winter is the time when the old and the new alternate. Nature has extraordinary cultural significance in the concept of the ancients. Many beliefs and ceremonies of the winter solstice festival come from people's feelings about this season. "