What is the winter of solstice traditionally considered?

Winter solstice, also known as winter festival, New Year's Eve and winter worship, has both natural and humanistic connotations. It is not only an important solar term among the 24 solar terms, but also a traditional folk festival in China.

On the solstice of winter, the sunshine is the shortest and the night is the longest. This is the time of year when Yin and Yang alternate with beginning of winter. In ancient China, the winter solstice was an important festival with rich cultural connotations and folk traditions. It is called "Asian New Year", which means that the celebration of the winter solstice is as important as the China New Year. Families will get together for a reunion dinner and pray for peace and happiness in the coming year. The solstice of winter is also a day to worship ancestors, and people will express their respect and gratitude to their ancestors.

On the day of winter solstice, the customs in different parts of China are different. In the north, there is a custom of eating jiaozi. Jiaozi symbolizes reunion and happiness, and is also considered to have the function of dispelling cold. In the south, people celebrate the winter solstice in different ways. In the south of the Yangtze River, people have the habit of eating jiaozi. jiaozi symbolizes reunion and happiness, and also implies the hope of family harmony and happiness.

The custom of winter solstice

1, eat dumplings

Eating dumplings is a traditional custom from winter solstice, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. "Tangyuan" is an indispensable food in winter solstice, and "round" means "reunion" and "perfection". Eating glutinous rice balls on the solstice in winter is also called "the solstice in winter". There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls makes you one year older".

Step 2 eat barbecue and ginger rice

Some places in the south want to eat barbecue on the solstice in winter. On the solstice of winter, roasted meat becomes an indispensable delicacy on the table of Guangdong and Guangxi people, which means adding vegetables to add new year. On the solstice of winter, Wuchuan people have the custom of "eating ginger rice" on the solstice of winter.

Step 3 Eat jiaozi

In many parts of northern China, it is a custom to eat jiaozi every winter solstice. North China will eat jiaozi on this day, because jiaozi means "driving away the cold". So far, there is a folk proverb that says "no one will care if you freeze your ears on the winter solstice".