The story of the winter solstice festival

The custom of southerners eating red bean glutinous rice from winter to Sunday is related to epidemic ghosts.

In the impression of most people, eating glutinous rice balls from winter solstice in the south is related to the original name of glutinous rice balls, which means reunion from winter solstice to Sunday, that is, reunion after the Spring Festival. Now, people often use the second explanation, which means reunion.

However, fewer and fewer people know the custom of eating red bean glutinous rice on the solstice in winter. In fact, this custom originated from a folk custom, that is, there is a legendary family named Gong. He had an incompetent son who died in the winter solstice and became an epidemic ghost after his death, which continued to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red bean rice on the solstice in winter to avoid epidemic ghosts, drive away diseases and prevent disasters. In fact, in ancient times, people wrapped all kinds of vegetables with glutinous rice and stuffed them with meat on the solstice of winter, which was not only a sacrifice to ancestors, but also a gift to relatives and friends.