What is the origin of the winter solstice?

It is the custom of Han people to eat jiaozi on the solstice in winter.

Popular in most northern areas, it refers to the custom of eating jiaozi or wonton on the solstice in winter. Pan Rongbi (Qing Dynasty) Ji Sheng, Emperor Jingdi, said: "Tomorrow is a winter night, and besides offering soup and rice for ancestor worship, fine meat is offered. The so-called "winter solstice wonton, summer solstice noodles" is also a heritage. "

As the saying goes, "jiaozi is the solstice in winter, and noodles are the solstice in summer". Jiaozi or wonton will be eaten on this day in most parts of northern China. Some even drink, it is said that drinking is to warm the body, and eating jiaozi is afraid of freezing the ears. So, on the solstice of winter, how to eat jiaozi to keep out the cold and keep healthy? This should start with the different fillings in jiaozi.

The winter solstice, commonly known as the "winter solstice", is an important solar term in the China lunar calendar. On this day, because the sun points directly to the Tropic of Capricorn, the northern hemisphere has the shortest days and the longest nights. After the winter solstice, the days in the northern hemisphere will become longer and the nights will become shorter. In ancient China, there was a saying that "Yin arrives, Yang begins, and the sun goes south, and the days are short and long, so it is called the winter solstice day". In Shandong, there is also a saying that "winter is as big as a year", which is enough to show that the ancients attached importance to winter. On the land of China, this is a colorful winter solstice diet custom handed down.

The solstice in winter is a good time for health preservation, mainly because "Qi starts from the solstice in winter". Because from beginning of winter, life activities began to turn from prosperity to decline, from dynamic to static. At this time, scientific health preservation helps to ensure vigorous energy and prevent premature aging, thus achieving the purpose of prolonging life. ? During the winter solstice, the diet should be diversified, with grains, fruits, meat and vegetables reasonably matched, and high-calcium foods appropriately selected. The food should be light, and you can't eat thick, greasy and salty food. In winter, the yang is weak, and the spleen likes warm and hates cold. It is advisable to eat warm and tonic products to protect the spleen and kidney. Eat less and eat more. Pay attention to "three more and three less", that is, there are more protein, vitamins and cellulose, and less sugar, fat and salt.

The Origin and Legend of Winter Solstice Festival

The Winter Solstice Festival originated in the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and has been passed down to this day. Lu even said that the winter solstice is as big as a year. This shows that the ancients attached great importance to the winter solstice. People think that the winter solstice is a natural transformation of Yin and Yang and a blessing from heaven. In the Han Dynasty, the winter solstice was the "Winter Festival", and the government held a congratulatory ceremony called "He Dong", which was a routine festival. There is such a record in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty: "Before and after the winter solstice, a gentleman was prepared for danger in times of peace, refused to listen to politics, and chose an auspicious day to save trouble." So on this day, the imperial court had a holiday, the army was on standby, the frontier fortress was closed, the business trip was closed, relatives and friends sent meals to each other, visited each other, and had a "quiet" holiday happily.

In the Tang and Song Dynasties, the solstice in winter was the day of ancestor worship. On this day, the emperor went to the suburbs to hold a ceremony to worship heaven. On this day, people must worship their parents. There are still some places to celebrate the winter solstice.

Carrot mutton stuffing

Carrots are warm and are known as "small ginseng". According to Compendium of Materia Medica, they can regulate and replenish middle energizer, and harmonize stomach and five internal organs. Modern research has also found that they can provide nutrients against heart disease, high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis, and also help the liver to metabolize alcohol. While mutton tonifies qi and nourishes blood, warming the kidney. This glutinous rice dumpling is suitable for the elderly with deficiency of qi and blood, soreness of waist and knees and frequent urination. It is more suitable for people with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, and girls with dysmenorrhea due to cold. In addition, because carrots can also soften the skin, enhance skin resistance, and have a cosmetic effect, it is also a veritable beauty and anti-aging food.

Beef stuffing with onion

The expression "winter depression" is familiar to everyone; In addition, in winter, many women often feel cold hands and feet, and there are some small pimples on their faces that are not red or swollen. If you have these conditions, you can try jiaozi with onion and beef stuffing. Because onions can strengthen the stomach and digestion, calm the liver and moisten the intestines, and induce diuresis and sweating. Beef is warm, which can nourish the spleen and stomach, replenish qi and blood, strengthen bones and muscles, and make people feel refreshed.

White radish, pork and black fungus stuffing

White radish has the function of invigorating spleen, promoting digestion and resolving phlegm. Pork is flat and can replenish deficiency and increase strength. Compendium of Materia Medica says that it can tonify kidney and benefit qi. Auricularia auricula is flat, which can replenish qi and blood, tonify kidney and relieve constipation. Modern research has found that it can reduce cholesterol and blood viscosity. This jiaozi is very suitable for people with kidney deficiency at ordinary times; For healthy people, it is in line with the health care method of nourishing Tibet and tonifying kidney in winter. In addition, for patients with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, or those who are afraid to eat pork for fear of gaining weight, you can eat jiaozi stuffed with white radish, pork and black fungus to relieve your appetite. If there are students or high-intensity mental workers at home, you can also add some black sesame seeds on this basis, which can not only tonify the kidney and strengthen the brain, but also prevent greasy.