The custom of solar terms in autumn equinox

The autumnal equinox is the sixteenth of the twenty-four solar terms, and the time is generally from September 22nd to September 24th in the Gregorian calendar every year. On the day of the autumnal equinox, the sun reaches the longitude 180 (autumnal equinox), almost reaching the equator of the earth, and the length of day and night is equal all over the world (regardless of the refraction of the sun light by the atmosphere and the shadow in the morning). In ancient times, there was a folk activity of "offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and the moon in autumn". The autumnal equinox used to be the traditional "Moon Festival" (Mid-Autumn Festival), which evolved from offering sacrifices to the moon in autumn.

In the autumn equinox, most parts of China have entered a cool autumn. The cold air from the south meets the gradually decaying warm and humid air, which causes repeated precipitation and the temperature drops again and again. As people often say, it's time for "an autumn rain and a cold", but the daily precipitation after the autumnal equinox will not be great. At this time, the field farming in the south and the north is different.

Solar terms custom

1, autumn festival to the moon

The autumnal equinox used to be the traditional "Festival to offer sacrifices to the moon", and the Mid-Autumn Festival evolved from the festival to offer sacrifices to the moon in autumn. In ancient times, there was a folk activity of "Spring Festival to the Sun and the Moon". The autumnal equinox used to be the traditional "Festival of Sacrificing the Moon". Sacrificing to the moon is a very old custom in China. In fact, it is a ritual activity of the ancients in some places in ancient China to "Moon God". Mid-Autumn Festival is popular in Han Dynasty, which is a period of economic and cultural exchanges and integration between the north and the south of China, and cultural exchanges between different places spread together. The word "Mid-Autumn Festival" was first recorded in the book "Zhou Li" during the Han Dynasty. Mid-Autumn Festival was not popular in northern China from Han Dynasty to Tang Dynasty, but it was popular in the Central Plains of northern China after Tang Dynasty. [ 1]

Sacrifice the Moon

Sacrificing the moon is a very old custom in China, and it is actually a worship activity of the ancients to the "Moon God". In ancient times, there was a custom of "autumn and dusk". The moon at night is to worship the moon god. Set up a big incense table and offer sacrifices such as moon cakes, watermelons, apples, red dates, plums and grapes. Under the moon, put the "Luna God" tablet in the direction of the moon, and the red candle burns high. The whole family took turns in Yue Bai to pray. In ancient times, in some areas in the south, people had the custom of worshipping the moon god on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to research, "Mid-Autumn Festival" was originally set on the day of "Autumn Equinox". However, due to the different dates of August in the lunar calendar every year, there may not always be a full moon, so the "Mid-Autumn Festival" was later transferred from the "autumnal equinox" to the fifteenth day of August in the lunar calendar.

The custom of enjoying the moon comes from offering sacrifices to the moon, and serious sacrifices have become relaxed pleasures. It is said that the moon is closest to the earth this night, and the moon is the biggest and brightest, so there has been a custom of drinking and enjoying the moon since ancient times; The daughter-in-law who goes back to her parents' house will go back and forth to express her happiness and good luck. Because the Chang 'e in the Moon Palace is a woman, there is a tradition that "men don't give the moon", which is the folk proverb that "men don't give Yue Bai".

Step 2 eat autumn vegetables

The autumnal equinox is the official beginning of stepping on autumn. In Lingnan area, Xie's family in Cangzhen, Kaiping used to be four cities (now Heshan is five cities), and there is an unbroken custom called "eating autumn vegetables at the autumnal equinox". "Autumn vegetable" is a kind of wild amaranth, which villagers call "autumn Artemisia". On the autumnal equinox, the whole village went to pick autumn vegetables. When searching in the wild, it is often green and thin, about the length of a palm. Picked autumn vegetables are usually boiled with fish fillets at home, which is called "autumn soup". There is a jingle: "autumn soup is dirty, wash the liver and intestines." The whole family is safe and healthy. "Since autumn, people still pray for peace and health at home.

Amaranth contains many nutrients. Rich carotene and vitamin C help to enhance human immune function and improve the anti-cancer effect of human body. Fried amaranth has the effects of clearing away heat and toxic materials, inducing diuresis to relieve pain and improving eyesight. Eating it can enhance the ability of disease prevention, be healthy and less sick, and moisturize and beautify. It is suitable for dysentery, conjunctival congestion, sparrow blindness, breast abscess, hemorrhoids and other diseases.

In fact, the so-called "autumn soup" in Lingnan customs is consistent with the autumn tonic advocated by Chinese medicine, but Lingnan customs are typical and a little rustic, and have not risen to the height of Chinese medicine theory.

Step 3 send autumn cattle

The autumnal equinox is coming soon, and people will send pictures of autumn cows door to door. The picture is printed with red paper or yellow paper on the lunar solar terms all the year round, and also printed with farmers' ploughing patterns, which is called "Autumn Cattle Map". The pictures are all folk singers, who mainly say things like good luck in autumn ploughing that do not violate the farming season. Every time they go to a house, they say whatever they see until the owner is happy to give money. Although the words spoken are casual, every sentence rhymes beautifully. Commonly known as "Autumn", Qiu Ren is called "Qiu Guan".

Step 4 stick the sparrow's mouth

According to custom, farmers have a holiday on the autumn equinox. Every family should eat dumplings. Ten, twenty or thirty dumplings that don't need to be wrapped are cooked, and a thin bamboo fork is placed on the outdoor ridge beside the field, which is called sticking the sparrow's mouth without destroying crops.

Of course, it is only the farmers' beautiful imagination and desire to stick dumplings on sparrows' mouths, but it also illustrates the truth that dumplings are sticky, difficult to digest and should not be eaten more. Tangyuan is mainly made of glutinous rice with other ingredients. Glutinous rice is warm and sweet, and the added ingredients are often high in sugar and calories. Eating a small amount in spring and cold season is helpful to replenish body heat energy, tonify deficiency, regulate blood, strengthen yang and strengthen spleen. But glutinous rice is sticky and difficult to digest, and it is easy to accumulate food if you eat too much. Paired with spicy food such as onion and garlic, it can balance the flagging effect of glutinous rice balls.

5. Fly a kite

The autumn equinox is also a good time for children to fly kites. Especially at the autumnal equinox. Even adults are involved. Kites are divided into Wang Zi kites, silver carp kites, moth kites, Leigong kites and Moonlight kites. The largest kites are two meters high and the smallest ones are two or three feet. There are kites on the market, many of which are smaller than others' and suitable for children to play with, but most of them are posted by themselves, and the bigger ones have to compete with each other to see which one can fly high.

6, vertical eggs

When the autumnal equinox comes, eggs are beautiful. Every year at the vernal equinox or autumnal equinox, many people in many parts of our country are doing "laying eggs" experiments.