Southern Dietary Customs in the Solar Terms from Winter to Sun

The southern dietary customs of the solar terms in winter solstice are: eating glutinous rice balls, Suzhou fermented rice, ginger duck and eating rice cakes.

1, eat dumplings in the south. Eating glutinous rice balls on the solstice in winter is a traditional custom in China, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls is one year older". Tangyuan is also called jiaozi, and eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter is also called "jiaozi on the solstice in winter".

2. Brewing in Suzhou. Gusu region attaches great importance to the solar terms of the winter solstice. There is a proverb in Gusu region: "The winter solstice is like a new year". Traditional Gusu people will drink winter wine on the night of winter solstice. Winter wine is a kind of rice wine, which is brewed with sweet-scented osmanthus and has a pleasant aroma. Gusu people will drink winter wine on the night of winter solstice, and at the same time, they will serve all kinds of braised beef and braised mutton.

3. Eat ginger duck in Xiamen. Xiamen people have a soft spot for ducks, such as salted duck, sauce duck, roast duck and so on. The custom of winter solstice is also inseparable from ducks. They eat ginger ducks. Ginger duck has the effects of nourishing the stomach and strengthening the spleen, relaxing muscles and tendons, promoting blood circulation, resolving phlegm and dispelling cold, and is very nourishing.

4. Eat rice cakes in Hangzhou. On the solstice of winter, people in Hangzhou will make rice cakes, eat them, worship their ancestors with them or give them to relatives and friends. Eating different flavors of rice cakes three times a day, such as rice cakes with sesame powder and sugar, fried rice cakes with shredded pork, etc., represents that the auspicious year is getting older and higher.