The origin of frozen ears in winter solstice

The saying "Don't eat jiaozi, freeze your ears" comes from Zhang Zhongjing's "Quhan Joule Soup".

According to legend, at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, disasters and plagues raged everywhere. Although Zhang Zhongjing, a medical sage who retired from his hometown, was busy treating diseases and saving lives all day, many villagers were still not treated in time. It is said that one winter, the weather was very cold. Hunger and hunger, coupled with the decreased resistance of sick people, many people can't stand the cold, their ears are frostbitten, and in severe cases they die.

Zhang Zhongjing is too busy to see it in his eyes, but it hurts in his heart. In order to help people relieve the freezing disaster, Zhang Zhongjing developed a prescription called "cold-expelling Joule Decoction". People will feel feverish after eating Zhang Zhongjing's medicated diet. In a few days, the frostbite and scab on the ear healed. Since then, in order to commemorate Zhang Zhongjing's deeds of saving lives, people have to bring medicine and food on the winter solstice every year.

The significance of winter solstice

The winter solstice, known as the "southern solstice", is a solar term reflecting the direct sunlight movement. On the winter solstice, the sun goes south to the extreme, and the sun shines directly on the tropic of Capricorn. Since the winter solstice, the direct point of the sun has returned to the north. The solstice in winter is the turning point of "going south to north". Since then, the height of the sun has risen and the days have increased day by day.

The solstice in winter marks the rebirth of the sun and the round-trip movement of the sun into a new cycle. "Han Shu" said: "The sun shines on the winter solstice, and you are long, so congratulations." After the winter solstice, the days get longer and the sun rises, which is the beginning of a round-trip cycle at the direct point of the sun. This is an auspicious day and should be celebrated.