Why do you eat jiaozi on the solstice in winter?

The origin of glutinous rice balls is:

Tangyuan originated in the Song Dynasty, when Mingzhou (now Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province) began to eat a novel food, that is, black sesame and lard were used as stuffing, a little sugar was added, and glutinous rice flour was rubbed outside. After cooking, it tastes sweet, delicious and interesting.

Because this glutinous rice dumpling floats and is heavy when cooked in a pot, it was originally called "floating Zi Yuan". Later, in some areas, "Floating Zi Yuan" was renamed jiaozi, but in Guangdong it was called Tangwan.

It is said that jiaozi symbolizes family reunion, which is more beautiful and better, and eating jiaozi means happy family reunion in the new year, so there must be beauty food on the fifteenth day of the first month.

The custom of eating glutinous rice balls from winter to Sunday;

Winter solstice, also commonly known as "Winter Festival", "Dragon solstice Festival" and "Asian New Year", is a traditional festival of the Chinese nation. The custom of solstice originated in Han Dynasty and flourished in Tang and Song Dynasties. Lu even said that "winter is as big as a year", which shows that the ancients attached great importance to winter. Because of this, the diet culture from winter solstice is rich and colorful, and after thousands of years of development, it has formed a unique seasonal diet culture.

Eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter is especially popular in Jiangnan. There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls is one year older". Tangyuan is also called dumplings, and eating dumplings on the solstice in winter is also called "winter solstice reunion" or "winter solstice yen" According to the records of Qing Dynasty, Jiangnan people made dough with glutinous rice flour covered with lean meat, apples, bean paste, shredded radish and so on. The winter solstice group can be used to worship ancestors or give gifts to relatives and friends.