The Origin of Spring Equinox and Nourishing Foods

Vernal equinox is one of the festive seasons that reflect the changes of the four seasons. In ancient China, it was customary to indicate the beginning of the four seasons with the establishment of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The spring equinox, summer solstice, fall equinox and winter solstice are in the middle of each season. The following is the origin of the spring equinox and health food that I have organized for you, I hope it can help you.

Origin of Vernal Equinox

Vernal Equinox, also known as "the middle of the day", "day and night", "the month of mid-spring ". Ming Shi - Calendar I, said: "points, yellow and red intersection of the point, the sun traveled to this, is the day and night evenly divided." Meaning:, the significance of the equinox, one refers to the day time day and night equally divided, each for 12 hours; two is the ancient times to spring to summer for spring, the equinox is just three months in the spring, the equal division of the spring.

Vernal equinox is also a festival and ritual celebrations, the ancient emperors had a spring festival of the sun, the fall festival of the moon ritual. In the Zhou ritual, the son of heaven sacrificed the sun on the altar of the sun.

Ancient Yellow River Basin and the corresponding phenomenon for the "Xuanbird to the thunder is the sound, the beginning of electricity" (see "Nongsang Tongxie"), meaning: swallows fly, the beginning of thunder, the beginning of lightning. At this time, most of China's overwintering crops into the spring growth stage. Central China agricultural proverb: spring equinox wheat up, a moment worth a thousand gold. The spring equinox is also a traditional festival. In the Zhou Dynasty, the spring equinox ceremony.

On the origin of the equinox there is a legendary story, four thousand years ago, Xizhong was sent by Emperor Yao, came to Wendeng Jieshi Town, Yangli village generation, after a lot of research and analysis, according to the day and night phase flat, dusk, bird star seen in the south of the celestial phenomenon, to determine the time of the spring equinox for the determination of the four seasons and the final formation of the 24 seasons laid the foundation. It is not a legend that Xizhong went to Yanggu Mountain, but it is recorded in Shangshu - Yao Dian that "Xizhong's residence in Yanggu was named Yanggu, a place of high quality".

In fact, the equinox was born in the Yellow River basin, and is one of the twenty-four seasons, and we see that between the first and second equinoxes, the names "rain" and "hibernation" are inserted in thirds. These two names describe the meteorological or biological characteristics of the first half of the spring season.

A long, long time ago, there was an emperor who loved people and cared about their lives, called Yan Di. When he knew that people needed more food to feed their hunger, he prayed to the heavens to send down seeds of the five grains to the folk. Therefore, the heavens sent a red-colored sparrow to deliver the seeds of the five grains to Emperor Yan Di. Yandi, who loved people, immediately distributed the seeds to all the people, who happily planted the seeds into the ground, expecting a good harvest day by day. But after a long time, those five grain seedlings did not bloom, not to mention a good harvest of grain.

So Yandi went to ask the heavens, and the heavens said that it was because the sun was hiding and asleep, and the seeds of the grains did not receive enough sunlight, so they could not grow flowers and fruits. Yan Di was very worried that his people would not have enough to eat and live well, so he asked the heaven how to bring the sun out. He asked the heaven how to bring the sun out, and the heaven said, "It is necessary for a man to ride a colorful bird to Penglai Island on the day of spring equinox, the day when the day and night are equally divided, and bring the sun back to hang in the sky again. Penglai Island is an immortal island, no one has ever been there, and it is said that one has to go through many, many difficulties to reach the island. For the sake of the people, Yan Di decided to go to the island himself to get the sun back.

So on the day of the spring equinox, Emperor Yandi mounted a five-colored bird and flew across thousands of miles of sea to Penglai Island. Strangely enough, the original rough sea, many birds do not dare to get close to, for fear of being swept into the sea by the waves. But on the day of the spring equinox, when Yan Di rode through on a five-colored bird, the sea was very calm and the water was blue.

When Yan Di came to Penglai Island, he picked up the sun and rode on the back of the bird and flew back home. He hung the sun in his hometown on the head of the city, so that too sunshine on the earth, and from then on the land of the five grains, all the people peace and happiness. And Yandi was honored as the sun god.

People are very grateful to the sun god Yandi, so every year to the spring equinox this day, will always worship to the sun, people will learn Yandi standing on the back of the bird the way to stand, and even later people found that even the eggs can be stood up on this day.

And after the day of the equinox, the swallows would fly back from the south, and the spring thunder would start and lightning would come.

What food to eat on the vernal equinox

1, spring bamboo shoots

When it comes to eating spring, we have to mention spring bamboo shoots. Spring bamboo shoots crisp and fresh, can chew out the fragrance and sweet to, known as the "vegetarian first product", bamboo shoots of nutritional value is also very high, its fiber, protein content is relatively high, and rich in B vitamins, minerals, etc., with the elimination of food, phlegm, detoxification, diuretic effect. In particular, the fiber content is very high, often eaten to help digestion, prevent constipation function.

2, honey

Honey is also "eat spring" first choice, according to Chinese medicine, honey is sweet, into the spleen and stomach two meridians, can be complementary to the gas, laxative. The first thing you need to do is to get your hands on a new pair of shoes or boots. As honey contains a variety of minerals, vitamins, and lung detoxification function, it can enhance the body's immunity, is the ideal spring tonic.

3, soybean sprouts

Spring equinox, it is a large number of soybean sprouts season. Soybean sprouts are cold and sweet, can strengthen the spleen and liver, just in line with the characteristics of the spring liver and spleen. At the same time, many people in the spring will lack vitamin B2, the emergence of the mouth corners of the inflammation of the situation, soybean sprouts are rich in vitamin B2, to help prevent the mouth corners of the inflammation.

4, toon

Spring equinox this time of year, toon, flavorful, fresh and crisp, taste and nutrition are the best. Chinese medicine believes that the toon taste bitter, cold, have clear heat and detoxification, stomach and qi effect. Its aromatic flavor can serve to awaken the spleen and open the stomach. Toon is also a good medicine for the treatment of enteritis, dysentery and urinary diseases.

5, leek

Spring Equinox is worth eating leeks. As the saying goes, leeks have "spring food is fragrant, summer food is stinky" said. This time of year, leeks are tender, fresh, the most delicious. From the leek's nutrient content, which contains vitamins and minerals and nothing special, but leeks are rich in dietary fiber, can enhance gastrointestinal motility, keep the bowels open, prevent constipation.

6, spinach

Spring eating vegetables and spinach, spinach all year round, but in the spring for the best, "spring spinach" root red and green leaves, fresh and tender exceptionally, the most delicious. Spinach listed in the spring, on the detoxification, spring dryness is quite beneficial. Chinese medicine also believes that spinach is sweet and cool, can nourish blood, stop bleeding, astringent yin, moistening dryness. Because spinach contains more oxalic acid, hindering the absorption of calcium and iron, eat spinach is recommended to use boiling water first, then fry.

7, red dates

Chinese medicine believes that spring is the time of the liver, more acidic food will make the liver too much damage to the spleen and stomach, so you should eat less acidic food, and appropriate to eat some sweet food. Red dates is such a flavor of spring spleen good.

8, strawberries

Chinese medicine believes that strawberries have fire, detoxification, clearing the role of heat, spring people's liver is often more exuberant, eat some strawberries can play a role in inhibiting. Strawberries are best eaten after meals, because it contains a lot of pectin and fiber, which can promote intestinal peristalsis, help digestion, improve constipation, for lack of appetite, postprandial bloating, constipation and other conditions.

9, green onions and garlic

Spring is also the most nutritious green onions and garlic in the year, the most tender, the most fragrant, the most delicious time to eat at this time to prevent the most common respiratory infections in the spring.

10, lemon

Every day to a cup of honey lemon water, can be said to help in the detoxification of the best choice. Homemade lemon honey water has two methods, both in the mixing of honey water with one or two fresh lemon slices, can also be used to cut thin slices of lemon with honey to marinate, in the refrigerator, each time you take out a piece of lemon directly into the water to drink.

Vernal Equinox Taboo

First, avoid big heat and cold

Vernal Equinox is in the middle of spring, at this time, the liver is strong, the kidney micro-quality, so in the dietary aspects of the cessation of acid and increase the Xin, to help the kidney liver; at the same time, pay attention to the healthy transportation of the spleen and stomach, spleen, and eliminate dampness. The general principle is to avoid great heat and cold, and strive to neutralize, according to their own actual situation, choose to maintain the body's function of coordinated and balanced diet. Such as in cooking fish, shrimp, crab and other cold food, should be accompanied by green onions, ginger, wine, vinegar warm seasonings, to prevent such dishes cold cold, after eating damage to the spleen and stomach and cause discomfort in the abdomen; and in the consumption of leeks, garlic, papaya and other yang-supporting dishes should be matched with eggs to nourish the yin products, in order to achieve the purpose of yin and yang complement each other. White eel, eucalyptus cashew flower, garlic burned eggplant, etc., have complementary deficiency, lower blood pressure, cool blood to stop the efficacy of blood; spring bamboo shoots sweet and cold, with nourishing yin and blood, phlegm, elimination of food, annoyance, diuretic and other effects, are the equinox of the food. Great heat and cold is the equinox. Taboo among the most important to avoid.

Second, avoid great joy and great sadness

Spring is not only the season of recovery, but also mental illnesses, and thus the equinox avoid great joy and great sadness, otherwise not conducive to the detoxification of the liver. You can take advantage of the beautiful spring time to do more outdoor activities, or with a good friend companion excursions, to maintain physical and mental balance, in addition, the spring should comply with the natural law of Yang Qi rise, so that the liver smooth, while ensuring the quality of sleep, for the year's health to lay the foundation.

Third, it is appropriate to regular meals, appropriate exercise

Because of the spring equinox alternating cold and warm, warm and cold, people are prone to high blood pressure, * menstrual disorders, allergic diseases and so on. To pay special attention to regular sleep, quantitative meals, in order to achieve yin and yang complement each other. Can gradually start morning exercise, to walk, jogging, playing Tai Chi is appropriate. After the equinox, although the weather is getting warmer, but the temperature difference between day and night is large, according to the principle of "do not cold, do not too hot", morning and evening to add clothing in time, more sunshine on weekdays.