The custom of beginning of winter solar terms, what to eat in Chaoshan beginning of winter solar terms?

The custom of solar terms in beginning of winter

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Beginning of winter, beginning of spring, Chang Xia and beginning of autumn are collectively called "four stands", which means to stand still and start. As one of the four important solar terms, beginning of winter is one of the seasonal nodes that our people attach great importance to, and it is also a time to enjoy a bumper harvest and recuperate. We look forward to the prosperity and good luck in the coming year through the rest in winter. Beginning of winter is not only the first season of winter, but also an important festival celebrated in many parts of our country.

Make up for winter

After beginning of winter, it means that this year's winter has officially arrived. Vegetation withers, stingers sleep, and all activities tend to stop. Although there is no such thing as hibernation, there is a folk custom of making up for winter in beginning of winter. The proverb "beginning of winter fills the winter and fills the mouth" is the best metaphor. Beginning of winter means entering the cold season, and people tend to eat foods that can drive away the cold. In the south, people will eat some high-calorie foods, such as chicken, duck and fish. Some will be cooked with traditional Chinese medicine to increase the efficacy of medicine tonic. What does Chaoshan beginning of winter eat in solar terms?

In Chaoshan area, on the day of early winter, people will follow the ancient tonic custom, picking early winter millet, eating sugarcane and frying fragrant rice.

In early winter, the rice in the field is just ripe and full, and it will be harvested soon. On this day, many rural people gather in the fields to pick early winter millet. Wash your hands before picking, don't get dirty (according to legend, pollution will bring evil spirits), and pick the ears of rice with full grains. The heavier the ear of rice, the greater the blessing. Generally, twelve ears of rice are picked; If you meet the next leap year, you should pick thirteen ears.

Chaoshan people have had the custom of winter solstice tonic since ancient times, and local residents think that winter is the best time for tonic. Chinese herbal medicines used for nourishing medicated diet include ginseng, angelica, medlar, American ginseng, fish glue, pilose antler, Cordyceps, Poria, Astragalus, etc. The commonly used foods in medicated diet are black-bone chicken, partridge, pigeon, quail and duck.