What are the customs of the winter solstice festival?

The solstice in winter is an important festival in China. In ancient times, there was a saying that the winter solstice was as big as a year. Its festival customs have been passed down for nearly 3000 years, which is a valuable intangible cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. So what customs do you know about the winter solstice festival? Interested friends come and have a look.

1. Eat jiaozi There is an old saying: "On October 1st, the solstice of winter comes, and every household eats jiaozi." It can be seen that it is an essential custom to eat jiaozi on the solstice in winter. Why do you eat jiaozi on the winter solstice? It is said that Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", was a magistrate in Changsha. After resigning from his post and returning to his hometown, he saw that the villagers were sallow and emaciated, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. So, he ordered his disciples to set up a stove, put mutton and herbs for removing cold in a pot, then take them out and chop them up, make them into ear-shaped "charming ears" with bread, and give them to those who came to ask for medicine after cooking. After eating, people are warm all over, their ears are hot, and their frostbitten ears are cured. Later generations learned to look like Joule, wrapped it up and made it into food, so it was called "jiaozi".

Second, on the second day of the cold winter, people began to count nine, which is what people call "counting nine in winter". 9 days is 19, 9 days is 29, and so on. The number "99" is the end of "99". "Nine flowers bloom", then it will be warm. After entering the ninth year, the literati engaged in the so-called activities to reduce the cold, and chose a "ninth day", when nine people drank ("wine" is homophonic with "nine"), and nine dishes and bowls were served on the table, and those who finished the table used "nine flowers" seats to get the meaning of reducing the cold in the ninth year.

Third, offering sacrifices to the heavens and ancestors Many areas have the custom of offering sacrifices to the heavens and ancestors from the winter solstice, and some places celebrate festivals from the winter solstice. Every family provides genealogy, ancestor statues, memorial tablets, etc. In the upper hall of the home, an altar, incense burners and offerings are placed. In some places, while offering sacrifices to ancestors, they also offer sacrifices to gods, land gods and deities, so as to make the next year's weather favorable and the family prosperous.

Fourth, drink mutton soup.

It is said that the custom of eating mutton from winter solstice began in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty, ate mutton cooked in Fan Kuai on the solstice of winter, which was particularly delicious and full of praise. Since then, the custom of eating mutton from winter solstice has been formed among the people. On the solstice of winter, people eat mutton and various nourishing foods one after another in order to have a good omen for the coming year. Now in Tengzhou, Shandong Province, this day is called Fujiu. Before the festival, the elders will be given gifts such as mutton, and everyone will drink mutton soup, which is a good sign for individuals, elders and families.

Five, eat red bean glutinous rice

In Jiangnan water town, there is a custom that the whole family get together to eat red beans and glutinous rice in the evening from winter to Sunday. According to legend, there was a man named Gong. His son was incompetent and evil. He died on the Winter Solstice. Become a plague ghost after death and continue to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook red bean rice from winter solstice to drive away the epidemic ghost and prevent diseases.

This is all the customs I know about the winter solstice. What else do you know?