Summer Solstice is here, what are the special food customs in your hometown?

The summer solstice (Summer Solstice) is one of the twenty-four solar terms, and one of the earliest to be identified, with the date falling between June 20-22 on the Gregorian calendar each year. Summer Solstice is also an important traditional festival in ancient China. Before the Qing Dynasty, the whole country had a one-day holiday on Summer Solstice, while in the Song Dynasty, officials would have a three-day holiday on Summer Solstice, and in the Liao Dynasty, it was "Summer Solstice is called 'Dynasty Festival'.

My hometown is Xi'an in the northwest, in my hometown every summer solstice on the day of the custom of eating rice dumplings , the following is the specific custom of the situation:

Northwest China will eat rice dumplings on the day of the summer solstice, and will be taken to take the ashes of chrysanthemums to prevent the wheat from insect pests. Summer solstice comes, yang is shrinking day by day, yin is growing day by day, this time to send away the old yang, zongzi glutinous rice, red dates, from the point of view of traditional Chinese medicine is a symbol of yang things, people wrap them up and eat them, is and yang of the season to say goodbye to the meaning. "Eating zongzi was first a ceremonial eating." ?　

The unique shape of the zongzi, like a "croissant", belongs to the traditional Chinese food modeling alternative, but has a great origin. Zongzi's predecessor called "corn", it can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, China entered a civilization of rituals and music, and all kinds of sacrificial activities were hierarchical. At that time, the earliest level of sacrifice was called "Taijiu", mainly used to worship the gods of the earth and grain, hoping for a good agricultural harvest, and the sacrificial offerings used were three kinds of livestock: cows, goats, and hogs.

According to records, as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, people began to eat rice dumplings. With Mizushu leaves (wild rice leaves) wrapped in millet into a horn-shaped, called the "corner of the millet"; with a bamboo tube filled with rice sealed and baked, called the "tube of millet". Its raw materials are mainly millet. And, at the beginning of people eating rice dumplings is not limited to the Dragon Boat Festival, but the Dragon Boat Festival and the summer solstice, Jin Zhou's "Land and Customs" said "common, heavy Dragon Boat Festival and the summer solstice with the same." Liang "Jing Chu chronicle" also said that the day of the summer solstice to eat dumplings.

Even if the dumplings later became a popular food at the Dragon Boat Festival, some places still retain the tradition of eating dumplings on the summer solstice.　

Next with me to see other regions, the summer solstice food customs situation:

1,? Shandong summer solstice food customs: cold noodles

Shandong in the summer solstice in this day is to eat cold noodles, that is, over water noodles, with wheat straw braided a delicate little strainer, in the soup one at a time in the mouth to fish noodles to eat, for the small children is not just eating, but also a game, full of fun.　

During the Qing Dynasty, "summer solstice noodles" were developed into various kinds of cold noodles. Pan Rong ah "imperial capital yearly chronicle" as "the summer solstice, the great sacrifice Fangze, is the country's great ceremony. Is the day all eat cold Tao noodles, that is commonly said to be over water noodles is also ...... cold Tao noodles refreshing suitable, the world is incomparable." ?

Summer solstice noodles are also called "into the ambush noodles", under the pot of noodles or noodles leaf is mostly hand-rolled noodles, usually with just harvested new wheat noodles rolled into. This kind of noodle or noodle leaf has a strong grain flavor and is easy to digest and tastes good. Summer solstice cold noodles practice and eating method are very delicate, not only to use cool water or spring water to cook the noodles or noodles "pull cool", but also with a variety of small dishes, seasonings.　

2. Beijing summer solstice food customs: summer solstice noodles

"Winter solstice dumplings summer solstice noodles." This proverb refers to another folk custom in old Beijing. Because the northern region of the Yellow River basin is located in the main crop is wheat, in the new wheat harvest, people use the new noodles to make happy noodles is the best way to celebrate the harvest. Eating noodles is not only a nutritious way to satisfy people's needs, but also brings a variety of pleasures to life by eating the many styles of noodles made by skillful hands. 　

Eating hot noodles in the hot summer, in addition to hobbies, it is said that there is "avoiding evil" meaning, the ancients believe that the fifth month of the lunar calendar is the month of evil, there is to eat hot noodles is to drive away the evil that is said to be sweating method to get rid of the stagnant moisture and summer inside the human body. Some people love to eat cold noodles in summer to get rid of summer heat. Summer solstice noodles, mainly because of the summer solstice new wheat has debuted, so the summer solstice noodles also have "taste the new" meaning. The hot and humid weather often lack of appetite, if this time to the bowl of noodles, with a little refreshing small dishes, not only can arouse people's appetite, but also will let people enjoy more cool, play the role of summer heat.

3.? Lingnan summer solstice dietary customs: dog meat ?　

Dog meat in folklore has always been a nourishing good, and Lingnan region more summer solstice to eat dog meat habit, "eat the summer solstice dog, the west wind around the field," that is to say, summer solstice this day ate dog meat, the body will be strong enough to resist the invasion of the west wind and rain, the body is more healthy.　

From a medical point of view, dog meat is a kind of hot and dry food, summer solstice to eat dog meat according to each person's body constitution to decide whether you can eat, folk saying some not very scientific. In addition, it is said that because of a large number of local dog slaughter, some dogs witnessed the death of their own kind, bear a great deal of fear and psychological torture, the local rabies outbreak rate is not unrelated. I remind, the dog is the most loyal friend of mankind, eating dog meat behavior should not be promoted.

4,? Zhejiang Shaoxing summer solstice food customs: round paste Jiaojiao?　　　

Previously, people in the era of rich and poor in the summer solstice when their ancestors, commonly known as "do summer solstice", sacrificing ancestors in addition to some of the regular tribute, will be added to a special plate of pancakes. Summer harvest is over, the new wheat on the market, so there is a day to eat noodles to taste the new custom, but also some people with wheat flour paste, spread into a pancake baked and eaten.　

"Summer solstice ate a round paste jiao, stepped on the stone cooing", in the past a lot of farmers will do a good job of jiao pile with a bamboo stick through the good, inserted in the paddy fields of the gap in the place of the water, and burning incense as a sacrifice, praying for a good harvest. Therefore, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, still have the summer solstice to eat round paste Jiaojiao habit.

5,? Jiangsu Wuxi summer solstice food customs: won stew

Jiangsu Wuxi people in the summer solstice this day, breakfast will eat wheat porridge, and then eat won stew for lunch, there is a "chaos and harmony" meaning. After eating the wonton, the people will measure the weight of their children, hoping that the children will gain weight and be healthy. Hundun, the ancients said that its shape "like a chicken egg, quite similar to the chaos of heaven and earth", and "hundun" and "chaos" resonance. Pangu opened the sky, the chaos was first divided, eat wontons can get smart. When I was young, I heard my grandmother say, "Eat wontons on the summer solstice, and you will not be propelled by the summer heat." The summer solstice wontons are also a good way to pray for a safe summer.　

History tells us that in the Song dynasty court, every summer solstice, the imperial chefs wrapped up a kind of summer solstice wontons for the emperor and concubines to eat. In fact, the Song dynasty court is not only the summer solstice season to eat wontons, the rest of the twenty-three seasons of the year also eat wontons, so the Song dynasty court there is a "twenty-four seasons wontons" of the famous pasta, the Song dynasty Emperor Gaozong especially addicted to eat wontons.　

The techniques of wrapping wontons are also different, wrapped out of the wontons look different, some like Yuanbao, some like the official hat, which and eating wontons of the original meaning: reunion, happiness and full meaning is the same, expresses a kind of desire for a better life and the pursuit of.　

In fact, no matter what you eat, everyone's original intention is the same, all to welcome the arrival of the summer solstice, to celebrate the advent of a new day.