What is the origin of winter solstice? What do you eat on the solstice in winter?

Winter solstice is a very important solar term in China lunar calendar, and it is also a traditional festival of the Chinese nation. The winter solstice is usually called "Winter Festival", "Dragon Solstice Festival" and "Asian Year". As early as 2500 years ago, during the Spring and Autumn Period, China observed the sun with the earth, and determined the winter solstice, which was the earliest of the 24 solar terms. The time of year is marked in the solar calendar. In most parts of northern China, it is also the custom to eat jiaozi and jiaozi on this day. There is a proverb: When winter solstice comes, we will eat jiaozi, and there are poems and films about this solar term.

The solstice in winter is a good time for health preservation, mainly because "Qi starts from the solstice in winter". Because from beginning of winter, life activities began to turn from prosperity to decline, from dynamic to static. At this time, scientific health preservation helps to ensure vigorous energy and prevent premature aging, thus achieving the purpose of prolonging life. During the winter solstice, the diet should be diversified, grains, fruits, meat and vegetables should be reasonably matched, and foods with high calcium should be selected appropriately.

In winter solstice, different places have different customs. There are customs of slaughtering sheep, eating jiaozi and eating wonton in the north. In the south, there is a custom of eating glutinous rice balls and long noodles in winter solstice, while people in southern Jiangsu eat green onions and fried tofu in winter solstice.

Beijing wonton In the past, there was a saying in old Beijing that "winter solstice wonton, summer solstice noodle". According to legend, during the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu in the north often harassed the frontier, and the people were restless. At that time, there were two leaders, Xiongnu tribe and Tun tribe, which were very cruel. The people hated it, so they wrapped it into a corner with meat stuffing and called it "wonton" with the sound of "muddy" and "swallowing". I hate eating, and I want to quell the war and live a peaceful life. Because wonton was originally made on the winter solstice, every household eats wonton on the winter solstice.

Every year, during the winter solstice of the Lunar New Year, jiaozi is an indispensable holiday feast for both the rich and the poor. As the saying goes: "On October 1st, when the solstice of winter comes, every family eats jiaozi." This custom was left in memory of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", who gave up medicine from the winter solstice. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as the magistrate of Changsha, visiting the sick and taking medicine, and practicing medicine in the lobby. Later, he resolutely resigned and went back to his hometown to treat his neighbors. When he got home, it was already winter. He saw that the villagers on both sides of the Baihe River were sallow and emaciated, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. He asked his disciples to build a medical shed and a cauldron in Dongguan, Nanyang, and give up their "charming ears" to treat frostbite on the day of winter solstice. He cooked mutton and some herbs to dispel the cold in a pot, then took out the mutton and chopped the medicine to make ear-shaped Joules and bread. After cooking, he distributed two Joules and a big bowl of broth to everyone who came to ask for medicine. People ate "Joule" and drank "Quhan Decoction", and they were all hot, their ears were hot, and their frostbitten ears were cured. Later generations learned the appearance of Joule and packaged it into food, also called "jiaozi" or "flat food".

It is said that the custom of eating dog meat on the solstice began in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty, ate dog meat cooked by Fan Kuai on the solstice in winter, which was particularly delicious and full of praise. Since then, the custom of eating dog meat from winter solstice has been formed among the people. Nowadays, people eat dog meat, mutton and all kinds of nutritious food on the solstice of winter, which is a good sign for the coming year.

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, * * * Gong was a troubled wit who died in the winter. 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.

In Taiwan Province Province, China, the tradition of worshipping ancestors with nine layers of cakes is still preserved, and glutinous rice flour is kneaded into chickens, ducks, turtles, pigs, cows and sheep, symbolizing good luck.

Then put the long-lived animals in a steamer and steam them layer by layer to worship their ancestors. In the early days of the winter solstice or before and after the agreement, people with the same surname and clan gather in the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors one by one in the order of generations. After the ceremony, there will be a grand banquet for the people who come to worship their ancestors. Everyone drinks heartily and meets again after a long separation, which is called "food ancestor". The ancestors of the winter solstice festival are handed down from generation to generation in Taiwan Province to show that they have never forgotten their roots. Radish, vegetables, tofu, fungus, etc.

Gusu region attaches great importance to the solar terms of the winter solstice. There is a proverb in Gusu region: "The winter solstice is like a new year". Traditional Gusu people will drink winter wine on the night of winter solstice. Winter wine is a kind of rice wine, which is brewed with sweet-scented osmanthus and has a pleasant aroma. Gusu people will drink winter wine on the night of winter solstice, and at the same time, they will serve all kinds of braised beef and braised mutton. In the cold winter, winter brewing can not only drive away the cold, but also entrust Gusu people with their good wishes for life.