The winter solstice is a very important solar term in China's 24 solar terms, and it can also be regarded as one of our traditional Chinese festivals. There is a traditional habit of eating dumplings on the day of the winter solstice. There is an old saying that the winter solstice does not eat dumplings to freeze ears. In qingjialu, there is the saying that the winter solstice is as big as years, which is enough to see that the ancients attached great importance to the winter solstice. In China, there are rich and colorful winter solstice eating customs handed down. Everyone is familiar with eating dumplings at the winter solstice, but many traditional winter solstice eating customs in many places are unfamiliar to us. This article will bring you the eating customs of various places on the winter solstice.
The northern winter solstice to eat dumplings
In northern China, there is a saying of "winter solstice dumplings and summer solstice noodles". Why do you eat dumplings on the day of winter solstice? Jiaozi, formerly known as "jiao'er", is said to have been invented by Zhang Zhongjing, the medical saint of China. It has a history of more than 1800 years.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, a famous doctor, saw that many poor people were suffering from hunger and cold, and their ears were frozen and rotten, so he invented "Quhan Jiaoer soup". His method was to boil mutton, pepper and some cold dispelling herbs in a pot, take them out and chop them up, wrap them into ear shaped 'Jiaoer' with noodles, and give them to patients after cooking. Each person had two Jiaoer ears and a bowl of soup. After eating Quhan decoction, people have fever, unobstructed blood and warm ears. The patient's rotten ears will be fine for a period of time.
Zhang Zhongjing gave up medicine until new year's Eve. On the first day of the lunar new year, people celebrate the new year and the recovery of rotten ears. They make food like Jiao ears and call it 'Jiaoer' and 'jiaozi'. Since then, the story of "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction" has been widely spread among the people. Every winter solstice and new year's day, people eat dumplings and still remember Zhang Zhongjing's kindness. Therefore, now there is another saying that eating dumplings on the winter solstice will not freeze your ears in the winter.
Suzhou people eat wonton on the winter solstice and remember Xishi
Since Suzhou was the capital of the state of Wu 2500 years ago, and the ancestor of the state of Wu was the descendant of King Tai of Zhou, it once inherited the calendar of the Zhou Dynasty and took the winter solstice as the beginning of the year, so the ancient city of Suzhou still has the legacy of "the winter solstice is as big as the year".
In the winter solstice, Suzhou people still have the custom of eating wonton. It is said that the king of Wu, who was tired of delicacies, had no appetite. Beauty Xi Shi went into the imperial kitchen and wrapped a dessert for the king of Wu. The king of Wu ate a large bowl at one go and repeatedly asked, 'what kind of dessert is this, so delicious?' Xi Shi thought: the confused king was confused and could not open the chaos, so he casually replied: 'chaos.' Later, in order to commemorate the delicious food created by Xi Shi, Suzhou people set wonton as the food of the winter solstice festival.
Ningxia winter solstice to eat 'brain'
On the day of the winter solstice, Yinchuan has a custom to drink powder soup and eat mutton powder soup dumplings. Yinchuan people also called mutton powder soup a special name - "brain". Mutton powder soup is cooked with mushrooms and mutton, supplemented with seasonings such as salt, ginger, onion, garlic, pepper and soy sauce. After the soup is boiled, put in the cut powder and soaked vermicelli, and then add leek, garlic sprouts and coriander. In this way, a pot of colorful mutton powder soup is ready. The aroma pours on the nose and makes people salivate.
After the dumplings in powder soup are ready, first serve a bowl for them, and then serve a bowl to the nearest neighbor. Mutton soup dumplings have a unique practice and taste spicy and delicious. Now they have become a characteristic snack in Yinchuan.
Worship ancestors and eat sweet pills during the winter solstice in Chaoshan area
In Chaoshan area, the winter solstice, also known as the 'little new year', is a big folk festival. On this day, people should prepare enough pork, chicken, fish and other animals and fruits, go to the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors, and then their families eat together around the table. In coastal areas, before fishermen go to sea to fish, they should worship their ancestors, pray for fishermen, and ask gods and ancestors to bless their safe return from sea.
Chaoshan has the saying of "eating winter festival round is one year older". Among them, "winter festival round" is tangyuan. It is also called sweet pill in Chaoshan area. The custom of eating sweet pill on the day of winter solstice is almost popular in the whole Chaoshan area. Long ago, these sweet pills were not only used to eat, but also pasted on the roof and roof beams of their own homes. First, the sweet pills were round, indicating a bumper harvest next year and family reunion. Second, they were to thank the rats for sending grain seeds to the farmers. Nowadays, people don't stick sweet pills, but the custom of eating dumplings on the winter solstice is still popular today &# 8203;&# 8203;&# 8203;&# 8203;
Eat red bean glutinous rice on the winter solstice festival in Jiangnan Shuixiang
In China's Jiangnan Water Town, it is a custom for the whole family to get together and eat red bean glutinous rice on the night of the winter solstice.
It is said that Gonggong had talented people who committed many evils and died on the day of the winter solstice. After his death, he became a plague ghost and continued to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans. Therefore, people cook and eat red bean glutinous rice on the winter solstice to drive away epidemic ghosts and prevent disasters and diseases.
Shanghai winter solstice every family eats dumplings
In old Shanghai, there was a poem that said, 'every family pounded rice to make dumplings. It is known that it is the winter solstice of the Ming Dynasty.' Shanghainese are used to eating dumplings on the winter solstice to celebrate the arrival of the winter solstice. Glutinous rice flour is used to make dough, which is wrapped with various fillings. The prepared dumplings are used to worship ancestors and give each other to relatives and friends.
Hangzhou people eat rice cakes three times a day
Hangzhou people like to eat New Year cakes to celebrate the winter solstice. Every winter solstice, they make cakes to worship their ancestors or give gifts to relatives and friends. In terms of diet, three meals will make different flavors of rice cakes, sesame powder mixed with sugar, shredded meat fried rice cakes and so on. Hangzhou people eat New Year cakes at the winter solstice, which is auspicious, meaning to grow tall every year.
Various winter solstice eating customs on the land of China are still widely spread, enough to see the important impact of this day on people's farming, work, life and rest. Indeed, the winter solstice is the beginning of the cathode and the beginning of the Yang. After that, there are light cold, severe cold and several nine, indicating that the coldest day of the year is coming. Therefore, after the winter solstice, pay more attention to keeping warm in winter, and eat more warm food in diet to enhance the ability to resist the cold.