It is a symbolic solar term that the weather changes from hot to cold. In Chinese people, it is often said that "see clever clouds in July and August". The solar term of summer is exactly July of the lunar calendar. Ancient proverbs about summer are also spread, such as: 'one autumn rain and one cool', 'three autumn rains and a linen fan high,' etc., which describe the changes of the solar term of summer, So do you know what customs are on this day? Let's have a look with Xiaobian
1. Worship ancestors and welcome autumn
Most of the folk customs before and after the summer solar term are related to ancestor worship and welcoming autumn. Before and after the summer, there will be folk activities to celebrate and praise Zhongyuan, commonly known as' making July and a half 'or' Zhongyuan Festival '. In the old days, there was a ceremony to open the ghost gate from the beginning of July. It didn't end until the end of the month. During this period, Pudu charity activities were held. It is said that the Pudu activity starts with opening the ghost gate, then erecting lights and poles and putting river lanterns to attract lonely souls; The main body is building a putu altar, a solitary shed, interspersed with robbing the solitary, and finally ends with closing the ghost gate.
2. Eat longan with porridge
The living custom of old Fuzhou is to eat longan with porridge during the summer. Because the weather is hot in summer, the human body consumes a lot of calories. Eating longan can supplement calories. Longan is warm, beneficial to the heart and spleen, replenish qi and blood, and has the effect of nourishing qi. The old generation's eating method is to peel a bowl of longan and eat it together with porridge.
In addition, another food that old Fuzhou eats in the summer is white balls. White balls are actually glutinous rice balls. The method is very simple. Rub glutinous rice powder into small grains, cook soup and add some sugar. It tastes sweet. It can not only supplement carbohydrates, but also relieve the greasy mouth in summer.
3. Decocting tea
This custom has prevailed since the Tang Dynasty. During the summer vacation, every household has the habit of frying herbal tea. First go to the drugstore to prepare prescriptions, and then fry tea at home for drinking, which means to eat some 'bitter' in autumn. It is quite beneficial in clearing heat, removing fire, eliminating food, eliminating lung heat and so on.
In the 1960s and 1970s, there were tea stalls selling sour plum soup on the streets of the urban area, so there was the proverb "sour plum soup in the summer, and the fire fades away". Making sour plum soup is very simple. Brew dried plums with boiling water at night and add rock sugar. After cooking and cooling, put it into a wooden covered ice bucket to reduce its temperature. It tastes sour and sweet, sweet and slightly salty. It tastes very good.
4. Worship the land lord
At the time of harvest, farmers held various ceremonies to thank the Lord of the land. Some slaughtered animals to worship in the earth temple, some put flags in the middle of the field to express gratitude, and others didn't wash their feet when they came home from work in the field this day, for fear of washing away the harvest.
On the fifteenth day of July, people still worship land and crops. Sprinkle offerings into the fields. After burning the paper, use the five color paper cut into pieces to wrap it around the ears of crops. It is said that it can avoid hail attack and obtain a bumper harvest in autumn. Some places also go to Houtu temple for sacrifice. The folk custom of Dingxiang County hangs Ma and Gu at the head of the door.
5. Put the river lamp
River lanterns, also known as' Lotus lanterns', are usually placed on the base with a lamp or candle. Zhongyuan night is placed in rivers, lakes and seas, allowing it to float freely. The lanterns are placed to ferry drowning ghosts and other lonely souls in the water.
A passage in Xiao Hong's biography of Hulan River is the best footnote to this custom: 'July 15 is a ghost festival; The dead soul is angry with the ghost. It can't support life. It's very hard to linger in hell. If you want to support life, you can't find the way. On this day, if a dead ghost holds a river lamp, he has to support his life. "
6. Open Fishing Festival
For coastal fishermen, it is a good season for fishing harvest after summer vacation. Every year, a grand annual fishing festival will be held along the coast of Zhejiang Province. It is decided to hold a grand fishing ceremony on the day when the fishing moratorium in the East China Sea ends to see off the fishermen.
At the beginning of the fishing festival, the static sea surface, which used to be lined with sailboats and anchored by thousands of Ge, suddenly became an active scene of machines roaring, sirens and hundreds of Ge. The main contents of the fishing festival include the hanging of fishing lanterns by thousands of households, the launching ceremony of thousands of boats, special theatrical galas, island tourism, exhibition and sales of characteristic products, local folk theatrical performances and other activities.
7. Eat ducks
The old duck tastes sweet and cool. Therefore, there is a folk tradition of eating ducks in the summer. There are a variety of methods, including white cut duck, lemon duck, ginger duck, roast duck, lotus leaf duck, walnut duck, etc. Beijing still retains this tradition. Generally, on the day of summer vacation, Beijingers will go to the store to buy lilies and ducks.
The duck is full of treasure. Duck meat is sweet, salty and cool in nature. It can nourish yin and stomach, benefit water and reduce swelling. It is suitable for bone steaming and heat, adverse urination, spermatorrhea, irregular menstruation of women, etc. Black bone ducks are of great medicinal value, and TB patients can reduce fever, cough and so on. Old female ducks can nourish deficiency and Yin, and have a tonic effect on those who have been ill for a long time or who have been tired and vomiting blood.