Tomorrow is the winter solstice in 2018. On that day, we will eat dumplings. According to the elders at home, eating dumplings on the winter solstice will not freeze our ears. This statement accompanies my childhood to the present, which naturally has no basis. What we can explore is the origin of the winter solstice? What is the origin of the winter solstice?
The origin of winter solstice: Based on astronomical phenology
The winter solstice has both natural and human connotations. It is not only a natural solar term, but also a traditional festival to sacrifice ancestors and gods. Since the winter solstice, because of the characteristics of solar terms, such as "one Yang in winter solstice, and the rising of Yang in heaven and earth", the ancients believed that since the beginning of the winter solstice, the Yang in heaven and earth began to grow stronger and stronger, representing the beginning of the next cycle, which is the auspicious day. Therefore, it is necessary to sacrifice gods and ancestors on the winter solstice, and then form a festival custom. It is said that the winter solstice is the first of the 24 solar terms. The winter solstice is a solar term determined in ancient times according to the phenology of celestial phenomena that Yang Qi gradually began to rise. On the day of the winter solstice, the Sun runs to the Yellow longitude 270-deg (the winter solstice point), the position of the sun directly on the ground reaches the southernmost end of the year, the sun almost directly on the southern regression line (also known as the winter solstice line), and the sun is the most inclined to the northern hemisphere. Therefore, the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year in all parts of the northern hemisphere, and the more northward, the shorter the day. To the north of the Arctic Circle, the sun is below the horizon all day, making it the widest polar night of the year in the northern hemisphere. For all parts of the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice is also the day with the lowest solar height at noon. On the winter solstice, the northern hemisphere receives the least solar radiation, about 50% less than the southern hemisphere. The winter solstice is a new year. "The collection of zajing hall" records "summer and autumn equinox, spring and winter solstice", the winter solstice festival, the forerunner of spring. After the winter solstice, the night sky stars are completely replaced by the winter sky, and from today on, they start to 'enter nine'. At this time, the southern hemisphere is in hot summer.
According to the existing documents, in the spring and Autumn period more than 25000 years ago, China had observed the sun and determined the winter solstice with the tugui. It is said that the winter solstice in the Tang and Song Dynasties was the day to worship the ancestors. The emperor wanted to hold a ceremony in the countryside, while the people wanted to worship their parents and elders. After the Song Dynasty, the winter solstice gradually became a festival to sacrifice ancestors and gods. During the winter solstice of Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperor held a ceremony to worship the heaven, which was called "the suburb of winter solstice". During this period, there were also ancestor worship, family dinner and other customs. Therefore, the winter solstice is called the "little year". The winter solstice was called "short day" or "short day". The ancients believed that the winter solstice solar term was the starting point for calculating the 24 solar terms in China. As soon as the winter solstice arrived, the new year was in front of them. Therefore, the ancients believed that the importance of the winter solstice was no less than that of the new year. The saying "the winter solstice is as big as the new year" was widely spread among the people.
The ancients believed that since the winter solstice, the Yangqi of heaven and earth began to flourish and gradually became stronger, representing the beginning of the next cycle, which was the auspicious day. Therefore, the later customs of ancestor worship and family dinner during the Spring Festival often appear in the winter solstice. The winter solstice is also known as the "small year". First, it means that the annual pass is near and there are not many days left. Second, it means the importance of the winter solstice. The winter solstice, as a festival, was first celebrated in the Han Dynasty. The first month of the Zhou calendar is the winter November of the Chinese calendar. Therefore, the first month of the Zhou Dynasty is equal to the present November of the lunar calendar, so there is no difference between the worship of new year and the celebration of winter solstice. The first month and the winter solstice were not separated until the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty adopted the Chinese calendar. According to the existing literature, the special winter solstice festival has been existed since the Han Dynasty, and it flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and has lasted until now.