The beginning of summer is the seventh solar term in the 24 solar terms of the lunar calendar, and it is also the first solar term in summer, indicating the official beginning of midsummer. Tomorrow is the beginning of summer in the 24 solar terms. What are the traditional customs of the beginning of summer? Let's have a look.
The beginning of summer
The solar term at the beginning of summer in 2019 is Monday, May 6, 2019, the second day of April in the lunar calendar. Just like the three stages of waking and stung, there are three stages in the beginning of summer, that is, the first stage is when the mole flies, the second stage is when the earthworm comes out, and the third stage is when Wang guasheng comes out. Due to the dry climate at the beginning of summer, people are easy to get angry and the number of patients with aphthous ulcer increases. Therefore, need to take some vitamins or treatment of aphthous ulcer drugs. Moreover, Lixia is the epidemic period of red eye disease, so we must take precautions.
The custom of Lixia
The ancient people attached great importance to the ceremony of welcoming the summer and the custom of setting up the summer. There was a rule in the court that "setting up the ice in summer and giving the Minister of culture and military a gift.". In the folk, people will drink cold drinks in summer to welcome the beginning of summer.
The custom of Lixia
1. Eat eggs
In the folk, there is a saying that "if you eat eggs at the beginning of summer, stones will be crushed." it means that if you eat eggs at the beginning of summer, people will be energetic. Around the children's necks, there are egg covers made of silk thread, which are filled with boiled eggs and duck eggs. Some still draw patterns on the eggs and try to compete with each other, which is called egg bumping.
From the perspective of modern nutrition, there is a certain scientific truth. Eggs are equivalent to a 'mini nutrient bank', which is the first choice for the body to quickly supplement nutrients in summer. In summer, due to a lot of sweating, people are prone to fatigue and loss of appetite. Eating an egg at this time can quickly replenish their physical strength and improve their disease resistance, which is very beneficial to safely spend the summer heat.
2. Weighing people
After lunch, there is a custom of weighing people. The ancient poem says: "at the beginning of summer, weigh the weight of a person, and laugh on the beam. "People hang up a big wooden scale, hang a stool on the hook, and take turns sitting on the stool to weigh people. The weigher was speaking auspicious words while weighing people. Although there are different versions of folk legends about the origin of the custom of weighing people, they are all related to Liu Bei's son, ah Dou.
In the beginning of autumn, we should weigh it again to see how much summer grows, which can explain our (physical) condition. It is said that after weighing on this day, they will not be afraid of the hot summer and will not lose weight, otherwise they will be plagued by diseases. Of course, we can't believe all the legends, but there is no doubt that the custom of weighing people in Lixia was very prosperous in some areas in ancient times.
3. Congee
According to local historical records, in ancient China, the custom of eating porridge and hanging eggs was formed during the solar term of 'Lixia'. It is said that Lixia porridge can ensure a safe and healthy year. Although it is only a legend, this custom expresses people's yearning for a better life.
In terms of health preservation, it's better to eat more thin food, porridge and soup in order to maintain the spleen and stomach in summer, which can not only produce body fluid and quench thirst, cool and relieve summer heat, but also nourish the body. When cooking porridge, add some lotus leaves, taste fragrant, porridge a little bitter, can wake up the spleen and appetizer, have digestion of summer heat, stomach and intestines, body fluid and thirst; when cooking porridge, add some mung bean or use mung bean soup alone, have the effect of relieving summer heat and thirst, clearing heat and detoxification, body fluid and diuresis.
4. Eat Lixia rice
On the first day of summer, according to the traditional Chinese custom, we have to eat all kinds of rice in different patterns. Black rice, pea and glutinous rice are the most common rice. However, due to the addition of various seasonal materials and the change of colors, people's appetite will be greatly increased.
On the day of Lixia, southerners like to mix white japonica rice with red beans, soybeans, black beans, green beans, mung beans and other five color beans to make 'five color rice', commonly known as' Lixia rice '. Black rice is also a great food in Lixia. Black rice is actually very simple: first mash the leaves of black tree, soak them in cold water, then remove the dregs, then immerse the cleaned glutinous rice in the juice of black tree leaves, soak the glutinous rice thoroughly, turn it into black, then steam it in an iron pot, and finally sprinkle some sugar. It is said that this custom originated from Sun Bin, a famous military strategist in the Warring States period.
5. Try something new
In many places, there is the custom of "tasting fresh food at the beginning of summer". People taste seasonal food in order to be healthy and auspicious. Such as cherry, sprout, green broad bean, garlic seedling, amaranth, green plum and other new fruits and vegetables. All kinds of fruits and vegetables should be eaten more.
There is a saying in the field of nutrition that "if you eat five vegetables and fruits a day, your life will be colorful". If you eat vegetables and fruits of various colors, you will get more balanced nutrition. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamins and dietary fiber, vitamin C can improve the body's immune ability, but also whitening, anti ultraviolet, prevent tanning effect. Dietary fiber can promote intestinal peristalsis and relieve constipation.
6. Do summer
At the beginning of summer, it's popular in Fuzhou to cook tripod for summer. Ding Bian paste (also known as pan Bian paste) is made by boiling in a rice slurry hot pot. It is delicious with shrimp, shrimp oil, scallion, golden needle, black fungus, clam, or a small amount of mushroom, clam and other seafood soup. People who grow up in Fuzhou or stay in Fuzhou for a long time love to eat.
In the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, it was popular to cook at the edge of the cauldron. The beginning of summer has entered the busy farming season. On this day, not only do the family have enough to eat and then go to work, but they also give to each other's neighbors to taste together. Like the edge of a pot, it's like "once you have a pattern, you'll be familiar" to connect with your feelings. It embodies the traditional virtues of Fuzhou people.
7. Eating pasta
In the north of China, wheat is mostly planted, and it's the time for wheat to enter the market. Therefore, most of the northern regions have the custom of making and eating pasta at the beginning of summer to celebrate the wheat harvest. There are three kinds of pasta in the beginning of summer: Summer cake, flour cake and spring roll.
Summer cake, also known as Ma cake, has different shapes, such as champion riding, Guanyin delivering children, monkey holding peach, etc.; flour cake, sweet and salty, salty flour cake is made of shredded meat, leeks, etc., dipped in mashed garlic, sweet flour cake is more sugar; Spring rolls, with refined pancakes, wrapped with fried bean sprouts, leeks and shredded meat and other fillings, sealed with flour mixed with egg white sticky, and then deep fried in hot oil pan to light yellow when picked up for consumption.
8. Drink tea
Jiangxi, Yangzhou and other places in China have the custom of drinking tea at the beginning of summer. In summer, it's very hot. Drinking tea often, especially the cool green tea, can make the summer heat subside, play the role of heat clearing, diuresis and detoxification. In addition, the high temperature in summer, the human body lost more water, often drinking tea can supplement water in time.
However, theophylline in tea is a stimulant of central nervous system. When drinking tea in summer to cool off the heat, we should also pay attention to avoid the phenomenon of 'drunk tea'. We should not drink strong tea. If you don't drink tea on an empty stomach or a large amount of tea, you can have something to eat and drink boiled water in time to relieve it.
9. Welcome summer
In ancient times, people attached great importance to Lixia. According to reports, on the day of the beginning of summer, the emperor would lead a hundred civil and military officials to the suburbs to hold a welcoming ceremony. All monarchs and ministers wear red dress, with red jade pendant, and horses, flags are red, to express the desire for a good harvest and good wishes. There is also a custom that if you do not welcome summer in summer, you will be plagued by diseases and disasters.
There is a saying that people should not sit on the threshold in summer, especially children. It is said that sitting on the threshold at the beginning of summer will make you tired and ill in summer, and you will be in low spirits for a year. If a child is not careful to sit on the threshold, he must sit on seven thresholds to lift the taboo.