Winter solstice number ninety-nine: The winter solstice is a big festival in winter, and there is a ** of "the winter solstice is as big as the year" in the folk, so the ancients called the winter solstice "sub-year" or "small year". The Han Dynasty called the winter solstice "Winter Festival", and the government held a congratulatory ceremony called "He Dong", and the official routine holiday, and the officialdom was popular to congratulate each other on the "winter worship" custom. There is such a record in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty: "Before and after the winter solstice, the gentleman is quiet, the officials are desperate, they do not listen to the government, and they choose auspicious days and then save trouble." Before and after the winter solstice, the gentleman settled down, the officials did nothing, did not listen to the government, and chose the auspicious day and then saved trouble. Before and after the winter solstice, the gentleman settled down, the officials did nothing, did not listen to the government, and chose the auspicious day and then saved trouble. Before and after the winter solstice, the gentleman settled down, the officials did nothing, did not listen to the government, and chose the auspicious day and then saved trouble. ”
The winter solstice, this seemingly ordinary solar term, has a unique charm and rich connotation. From the solar terms to the food, every detail is full of stories and historical evidence. Today, let's walk into this charming festival and explore its charm and secrets.
1. The charm of the solar terms of the winter solstice
The winter solstice is one of the 24 solar terms in China and an important festival in traditional Chinese culture. On the winter solstice, the day when the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, it is also the time of the year when the days are shortest and the nights are the longest. Therefore, the winter solstice is seen as an important solar term, symbolizing the alternation of the end of the year and the beginning of the year.
In ancient times, people observed the trajectory of the sun and found that the winter solstice is the day when the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, and it is also the shortest day and longest night of the year. Therefore, the winter solstice is seen as an important solar term, symbolizing the alternation of the end of the year and the beginning of the year. The arrival of this solar term also means the official start of winter.
The winter solstice is the key solar term for the transformation of yin and yang, and it is the beginning of the rise of yang energy. In the Book of Changes, there is a record that "the winter solstice is born and spring comes again". The ancients believed that since the winter solstice, the yang energy of heaven and earth began to grow stronger, which means that it is auspicious and "auspicious". The winter solstice, also known as "Yiyangsheng", is the day when yin and yang rotate.
Second, the gastronomic charm of the winter solstice
1. Dumplings: a must-have delicacy for the winter solstice.
On the day of the winter solstice, every family will make dumplings to eat. Dumplings are an important festival food, which is shaped like ingots, implying abundant wealth and good luck. The custom of eating dumplings on the day of the winter solstice stems from a legend. Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a poor family who had no food to eat on the day of the winter solstice. So they decided to make dumplings to celebrate the holiday. They use flour and water to stir into a dough, then roll it into thin slices with a rolling pin, cut it into small pieces with a knife, and finally roll it into a circle with a rolling pin. They put the dumplings in the pot and cooked them, and found that the shape of the dumplings was round like ingots. Therefore, it is believed that dumplings symbolize wealth and good luck. As a result, the custom of dumplings has been passed down to this day.
2. Tangyuan: a traditional delicacy on the winter solstice.
In addition to dumplings, tangyuan is also one of the traditional delicacies of the winter solstice. Tangyuan is a round snack made from glutinous rice that is wrapped in a variety of fillings. The custom of eating tangyuan on the day of the winter solstice stems from a legend. Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a young woman playing on the swing alone at home on the day of the winter solstice, suddenly a gust of wind blew her into the air, when she landed, she found that she had become a bird, it turned out that the sound she made when she played the swing was as crisp and beautiful as the bird's call, so people believed that playing on the swing can drive away evil spirits and avoid disasters and pray for peace, so the custom of playing on the swing has been passed down to this day, and the rice balls imply reunion and harmony.
3. Mutton soup: a warm-up delicacy for the winter solstice.
Drinking a bowl of hot lamb soup on a cold winter day is a great treat. It is also a traditional custom to drink mutton soup on the day of the winter solstice. Lamb is rich in protein and vitamins B1, B2 and other nutrients, which have the effect of keeping out the cold and nourishing the body. On the day of the winter solstice, drinking a bowl of hot mutton soup can ward off the cold and warm up the body and enhance the body's immunity.
3. The charm of the customs of the winter solstice
1. Ancestor worship: express respect and longing for ancestors.
On the day of the winter solstice, ancestor worship ceremonies are held in some places. People will set up altars in their homes, place tablets and offerings of their ancestors, burn incense, burn paper money, and set off firecrackers to express their respect and remembrance for their ancestors. This custom is not only a remembrance of ancestors, but also the inheritance of family traditions.
2. Send winter clothes: care for your family to stay warm in winter.
On the day of the winter solstice, there are also places where ceremonies are held to give winter clothes. People make warm clothes and shoes at home and give them to family and friends to show their love and wish them a warm winter. This custom embodies the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation and the love for family members.
The custom of worshipping ancestors and giving winter clothes already existed in ancient China, and it is uncertain which dynasty it originated from. However, during the Zhou Dynasty, people already had the custom of worshipping ancestors, and the respect and worship of ancestors became a social and cultural tradition. As for the custom of giving winter clothes, it may be due to the poor living conditions of people in ancient times, and the cold weather during the winter solstice, people made some clothes to give to their family and relatives and friends in order to keep warm to express their love. Therefore, it can be said that the custom of worshipping ancestors and giving winter clothes already existed in ancient China, and gradually evolved into a traditional culture over time.
IV. Conclusion
By understanding the charm of the solar terms and the charm of food on the winter solstice, we can have a deeper understanding of the cultural connotation and historical origin of this festival. The winter solstice is not just a solar term or festival, it also carries people's love for life and beautiful expectations for the future. Let's taste these delicacies on this cold winter day and feel the warmth and charm of this festival!100 help plan