The winter solstice is an important festival in traditional Chinese culture and one of the 24 solar terms in China. On this day, there is a very famous traditional custom - eating dumplings. Behind this custom, there are some very interesting and touching traditional stories.
Legend has it that during the winter solstice in ancient times, the weather was unusually cold, and many people's ears were frostbitten. Zhang Zhongjing, a famous doctor at the time, saw this scene and was deeply worried. He decided to use his medical skills and wisdom to help the people resist the cold. So, he made a steaming pot of soup with mutton and chili peppers and distributed it to the people. After the people drank this soup, their frozen ears gradually improved. In order to commemorate Zhang Zhongjing's good deeds, later generations imitated the soup cooked by Zhang Zhongjing on the day of the winter solstice and made dumplings, which means that "no one cares if you don't serve dumpling bowls on the winter solstice, and no one cares if you freeze your ears".
In addition to commemorating Zhang Zhongjing, eating dumplings on the winter solstice has other meanings. Dumplings are shaped like human ears, so it is believed that eating dumplings will protect one's ears from frostbite. In addition, dumplings also have the meaning of "Jiaozi", which symbolizes the staggering and replacement of time, implying that the winter solstice is the beginning of a new year.
In short, the custom of eating dumplings on the winter solstice reflects the ancient people's pursuit of health, warmth and blessings, and also inherits the traditional virtues of Chinese culture. In this traditional custom, we can not only feel the strong cultural atmosphere, but also the deep care and love of the ancients for the people.
Today's winter solstice