There are many theories about the origin of the winter solstice, the most widely accepted of which is that the winter solstice originated in the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, and has been along to this day. The Han Dynasty took the winter solstice as the "winter festival", and the government held a congratulatory ceremony called "He Dong", which was a routine holiday. During the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, the winter solstice was the day to worship the heavens and ancestors, and the emperor had to go to the suburbs to hold a ceremony on this day, and the people had to worship their parents on this day. There are still some places where the winter solstice is celebrated.
In addition, there is also a theory that the winter solstice originated from the ancient emperors - the Yellow Emperor and the Yao Emperor. The Yellow Emperor took the winter solstice as the first day of the year and took the "Shuodan", but this statement was not clearly recorded in the "Historical Records", and it is difficult to test the evidence. Another theory is that Emperor Yao ordered his uncle to live in the north, observe the movement of the sun, and then determine the time of the winter solstice, which is in Shuoyi.
The winter solstice is one of the traditional solar terms in China, and it is also a traditional festival of Chinese folk. On the day of the winter solstice, the festival is celebrated through various Xi. Here are some common winter solstice Xi customs:
Ancestor worship: On the day of the winter solstice, many places have the Xi of ancestor worship. People pay homage to their ancestors at home or in ancestral halls to show respect and gratitude to their ancestors.
Eating dumplings: Eating dumplings on the winter solstice is a traditional Xi in northern China. It is said that the shape of the dumplings resembles ingots, which means to attract wealth and treasure.
Eat tangyuan: In the southern region, it is common to eat tangyuan on the day of the winter solstice. Tangyuan is a round dessert made from glutinous rice flour, which symbolizes reunion and consummation.
Drinking Eight Treasure Porridge: Drinking Eight Treasure Porridge on the winter solstice is a traditional Xi in southern China. Babao porridge is made from a variety of grains and legumes, which is rich in nutrients and symbolizes good luck.
Sending winter clothes: On the day of the winter solstice, people will send winter clothes to their ancestors to show respect and nostalgia.
Plum Blossom Appreciation: In the southern region, the winter solstice is a good time to enjoy plum blossoms. People will enjoy the plum blossoms in the park or in the courtyard to feel the fragrance of the flowers and the beautiful scenery.
In addition to the common winter solstice Xi customs mentioned above, there are some unique winter solstice Xi customs in different regions. For example, in Taiwan, on the day of the winter solstice, people will eat red bean sticky rice to ward off evil spirits and ward off evil spirits; In Guangdong, on the day of the winter solstice, people will eat a sumptuous dinner of chicken, meat, and fish to celebrate the festival. In short, the winter solstice is a festival full of traditional culture and human touch, and various Xi activities also make this festival more colorful.