"The winter solstice is as big as the year" shows that the winter solstice is very important, and the winter solstice is the earliest one of the 24 solar terms, which originated in the spring and autumn period. On the day of the winter solstice, the sun reaches the southernmost point of the year directly on the ground, and the following is a summary of what the winter solstice represents, I hope it will help you.
What does the winter solstice mean?
The winter solstice is a very important solar term in China's lunar calendar, and it is also a traditional festival. The winter solstice is commonly known as the "Winter Festival", "Long Solstice Festival", "Ya Sui" and so on. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,500 years ago, China has used Tugui to observe the sun to determine the winter solstice, which is the earliest one of the 24 solar terms. The time is between December 22nd and 23rd of the solar calendar every year.
The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. The ancients said that the winter solstice is: the solstice of the cathode, the beginning of the yang, the solstice of the south of the sun, the solstice of the short day, and the solstice of the long shadow of the sun, so it is called the "winter solstice". After the winter solstice, the climate in various places has entered the coldest stage, that is, people often say "into the nine", from the day of the winter solstice, with nine days as a unit, counting nine nine days, to ninety-nine a total of eighty-one days, winter will pass.
The winter solstice has always been ranked first among the 24 solar terms, and there is a saying that "the winter solstice is as big as a year", which is called "sub-year". Since the Han Dynasty, celebrations have been held, and the court has taken a three-day vacation during the peak period, and the monarch does not listen to the government. The people closed for three days to celebrate the festival. Its liveliness is no less than that of the New Year.
The ancients believed that when it came to the winter solstice, although it was still in the cold season, spring was not far away. At this time, everyone who goes out has to go home for the winter festival, indicating that there is a home at the end of the year. Fujian and Taiwanese folk believe that the winter solstice is a festival for the whole family to reunite every year, because on this day to worship ancestors, if you go out and do not go home, you are a person who does not recognize your ancestors.
The winter solstice is the longest night of the year, and many families use this night to make it with glutinous rice flour"Winter solstice round", in order to distinguish it from the later on the eve of the Spring Festival"Resignation", the day before the Winter Festival is called"Tim Sui"or"Ya Sui", indicated"years"It's not over yet, but everyone is already a year older.
As the old saying goes:"On October 1, the winter solstice arrives, and every household eats dumplings. "It can be seen that eating dumplings on the winter solstice is already an indispensable custom. "Medical saint"Zhang Zhongjing used to be the Taishou of Changsha, and after resigning and returning to his hometown, he saw that the villagers were yellow and thin, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. Therefore, he ordered him to build a stove, put the mutton and cold-warding herbs in a pot and boil, then take it out and chop it, and use bread to make it into an ear-like shape"Delicate ears"After cooking, they were given to those who came to ask for medicine. After eating, the whole body was warm, both ears were hot, and the frostbitten ears were cured. Later generations learned"Delicate ears"Wrapped into food, it is called"Dumplings"。
The meaning of the winter solstice
The winter solstice is one of the earliest of the 24 solar terms, which originated in the Spring and Autumn period. On the winter solstice, when the sun reaches the southernmost point of the year, the Northern Hemisphere receives 50% less sunlight than the Southern Hemisphere, and the Northern Hemisphere reaches its shortest daylight. The winter solstice is regarded as 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". Most people in the north have the Xi habit of eating dumplings on the winter solstice, and most people in the south have the Xi habit of eating sweets.
The meaning of eating dumplings on the winter solstice
Dumplings are shaped like ears, and in the previous winter, many people were prone to freezing ears. Then eating dumplings can avoid chilblains, which is also very meaningful. However, it is also said that dumplings are like ingots, which also means that there will be a lot of money in the coming year.
In the Xi of old Jinan, Lidong did not have the Xi of eating dumplings, but "winter solstice dumplings and summer solstice noodles" have been circulating. After the beginning of winter in Jinan, the weather is not very cold, the real 'harsh winter', have to wait until the winter solstice, when the economic conditions are underdeveloped, the cold of the winter solstice will make many people frostbite ears, and the shape of dumplings is very similar to ears, so there is a Xi of 'eating dumplings on the winter solstice without freezing ears'.
Dumplings are a folk food with a long history, and dumplings are also a unique folk tradition of Chinese during the Spring Festival. Because it means "more old friends", it is very popular with the people. There is a popular saying that "dumplings are not delicious". During the Chinese New Year, dumplings have become an indispensable delicacy. In many areas of Chinese folklore, eating "dumplings" on Chinese New Year's Eve is an irreplaceable feast for any mountain and sea delicacies.
Characteristics of the winter solstice solar terms
In the northern region, during the winter solstice, the temperature in the northern region is already below 0, and there are snow and freezing disasters in some areas. During the winter solstice solar term in Northwest China, the average temperature in Northwest China is generally below 0, and the weather is cold. In the southern region, the average temperature in the southern region is only about 6 to 8 during the winter solstice. In the southwest, even in the cold early January in some parts of the southwest, the average temperature is still above 10, which is really autumn and spring, and there is no winter all year round.
Why is the winter solstice so important?
Because the winter solstice is a key solar term for the transformation of yin and yang.
The theory of the five elements of yin and yang believes that the winter solstice is the key solar term for the transformation of yin and yang. In the 12 hexagrams, it is a mine hexagram at this time. The hexagram has five yin lines on the top and a yang line on the bottom, symbolizing the birth of yang energy, so it is called "winter solstice and one yang birth".
The ancients also set the winter solstice as the beginning of the year. In this sense, the winter solstice is already the year.
Because the winter solstice is the beginning of the "number nine".
From the beginning of the winter solstice, it has entered the cold day of "counting nine" as the saying goes. In other words, the winter solstice is the beginning of the "number nine", which is what the "year" does not have.
Count nine cold days, from the winter solstice, every nine days count a "nine", until the "ninety-nine" eighty-one days, that is, "out of nine", "nine peach blossoms", the weather will be warm.
Because the winter solstice is the birthday of the first Tianzun.
According to legend, the winter solstice is the birthday of the first Tianzun. Taoism believes that the Yuan Shi Tianzun symbolizes the first century when chaos is not divided and Taoism is not revealed. Yuan Shi Tianzun is the highest god in Taoism, ranked in the Three Qings, similar to the folklore of Pangu, is the legendary ancestor of creation.
Because the winter solstice used to be the beginning of the year.
The winter solstice is one of the earliest of the 24 solar terms, and in the Zhou Dynasty in history, the winter solstice is the New Year's Day, which is a very important and lively festival.