What are the customs of Xiaohan? What should we do on the day of Xiaohan?

What are the customs of Xiaohan? What should we do on the day of Xiaohan?
Xiaohan means that the weather is very cold, so what are the customs of Xiaohan? What should we do on the day of Xiaohan? Let’s take a look at the following content!

What are the customs of Xiaohan?

Visit plum blossoms
At this time, the wintersweets are in bloom and the red plums are in bud. Choose an ideal scenic spot with plum blossoms and appreciate them carefully. You will smell the elegant fragrance and your mind will be refreshed and invigorated.
Ice play
In the northern provinces of my country, the weather is extremely cold after winter, and the ice period is extremely long, often starting from November until April of the following year. Between spring and winter, the river surface is frozen thickly and people have to use sleds to travel on the ice. The sled is either pulled by a horse, led by a dog, or pushed forward by the rider holding a wooden pole and rowing like a boat. In areas where the ice is particularly thick, there are usually ice beds for pedestrians to play on. There are also people who race on the ice wearing ice skates, which was called ice play in ancient times. The History of Song Dynasty records: "According to the tradition, they stayed overnight in the fasting garden and played with ice." The Imperial Records of the Past Records of Japan records: "To the west of Xihua Gate is the West Garden, which is named West Garden Gate. At the entrance is the Taiye Pond. In winter, people would play with ice and practice hard work and reward each other." The Miscellaneous Notes of Yiqing Pavilion records the old customs of Peking: "In the Ming Dynasty, there was a enthusiast at Jishuitan. He connected more than ten beds, brought a large basket of wine utensils, spread them on the ice, and drank from the ice. He was also very happy."
La Festival
"Xiao Han" is the solar term in the twelfth lunar month. As the ancients would hold the La Festival in December to worship all gods, the twelfth month when the La Festival was held was called the La Yue. The wood meaning of La is "connection", which means the connection between the old and the new. La Festival is one of my country's ancient sacrificial customs, which was formed as early as the pre-Qin period. Han Yingjie's "Customs and Practice". The Yi says: "La means hunting, which means hunting animals to sacrifice to ancestors. Some say La means connection, the connection between the new and the old, so a grand sacrifice is held to thank the ancestors for their achievements."
"La Festival" has three meanings. The first is to show that one does not forget the origin of oneself and his family, and to express respect and remembrance for ancestors. The second is to offer sacrifices to the gods and thank them for their contributions to agriculture over the past year. Third, people have worked hard all year round, and now is the time to rest from farming, so they can take this opportunity to have some fun. Since the Zhou Dynasty, the custom of "La Festival" has been passed down from generation to generation, from the emperor, princes to ordinary people, everyone is no exception.

Living customs

In daily life, in addition to paying attention to keeping warm on a daily basis, the festive atmosphere becomes stronger as the Lesser Cold approaches. People begin to busy themselves with writing Spring Festival couplets, cutting window flowers, going to the market to buy New Year pictures, lanterns, firecrackers, incense, etc., and gradually prepare for the Spring Festival. In terms of diet, eating mutton hotpot, sugar-roasted chestnuts and roasted sweet potatoes have become the fashion during the Minor Cold. As the saying goes, "Nourish yourself in the coldest days of winter and you will be free of illness in the coming year." This refers to the practice of eating mutton in winter to nourish the body. According to "Miscellaneous Notes of Tianjin", there was a custom of eating yellow sprouts during the Minor Cold in Tianjin in the old days. Yellow cabbage sprouts are a specialty of Tianjin, made from cabbage sprouts. After the winter solstice, cut off the stems and leaves of the cabbage, leaving only the heart, about two inches off the ground, cover it with manure and do not allow air to pass through. Eat it after half a month. It will be crispy and tender, making up for the shortage of vegetables in winter. Modern people's living standards have improved, and all kinds of vegetables and meat are available in all seasons. They no longer worry about the scarcity of vegetables in winter as they did in the past.

<<:  When is the Minor Cold this year? What should we eat on the day of Xiaohan?

>>:  Is it okay to travel the day after the Minor Cold on January 6, 2021? Why is the Minor Cold better than the Major Cold?

Recommend

Will a boy born on the Lantern Festival in 2022 have a good life and be blessed?

The Lantern Festival is the last day of the Spring...

What are the auspicious days in October of the lunar calendar in 2018?

The so-called auspicious days are good days, suita...

Is June 27th of the lunar calendar 2022 an auspicious day? Can we get engaged?

Choosing a good time to get engaged is also very i...

Is September 18th of the lunar calendar 2021 a good day? Can the funeral be held?

Different things are suitable to do at different t...

Bedside placement - analysis of the taboos for bedside placement in 2020!

The placement of the head of the bed is a big deal...