What are the special activities during the Summer Solstice and what traditional foods are eaten?
After entering the summer solstice, the temperature in most areas will gradually rise, and the dog days of summer are about to arrive. So what special activities are there during the summer solstice? The Book of Songs records that “cicadas chirp in May”, and cicadas are the same as crickets. This means that in May cicadas break through the soil and climb up the trees, starting the first clear singing of summer, so May is also known as "Ming Cicada". Click on Shui Mo Network to learn about the relevant content in May.Special Activities during the Summer Solstice1. Worshipping Gods and AncestorsUntil the time of wheat harvest, there has been a custom of worshipping gods and ancestors during the summer solstice to pray for the elimination of disasters and a good harvest. Since the Zhou Dynasty, the imperial court has held a solemn ceremony of answering the sacrifices with singing, dancing and music every year until today. Therefore, the "Zhongji Fengshanshu" records: "On the summer solstice, all lands use music and dance." 2. Eat summer solstice noodles Since ancient times, there has been a saying among the people that "eat dumplings at the Winter Solstice and noodles at the Summer Solstice". There is also a folk proverb that goes: "After eating noodles at the Summer Solstice, the day will be a thread shorter." Because the new wheat has been harvested at the Summer Solstice, the ancients ate noodles at the Summer Solstice to try something new. The method of making summer solstice noodles is not the usual hot soup noodles, but water noodles. In ancient times, cool water was drawn from the well. After the hand-kneaded noodles were cooked, they were directly put into a basin filled with cool well water. After the noodles were cool, they were put into a bowl and poured with pre-prepared seasonings and side dishes. 3. Eat summer solstice cakes In ancient times, at the summer solstice, farmers would roll out dough into thin pancakes, bake them, and fill them with vegetables, bean pods, tofu, meat, etc. They would eat them after offering sacrifices to their ancestors or give them to relatives and friends. They were called "Summer Solstice Pancakes." In ancient times, people had the custom of eating wheat dumplings on the day of the summer solstice, and they would also give them to each other as gifts. 4. Summer Solstice In ancient times, people would weigh themselves on the summer solstice to check their weight and pray for good luck. Therefore, the ancient custom of weighing people on the summer solstice expressed the ancient people's strong desire to pray for good things. 5. Improve the diet for cattle In ancient times, there was a custom of improving the food for cattle on the day of the summer solstice. The ancients would cook wheat kernel soup to feed cattle on the summer solstice. It is said that cattle will become stronger after drinking it and will have more energy to work in the summer. 6. The custom of eating nourishing food The third Geng day after the summer solstice in the lunar calendar enters the Dog Year. At this time, the weather is hot, people lose their appetite and begin to lose weight, which is called "dry summer". In ancient times, people began to take time off to cool off in the summer and pay attention to diet and nourishment. Ancient government offices also stopped working. What traditional food do you eat?1. Noodles"Eat dumplings at the Winter Solstice and noodles at the Summer Solstice." This saying refers to another folk custom of old Beijing. Because it is located in the northern region of the Yellow River Basin, the main crop is wheat. When the new wheat is harvested, people use new flour to make noodles, which is the best way to celebrate the harvest. 2. Yuanhu Jiao In the past, people, regardless of their wealth, would worship their ancestors on the summer solstice, commonly known as "doing the summer solstice." In addition to the usual offerings, they would also serve a plate of thin silk cakes. After the summer harvest, new wheat is on the market, so there is a custom of eating noodles to taste the new wheat. Some people also make paste with wheat flour, spread it into pancakes and bake them for food. "Eating round dumplings on the summer solstice will make the stones creak when you step on them." In the past, many farmers would string the dumplings together on bamboo sticks, insert them into the gaps in the paddy fields where water flows, and burn incense as a sacrifice, praying for good weather and a good harvest in the new year. 3. Zongzi People in the Northwest eat rice dumplings on the summer solstice and use chrysanthemum ashes to protect wheat from insect pests. With the arrival of the summer solstice, the Yang energy shrinks day by day, and the Yin energy grows day by day. It is time to send away the old Yang energy. The glutinous rice and red dates in the rice dumplings are symbols of Yang from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine. People wrap them up and eat them, which means saying goodbye to the Yang season. |
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