What is the meaning of the Winter Solstice solar term and what should we eat on the Winter Solstice?
The annual winter solstice is here again. This day with the shortest day and longest night in the whole year is one of our ancient 24 solar terms and is also a traditional festival of the Chinese nation in winter. What is the meaning of the winter solstice? What to eat on the Winter Solstice? The eleventh month of the lunar calendar is approaching, and life is gradually entering a new mode. If you want to know more exciting content about the eleventh month of the lunar calendar in 2018, please visit Mr. Shui Mo’s website!The meaning of the winter solstice:Winter Solstice, commonly known as "Winter Festival", "Longest Day Festival" or "Second Year". The Winter Solstice is an important solar term among the 24 solar terms in the lunar calendar and also a traditional festival of the Chinese nation. The Winter Solstice is the "Winter Festival", so it is regarded as a major festival in winter. In ancient times, people said that "the Winter Solstice is as important as the New Year." In ancient times, people who lived away from home would return home to celebrate the winter festival at this time of year, the so-called "having a home to return to at the end of the year." In ancient times, there was a saying that "Yang is born on the winter solstice", which means that from the day of the winter solstice, Yang energy slowly begins to rise.The winter solstice falls between December 21 and 23 of the Gregorian calendar every year. It is worth noting that because the earth is near its perihelion around the winter solstice and moves slightly faster, the time the sun shines directly on the southern hemisphere is about 8 days shorter than the time it shines directly on the northern hemisphere in a year. Therefore, the winter in the northern hemisphere is slightly shorter than the summer. The ancients said: When yin reaches its extreme, yang begins to be born, the sun reaches its southernmost point, the day is at its shortest, and the shadow is at its longest, so it is called "Winter Solstice". The ancients believed that from the winter solstice, the yang energy of heaven and earth began to rise and become stronger, that is, the next cycle began. The winter solstice was a "lucky day" when the yang energy of heaven and earth rose again. The ancient Chinese divided the winter solstice into three stages: "The first stage is when earthworms knot; the second stage is when the elk's horns fall off; the third stage is when the springs begin to flow." Legend has it that earthworms are creatures that bend when they are yin and stretch when they are yang. Although the yang has grown at this time, the yin is still very strong, and the earthworms in the soil are still curled up. The elk and deer are in the same family, but have different yin and yang. The ancients believed that the horns of the elk grew backwards, so they were yin, but when yang was born at the winter solstice, the elk felt the yin gradually retreating and shed their horns. Because the yang was just born, the springs in the mountains could flow and be warm at this time. What to eat during the winter solstice:The ancients believed that at the winter solstice, although it was still a cold season, spring was not far away. At this time, people who are away from home have to go home to celebrate the winter festival, which means they have a home at the end of the year. In northern China, there is a custom of eating dumplings during the winter solstice. As the saying goes, "During the winter solstice, eat dumplings."In the south, people eat glutinous rice balls. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, in the areas around Tengzhou, Qufu, Zoucheng and Linyi in Shandong, the winter solstice is called "Shujiu" (Nine Days of Winter). It is a popular custom to drink mutton soup on the day of "Shujiu" (Nine Days of Winter), which means to drive away the cold. Food customs vary from place to place, but eating dumplings is the most common. |
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