What is the solar term from winter solstice?

The winter solstice is one of the traditional 24 solar terms in China, also called "Nine". The time is about one day from February 2 1 day to 23/day, with an annual area of 65,438 kilometers. On this day, the sun is farthest from the earth. So what are the customs in winter?

Winter solstice is a very important solar term in China lunar calendar, and it is also a traditional festival of the Chinese nation. The winter solstice is usually called "Winter Festival", "Dragon Solstice Festival" and "Asian Year". As early as more than 2,500 years ago in the Spring and Autumn Period, China had observed the sun with the earth, and determined the winter solstice, which was the earliest among the 24 solar terms and ranked first among the 24 solar terms.

"The solstice of winter", as the name implies, means that winter has really come. The folk proverb "the land is closed by light snow, the river is closed by heavy snow, and the winter solstice day enters nine" more vividly explains the weather changes from winter to the future.

What are the customs of winter solstice?

1, sacrifice to heaven

In the Tang and Song Dynasties, the solstice in winter was the day of ancestor worship. On the solstice of winter, the emperor personally went to the Temple of Heaven in the suburbs to hold a grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven, that is, the emperor would talk to the sky, pray for peace and prosperity, and harvest crops. People also worship their dead relatives on this day, so on the solstice of winter, people have the custom of burning paper on graves.

2. Count 99

Folk call the winter solstice "over nine" or "counting nine", that is, from the winter solstice, every nine days is a "nine", * * * is divided into nine "nine", * * * 998 1 day, 8 1 day later, and then spring begins. After the solstice of winter, 99 is very popular all over the country. People all over the country have compiled various proverbs and fluency according to different climatic conditions, geomorphological characteristics, agricultural phenology and customs. The most representative one is the following phrase: 1929 is not unexpected, 3949 is on the ice, 5969 is watching the willows by the river, 79 rivers are open, 89 geese come, 99 plus 19, and cows walk everywhere.

Proverbs and fluency are not only the summary of people's years of climate experience, but also people's expectations for spring in severe winter.

3. jiaozi is eaten in the north, and Tangyuan is eaten in the south.

"Winter Solstice Day, jiaozi Summer Solstice Day", in the past, people celebrated the winter solstice, and most of the dietary customs were eating jiaozi. Every winter and every day, whether rich or poor, jiaozi is an indispensable holiday feast.

In the south, it is popular to eat jiaozi on the solstice in winter, and there is also a folk saying that "eating jiaozi is one year older". Tangyuan, also known as jiaozi, is a round dessert made of glutinous rice flour, and "round" means "reunion" and "perfection", so eating tangyuan in winter solstice is also called "jiaozi in winter solstice". Tangyuan can be used for ancestor worship or as a gift to relatives and friends.

Step 4 give shoes and hats

On the solstice of winter, people have the custom of giving away shoes. "Ancient and Modern China" said: "There were embroidered mandarin ducks and embroidered shoes in the Han Dynasty, and Emperor Zhao ordered his aunt to go to the winter solstice." With the passage of time, the custom of sending shoes to uncles and aunts has gradually evolved into sending shoes and hats to nephews and nieces. In ancient times, hand embroidery was for women. Shoes are embroidered with flowers and birds, and hats are made into phoenix shapes. For men, shoe embroidery is mostly a beast, and hats are also tigers.

5. Hide the winter ice

Ice has a wide range of uses, which can be used for preservation and medicine. In the north, ice storage is usually carried out around the winter solstice. People cut ice from the river with iron solder, which is more than one foot wide and more than two feet long. It is called a square.

6. Eat jiaozi

On the solstice of winter, all ethnic groups in northern China have the custom of eating jiaozi. It is said that eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter won't freeze your ears. According to legend, Zhang Zhongjing, a famous doctor in the Eastern Han Dynasty, was a magistrate in Changsha. Because of his age, he retired to the imperial court and returned to his hometown. When he returned to his hometown Nanyang, there was another cold wind and heavy snow. He saw many poor people naked, shivering with cold, and their ears were frozen, and compassion was born. Zhang Zhongjing asked his apprentice to pitch a tent in Nanyang Guandong. He cooked mutton, peppers and some cold-dispelling herbs in an iron pan, fished them out and chopped them with a knife. He imaged his ears with a leather bag, cooked them in a pot, and made a soup called "cold-dispelling and ear-correcting soup", which was given to the frostbitten poor passing by. After everyone ate jiaozi, their frozen ears soon recovered. The soup named "Quhan Joule Soup" gradually evolved into today's jiaozi, and became a delicacy on people's table. Therefore, on the solstice of winter, people always eat jiaozi, forming the custom of eating jiaozi's ears without freezing.