"The sun shines on the solstice in winter. Congratulations on your growth."
-Han Shu?
February 22nd or 23rd of Gregorian calendar 10 every year is the winter solstice, which indicates the arrival of winter cold. On this day, the sun is located at 270 degrees of the Huangjing, pointing directly to the Tropic of Capricorn. The sun's radiation and sunshine hours reach the lowest point, and the northern hemisphere has the shortest day and long night, so it is also called short day.
In ancient times, there was a saying that "the bucket refers to Wu and Chu Xiao, and the day goes south, and the day is the shortest and the night is the longest in the northern hemisphere", "the day is short" and "the day is short". It can be seen that the arrival of winter is the time of ups and downs, and it is also the time when it begins to sprout. On the other hand, it also explains the basis of the variation of the length of day and night from the perspective of astronomy. It clearly points out that the winter solstice is the shortest day in a year, and the sun is almost directly on the tropic of Capricorn. After the winter solstice, as the direct point of the sun moves northward, the days begin to get longer.
In most parts of China, it is customary to count nine days from winter to day, and every nine days is a section, and * * * is divided into 998 1 day. There is a folk song: 9999 doesn't make a move, 9949 walks on the ice, 9969 watches willows along the river, 999 opens a river, 999 swallows swallows, and 999 cultivates cattle everywhere. This ballad vividly reflects the seasonal changes in different periods. Sanjiu is the coldest day, and the land area is the least hot, so it is also called "Sanjiu Cold".
The winter solstice is the most important of the 24 solar terms, which has a great influence on people. It is a critical period for the human body to communicate with Yin and Yang. Winter tonic should start from the winter solstice. At this time, tonic can exert the greatest effect and promote the germination of human yang, with relatively little consumption. Chinese medicine believes that the five elements belong to water in winter. Mainly kidney, kidney has the function of storing and sealing sperm, which can promote and regulate the growth and physiological functions of the body. Therefore, it is also very important to nourish the kidneys during the winter solstice. Dog meat, coix seed, jujube, longan meat, pineapple, litchi, pomegranate and walnut kernel are all good kidney-tonifying foods, which can benefit kidney, replenish essence and resist cold evil. Young adults should also reduce sexual life, protect kidney essence and nourish rigidity.