The origins and customs of the Great Cold solar term

Dahan is the last of the twenty-four solar terms. Around January 20th of the solar calendar every year, Han means extremely cold. When the extreme cold comes, spring comes. Let me share with you about it. Introduction to the origin and customs of the Dahan solar term, welcome to read!

The origin and customs of the Dahan solar term

The origin of the Dahan solar term

Dahan It is the last solar term among the twenty-four solar terms. Every year around January 20, when the sun reaches 300° of ecliptic longitude, it is the "Great Cold". Dahan means that the weather is extremely cold. "Shishi Tongkao·Tianshi" quotes "Sanli Yi Zong": "The big cold is the middle one, the big cold, and the upper shape is the minor cold, so it is called the big... The cold air is the reverse extreme, so it is called the big cold."

At this time, cold waves move south frequently, which is a cold period of the year in most parts of my country. The wind is strong, the temperature is low, and the snow on the ground does not melt, presenting a severe cold scene of ice and snow, and freezing temperatures. In ancient my country, the Great Cold was divided into three periods: "The first period is chicken milk; the second period is the bird's severe disease; the third period is the water and the belly is strong." That is to say, chicks can be hatched during the period of the Great Cold; but the eagles and other harbinger birds are not It is in a state of extremely strong predatory ability, hovering in the air in search of food to supplement the body's energy to withstand the severe cold; in the last five days of the year, the ice in the water is frozen to the center of the water, and is the strongest and thickest.

During the Great Cold, the atmospheric circulation is relatively stable, and the circulation adjustment period is about 20 days. When this kind of circulation adjusts, large-scale rain, snow, and windy cooling often occur. When there is a long-wave ridge to the west of 80 degrees east longitude and a large coastal trough in East Asia, my country will experience persistent low temperatures under the influence of northwesterly airflow and the continuous replenishment of cold air.

Customs of the Great Winter Festival

Wei Ya Festival

According to the customs of our country, especially in rural areas, every time during the Great Winter Festival, people begin to busy removing the old and replacing the old with the new. Pickle New Year dishes and prepare New Year products. During the period from the Great Cold to the Beginning of Spring, there are many important folk customs and festivals. Such as Wei Ya Festival, Kitchen Sacrifice and New Year's Eve, etc. Sometimes even the Spring Festival, the largest festival in our country, is also in this solar term. The Dahan solar term is full of joy and joy, and it is a cheerful and relaxing solar term. The tail tooth originates from the custom of worshiping the Lord of the Land as the "tooth".

It is said that the second day of the second lunar month is the first tooth. From then on, every second day and sixteenth day of the lunar month will have to be "toothed". The 16th day of the twelfth lunar month happens to be the last tooth. On the second day of the second lunar month, spring pancakes (called run pancakes in the south) are eaten on the same day as February 2. On this day, traders will hold a banquet, and white-cut chicken is an indispensable dish at the banquet. It is said that whoever the chicken heads faces indicates who the boss will fire next year. Therefore, some bosses now usually turn the chicken head toward themselves so that their employees can enjoy the meal with peace of mind and have a peaceful New Year when they go home.

Drink chicken soup

In the cold winter season, Nanjing people have more soups and soups in their daily diet. The Great Cold is around the 49th day of the lunar calendar, and the traditional one-chicken eating custom of 19th is still respected by many families. Nanjing people mostly choose old hens, either stewed alone or with the addition of ginseng, wolfberry, black fungus, etc. Stewed, chicken soup is a real treat in the cold winter.

In the twelfth lunar month, old Nanjing people also like to make soup. There are soups in various places, and the methods are different. For example, the soup in the north tends to be thick and thick, the soup in the south tends to be light and delicate, and the soup in Nanjing is more delicious. The soup takes the best of both the northern and southern flavors, being neither too thick or bland nor too salty or sweet. Another reason why Nanjing likes to eat soup in winter is that it is easy to obtain ingredients, which can be complex or simple, valuable or cheap. Minced meat, tofu, yam, fungus, potato, mustard, etc. can all be made into a pot of hot soup with some coriander. Sprinkle some white pepper and eat it warm all over.

Welcome the New Year

The Great Cold solar term often coincides with the end of the year. Therefore, in such solar terms, in addition to doing farm work according to the solar terms, you also have to rush around for the New Year - go to the New Year market, buy New Year's goods, write Spring Festival couplets, prepare various sacrificial offerings, sweep dust and clean things, remove the old and make new ones, prepare New Year's goods, pickle various Grow sausages, bacon, or fry and cook various New Year dishes such as chicken, duck, and fish.

At the same time, sacrifices are made to ancestors and various gods to pray for good weather in the coming year. In the old days, there were often people rushing to buy sesame straw on the streets during the Great Cold Season. Because "sesames bloom more and more", on New Year's Eve, people sprinkle sesame straws on the road outside for children to crush. Have a safe and prosperous New Year.” This also makes the festive meaning of the Great Cold to drive away evil and welcome good luck even stronger.

Eating cold-reducing cakes

The custom of eating "cold-relieving cakes" has a long history in Beijing. "Hanxiao Gao" is a type of rice cake. Not only does glutinous rice contain more sugar than rice, but the whole body feels warm after eating it. It has the effect of dispersing wind and cold, moistening the lungs and strengthening the spleen and stomach. People also choose to eat rice cakes on the "Great Cold" day. , also means "higher years", which brings good luck, peace and prosperity every year. "So in the old Beijing custom, the family shared rice cakes on the cold day, which not only brings auspiciousness, but also can bring good luck. It dispels the coldness in the body, so it is called 'cold-removing cake'.

In addition, people often rushed to buy sesame straw on the streets during the great cold season.

Because "sesames bloom more and more", on New Year's Eve, people sprinkle sesame straws on the road for children to crush, which is homophonic to the auspicious meaning of "trampling on the year"; at the same time, "crushed" is homophonic to "sui", which means "peaceful year after year". Wish you a happy new year. This also makes the festive meaning of the Great Cold to drive away evil and welcome good luck even stronger. With the Great Cold Season approaching, time-honored brands such as Daoxiangcun, Daoxiangchun, and Guixiangcun have all launched their own unique "cold-relieving cakes." In Daoxiangcun Cuiwei Store, the "cold-relieving cakes" are all displayed in the most conspicuous position on the counter.

Eating glutinous rice

In the vast areas of southern my country, there is a custom of eating glutinous rice during the Great Cold War. Although this custom sounds simple, it contains the life experience accumulated by the predecessors, because entering The weather is extremely cold in the Great Cold. Glutinous rice is a relatively high-calorie food and has a good effect in keeping out the cold. There are many ways to make glutinous rice. Glutinous rice has the effect of tonifying the body and replenishing qi. It is most suitable to eat glutinous rice in the cold season.

Eat eight-treasure rice

Dahan solar term, like Xiaohan, Dahan is also a solar term that indicates the degree of coldness. It is also the last solar term of the year, followed by the beginning of spring next year. Because it is close to spring, although it is not as cold as the period from heavy snow to winter solstice and minor cold in meteorological records, it is still in a cold period. Folklore calls it "a small cold or a big cold, and the cold turns into ice balls." At this time, people begin to busily remove old cloth, pickle New Year dishes, prepare New Year goods, and can already vaguely feel the return of spring.

Babao rice, a custom food during the Great Cold season, is a Han nationality food that is popular all over the country, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. Steam the glutinous rice, mix it with sugar, lard, and sweet-scented osmanthus, then pour it into a container filled with red dates, barley, lotus seeds, longan meat and other fruit ingredients. After steaming, add sugar marinade and serve. It has a sweet taste and is a great treat for holidays and entertaining guests. Eating eight-treasure rice during the severe cold season can strengthen the spleen, nourish qi, nourish blood and calm the mind. It is suitable for people with weak qi and blood, such as physical weakness, fatigue and fatigue.

The meaning of Dahan solar term

Dahan is a solar term that reflects the process and degree of temperature rise and fall. The Great Cold is colder than the Lesser Cold and is the coldest season of the year. Cui Lingen of the Liang Dynasty wrote "Sanli Yi Zong" and said: "The cold air is the opposite extreme, so it is called the Great Cold."

Originally, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer during the winter solstice. In my country, which is in the northern hemisphere, the day is the shortest and the night is the darkest. Long, the ground receives the least light and heat, and the weather should be the coldest, but the actual coldest occurs during the Minor Cold and Great Cold periods after the winter solstice, which is the so-called "cold in Sanjiu". This is because during the Great Cold Festival, although the days are slightly longer than the Winter Solstice, the days are still short and the nights are long. The heat radiated from the sun to the ground is less than the ground emitted to the air, so the temperature continues to drop. In addition, at this time Cold waves from the Polar Regions, Siberia, and the Mongolian Plateau frequently move southward and continue to invade vast areas of my country, causing the lowest temperatures throughout the year.

Precautions for health maintenance during the Great Cold Season

"Deep Cold, protect yourself from wind and cold"

Pay attention to "winter storage" to protect the body's yang energy, and go to bed early and stay late rise. At the same time, pay attention to keep warm and protect yourself from wind and cold. Pay special attention to keeping your hands and feet warm.

"Warm the body first, warm the heart; if the heart is warm, the body will be warm."

In the cold season, we should be at ease and nourish our nature, soothe our minds and calm down our energy. We should pay attention to keeping our mood comfortable and peaceful, so that we can The qi and blood in the body are harmonious and smooth, and the Yang qi hidden in the body is not disturbed, so that "righteous qi remains within the body and evil cannot be affected".

"Exercise in winter will prevent you from getting sick."

Winter sports are of special significance to health care, but attention should be paid to the time and intensity of exercise. It should be done when the sun rises Exercise afterward, and the intensity of exercise should not be too high.

"The sun is warm in winter, get more sun"

The sun in winter is warm and does not irritate the skin. The right amount of ultraviolet rays can promote the body's absorption of calcium and avoid the lack of calcium in the body. And cause diseases such as osteoporosis, use the warm sunshine in winter to strengthen "calcium replenishment".

"Every meal is filled with medicine, and medicine is not as good as food tonic."

Diet should be based on the principle of protecting essence and nourishing yang, so that essence can be stored in the kidneys and transform into qi. Blood and body fluids promote organ function. People with yang deficiency are better to eat warm foods, such as walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, etc.; people with yin deficiency are better to eat yin-nourishing foods, such as pears, lilies, fungus, etc.

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