Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship is one of the ancient customs, with a long history closely related to the ritual of worshiping the heavens. Since ancient times, the rituals and foods of Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship have had unique customs, reflecting people's respect for their ancestors and their wishes for a better future. This article will introduce in detail the origin of Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship, the sacrificial ceremonies, and the food customs related to the Winter Solstice, helping you better understand this traditional culture.
1. Historical Origins of Winter Solstice Worship of Heaven
As one of the oldest customs, the Winter Solstice worship of heaven can be traced back to the ancient Dawenkou Culture and Liangzhu Culture periods, about 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. According to archaeological excavations, there were large sacrificial altars in the Liangzhu site, which can be considered as one of the sources of the later Temple of Heaven. In ancient sacrificial ceremonies, people would light large fires, which is similar to the "burning incense" in later sacrificial ceremonies. Later, this custom gradually developed into a complete ceremony. From the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties onwards, there are clear records of Winter Solstice worship of heaven. The "Zhouli: Spring Official: Godly Officials" from the Zhou Dynasty describes the scene of winter solstice sacrificial ceremonies. This custom has continued for more than two thousand years until the Qing Dynasty.
2. Rituals and Foods of Winter Solstice Worship of Heaven
According to historical records, the ritual of worshiping heaven during the Zhou Dynasty included building a sacrificial altar, lighting a big fire, singing and dancing, and offering sacrifices. The core of the sacrificial ceremony was to burn the offerings to show respect to the deities. The sacrificial ceremony during the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties was even more solemn and grand, with the emperor personally participating and a grand scene. In the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Yongle performed the sacrificial ceremony at the Temple of Heaven in the southern suburbs of Beijing and made detailed records. After the sacrificial ceremony, people would bury cow hair and cow blood underground, expressing respect for the earth deity. In addition to worshipping the heavenly deities, some regions also had the custom of worshipping the kitchen god.
3. Customs and Foods of Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship
The custom of Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship existed in ancient times. As early as the Yin Dynasty, people would go to temples on the Winter Solstice to worship their ancestors. In Quanzhou, Fujian, people return to their hometowns on the Winter Solstice to worship their ancestors, and some areas also burn paper and send warm clothes to the graves. The custom of Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship originated from the ancient practice of worshiping both heaven and ancestors. During the Han Dynasty, people no longer worshipped heaven, but still retained the custom of ancestral worship. In addition, the Winter Solstice is accompanied by special dietary customs. For example, in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, people eat Winter Solstice meat and fish, while in northern regions such as Beijing and Tianjin, dumplings or jiaozi are the main dishes. Additionally, there are specialties like Winter Solstice glutinous rice cakes and Winter Solstice glutinous rice balls, through which people celebrate the Winter Solstice with traditional delicacies.
4. Winter Entertainment and the Nine-Nine Cold-Resisting Picture
There are many seasonal entertainment activities in winter, such as snow viewing, snowball fights, and ice skating. Snow viewing is one of the most distinctive winter entertainment activities, and people also build snow lions and snowmen in the snow. In addition, the Nine-Nine Cold-Resisting Picture is also a cultural entertainment activity in winter. The Nine-Nine Cold-Resisting Picture is a decorative painting that records time, and people use red dye to record the process of overcoming the cold each day. The coldest days in the nine-nine period are the third and fourth nine-day periods, and people look forward to the arrival of spring while dyeing the red color.
Winter Solstice Ancestral Worship is an ancient custom passed down for thousands of years, with a long history and close connection to the ritual of worshiping the heavens. Through ancestral worship, people express their respect for their ancestors and their wishes for a better future. On the Winter Solstice, people hold solemn sacrificial ceremonies and enjoy special delicacies. In addition, various entertainment activities accompany the Winter Solstice, such as snow viewing and snowball fights, allowing people to pass through the cold winter. The Nine-Nine Cold-Resisting Picture is a cultural entertainment activity in winter, recording the process of overcoming the cold. This traditional culture embodies people's yearning for a better life and their appreciation for tradition.
