What to do on the day of Xiaoxue
1. Eat ZhibaIn some southern areas, there is a custom of eating Zhiba in the tenth month of the lunar calendar, and the Xiaoxue solar term usually falls in the tenth month of the lunar calendar, so this custom of eating Zhiba in the tenth month of the lunar calendar has been formed. Zhiba is a kind of food made by steaming glutinous rice and then pounding it into a paste. It is a popular delicacy in some southern regions. In ancient times, Zhiba was a traditional festival offering in southern areas, and it was originally a offering for worshiping the ox god by farmers. There is a folk saying "On the tenth day of the tenth month, Zhiba is burning with joy", which refers to the ritual event.
2. Eat "Pao Tang"
Around the time of Xiaoxue, the people of the Tujia ethnic group start their annual "slaughtering pigs for the New Year" folk activity, adding a lively atmosphere to the cold winter. Eating "Pao Tang" is a custom of the Tujia people; during the "slaughtering pigs for the New Year" folk activity, the delicacy made from the fresh and high-quality pork still warm from the slaughter is called "Pao Tang".
The meaning of pickling vegetables during Xiaoxue
Pickling vegetables during Xiaoxue is actually a way for people to store food, and also a reflection of the wisdom of ancient laborers.Throughout the year, when it comes to the Xiaoxue period, the weather gradually becomes colder. Many vegetables cannot survive the severe cold. At that time, most people in the countryside did not have the conditions to buy refrigerators or cold storage facilities. To prevent vegetables from spoiling, they made some vegetables that could not survive the winter into pickled vegetables. And during the Xiaoxue period, the rice in the fields had basically been harvested, the busy farming season had passed, and people had time to start pickling vegetables. Therefore, people choose to pickle vegetables and meat during the Xiaoxue solar term.
