What are the folk customs of the Start of Winter?
The Start of Winter is the first solar term of winter and also a festival. Since ancient times, various sacrificial activities have been held, many of which have been passed down to this day. Depending on the region, the preserved customs and habits vary.1. Nourishing in Winter
The Start of Winter marks the official arrival of winter, when grass and trees wither, insects hibernate, and all things' activities tend to stop. Although humans don't hibernate, there is a custom of nourishing oneself during the Start of Winter in folk traditions. The proverb "Nourish yourself at the Start of Winter, to fill your mouth" is the best metaphor. The Start of Winter means entering a cold season, and people tend to eat foods that can keep them warm.
In the south, people eat foods that are rich in yin and yang, high in calories, such as chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Some even cook them with traditional Chinese medicine to enhance the effects of medicinal nourishment. In the north, people mostly choose to eat dumplings because they resemble ears, and people believe that eating them will prevent their ears from freezing in winter.
During the Start of Winter, making dumplings, the taste is different from that of large cabbages, and it's only considered special when eaten with vinegar and crushed garlic. Eating dumplings on the Start of Winter is because China is an agricultural country, and it places great importance on the twenty-four solar terms. "Jie" refers to the new growth point of plants. Autumn harvests and winter storage, on this day, people improve their lives by choosing "nothing is better than dumplings."
2. Winter Swimming
In places like Harbin, Heilongjiang, Shangqiu, Henan, Yichun, Jiangxi, and Wuhan, Hubei, swimmers use winter swimming to welcome the arrival of winter every year. Winter swimming is a popular way for people to exercise in winter, which can improve cold resistance and immunity, strengthen the body, and delay aging.
3. Brewing Rice Wine
In Shaoxing, Zhejiang, the Start of Winter is also the day to begin brewing rice wine. On this day, people worship the "god of wine" and pray for blessings and good fortune.
4. Smoking and Roasting Meat
On the Start of Winter, people in Liling, Hunan, start smoking and roasting the famous "Liling Roast Meat." This meat is slowly smoked and roasted over the fire on the stove, and the meat smoked with pine branches is considered the best quality.
5. Eating Sugarcane and Stir-fried Fragrant Rice
In Chaoshan, there is a custom of eating sugarcane and stir-fried fragrant rice on the Start of Winter. There is a saying, "Eating sugarcane on the Start of Winter will not cause toothache." Locals believe that eating sugarcane on the Start of Winter can protect teeth and have nourishing effects. The fragrant rice made with lotus seeds, mushrooms, chestnuts, shrimp, and carrots is widely popular among residents of Shantou.
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