外国语中心

Chinese traditional Festival--Dongzhi and the legend

Dongzhi originated from Han dynasty and thrived in Tangsong and lasted to today.During Han dynasty dongzhi was calld“dong festival”.The rulers held celebration called “Hedong”.People had days off and the army was on standby.Businessmen closed the business.Relatives and friends gave each other delicious food as gifts.They visited each other to have a peaceful and happy festival.
In Tang and Song,Dongzhi was the day of worshiping.The emperor held a ceremony of worshiping the god in the countryside.The people worshiped their parents or elders.
The first part of the dongzhi legend.
In the past Beijing has the saying of “Dongzhi eat Huntun and Xiazhi eat noodles”.It is said that in Han dynasty the nothern Xiongnu often disturbs the frontier.The people can’t live peacefully.There were two brutal leaders of Xiongnu called Hun and Tun.The chinese people hated them so much and used meat to make dumplings called“Huntun”.They hope that by eating Huntun the war will be quelled.
Eating “Iced ears”is how people in Henan called the habit of eating Jiaozi in Dongzhi.It is said that there was a great doctor called Zhang Zhongjing who worked as the ruler in Changsha.When he came back to the hometown he saw the poor people were half naked in the cold winter.Their ears were hurt because of the wind .Zhang was very upset and used the meat to make dumplings.He cooked these dumplings and distributed among the poor people.People ate those dumplings and felt warm.Their ears were cured.Since then peole started cooking Jiaozi on the day of Dongzhi.They believe that eating this will make them warm the whole winter.
The second part of Dongzhi legend
The custom of eating dogs on the day of Dongzhi is said to originate in Han dynasty.Liubang ate dogs cooked by Fankui and gave a lot of compliments.Then the people began to cook dogs on the day of Dongzhi.Nowadays people will eat sheep or dogs ,hoping for a good beginning of the year.
The third part of Dongzhi legend
In the south of the lower reaches of the yangtze river,the whole family will get together to eat red bean sticky rice.It is said that there was a person who was called Gonggong.He has an evil sun who did many bad things and died on the day of Dongzhi.His spirit turned into a ghost and it was said that the ghost was afraid of red beans.So people eat red beans to get away from the ghost.
diet culture
Winter Solstice is a rich Content festival festival，According to legend，The winter solstice is the new year's Day in the history of the Zhou dynasty，it was a Very lively day.Today there is still a custom in the Jiangnan area：eat The winter solstice dinner you will get a year older,popularly called”Tim the year”.there is a custom in north area that it will Kill the sheep, eating dumplings and Wonton in the winter solstice，there is also a custom in south area that it will eat rice ball and long noodles in the winter solstice.it also have the custom of worship and ancestors in each area.
Eat dumplings
“When The winter solstice come，it is time to eat Dumplings”，during the day of eating dumplings in lunar calendar winter solstice every year,no matter Rich or poor, dumplings are essential holiday meal,dumplings sell very well in each  supermarket or shopping malls,there is a old saying goes:One October, the winter solstice that every household to eat dumplings,why eat dumplings during the winter solstice?it was said that this custom was build to celebrate a person called zhang zhong jing because he give medicine to the poor people in the winter solstice.
Zhangzhongjing was born in liang dong,nan yang.his《 Zabzabinglun》 is in many ways a grand synthesis of cure, it is honored as the classic by generations of healer,zhangzhongjing says:save the country as a state official in the court,save the people when retreating into the itinerant entertain,if you can’t be a high-ranking official,just be a good doctor.he has been Changsha office prefecture, governance practice for three years did not forget the lobby, medical consultation pesticide.after he resigned he offer medicine to The neighbors，it was winter when he return to his hometown，he saw a lot of people was hungry and ill,most people’s ears were Freezing because of the bad weather，he let his students to pitched the medical tent，put up the Cauldron,he give the medicine called“qu han jiao er soup”to treat frostbite in the winter solstice,He put mutton, pepper and some medicine treat cold in the pan,Then, get the Mutton、drug out and cut them in chops,with noodles to put them into the "Jiao ear"which looks like the ear,after cooked,he divided these medicine to the poor people,each people with two medicines and a bowl of broth,they feel warm after eat these medicine and soup,their Frostbitten ears were cured.after that,people learn from him and call these food“dumpling”or“Wonton”.
Eat Tang-yuan
Eat Tang-yuan in the traditional custom during the winter solstice，it specially popular in jiangnan area,Tang-yuan can be used to worship the Ancestor ,also can be used to give relatives and friends as gifts,Shanghai people are particular about Tang-yuan.
Eat Wonton
We have the custom of eat Wonton during the winter solstice in many areas,the person whose name was zhoumi said that eat Wonton was to worship the ancestor,just to the south song dynasty,it Began to flourish the custom of eat Wonton.
Eat glutinous rice with red bean.
In the Yangtze River,it has the custom of eat glutinous rice with red bean,according to the legend,there is a person called gong gong shi,His son is sin and do all kinds of evil things,and he died in the winter solstice,after he died,he become a ghost,Continue to hurt the people,but this ghost is afraid of red bean,On that day the winter solstice cooked rice to eat red bean, a ghost repellent disease, illnesses and prevention.
Eat Buckwheat noodles
In zhejiang province,People of all ages need to gather together,The daughter married also need to come back to the husband's family,each family need to make Buckwheat noodles,according to the custom,eat the Buckwheat noodles,it can help you Remove the feather of pig and chicken In your stomach.