Our traditional festivals contain a lot of folk culture. As one of the 24 solar terms in Chinese lunar calendar, the Winter Solstice Festival is also celebrated as a very important festival. According to the different customs and habits in different parts of the country, the way to celebrate the winter solstice is not the same. China's Henan is located in the middle of China, which is regarded as the place of China and the pivot of the world. Today, let's take stock of how to spend the winter solstice in Henan. Let's study together.

The winter solstice is a very important solar term in the China lunar calendar, and it is also a traditional festival of the Chinese nation. The winter solstice is commonly called "Winter Festival", "Long Festival" and "Asian New Year". As early as the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,5 years ago, China had observed the sun with Tugui and determined the winter solstice, which was the earliest of the 24 solar terms. In most parts of northern China, there is also the custom of eating jiaozi and dumplings and pumpkins in the south on this day. The proverb: "When the winter solstice comes, eat dumplings." There are many poems and films about this solar term.

Every year on the winter solstice of the Chinese Lunar New Year, jiaozi is an indispensable holiday meal for Henan people, regardless of their wealth. As the saying goes, "On October 1st, when the winter solstice comes, every family eats dumplings." This custom was left in memory of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", who gave up medicine on the winter solstice.

"pinching frozen ears" is a common name for Henan people to eat jiaozi during the winter solstice. Why is there such a food custom?

Zhang Zhongjing is a native of Gedong, Nanyang. He wrote Treatise on Exogenous Febrile Diseases, which is a masterpiece of doctors and is regarded as a classic by doctors of all ages. Zhang Zhongjing has a famous saying: "If you advance, you will save the world; if you retreat, you will save the people;" You can't be a good doctor, but also a good doctor. " In the Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as the prefect of Changsha, visiting the sick and applying medicine, and practicing medicine in the lobby. Later, he resolutely resigned and returned to his hometown to treat his neighbors. When he returned home, it was winter. He saw that the villagers on both sides of the Baihe River were sallow and emaciated, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. He asked his disciples to set up a medical shed and a cauldron in Dongguan, Nanyang, and give up "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction" to cure chilblain on the day of the winter solstice. He boiled mutton, peppers and some herbs for dispelling cold in a pot, then fished out the mutton and medicines and chopped them, and made them into ear-like "jiao-er" with bread. After cooking, he distributed two "jiao-er" and a big bowl of broth to everyone who came to ask for medicine. People ate "Jiao Er" and drank "Quhan Tang", and they were warm all over, with fever in both ears and frostbitten ears cured. Later generations learned the look of "Jiao Er" and packaged it into food, also called "jiaozi" or "flat food".

Eating jiaozi on the winter solstice is the kindness of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", in "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction". Up to now, there is still a folk song in Nanyang, Henan Province, which says, "The winter solstice misbehaves the jiaozi bowl, and nobody cares if you freeze your ears.".

jiaozi, with all kinds of stuffing in Henan, is big and full of stuffing, which is the best bite for Henan people in the winter solstice. Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, also has the nickname of "City of Huimian Noodles". In the Huimian Noodles Pavilion all over the street, especially in the time-honored brand, order a bowl of mutton Huimian Noodles and a bowl of three fresh Huimian Noodles. Perhaps, you will see the species of Henan people more truly.

It can be seen that eating jiaozi on the winter solstice is also a rich festival in Henan.