In ancient times, the Summer Solstice was a very important day, known as the "Summer Solstice Festival". In some places, the Summer Solstice Festival was even as lively as the Dragon Boat Festival. In the Song Dynasty, there was a three-day holiday during the Summer Solstice Festival to allow the people and officials to have a good rest. So, let the old almanac take you through the activities of the Summer Solstice and what to do during the Summer Solstice.
During the summer solstice, all living things appear to be extremely mature: the vegetation is more lush, the flowers are in full bloom, the fruits are overripe, the ears of wheat are full on the ground, and the frogs no longer cry, but they can be heard everywhere. Cicadas chirp; praying mantises are often seen in the grass, and domesticated deer can cut off their antlers. On this day, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer, so the days in the Northern Hemisphere are the longest and the nights are the shortest; in the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite is true, the nights are the longest and the days are the shortest. Counting from the summer solstice, the ten days after the third Geng Day will be the first ten days, and then it will enter the "dog days".
"Summer Solstice" custom activities: worshiping gods and ancestors: The summer solstice is the time of wheat harvest. Since ancient times, it has been the custom to celebrate the harvest and worship ancestors at this time, in order to pray for disaster relief and a good harvest. Therefore, the summer solstice, as a festival, is included in the ancient rituals of worshiping gods. "Zhou Li Chunguan" records: "With the summer solstice, local things will be destroyed." The summer solstice in the Zhou Dynasty offered sacrifices to gods, which meant to eliminate famine, hunger and death. The summer solstice is just after the wheat harvest. Farmers not only thank God for the harvest, but also pray for "autumn rewards." Before and after the summer solstice, some places hold a grand "Xiamai Festival", which is a remnant of the ancient "summer festival" activity.
To spend the summer and avoid the sun: On the summer solstice, women give each other folding fans, powder and other items. "Youyang Zazu?" "Li Yi": "On the summer solstice, there are words for entering the fan and the powder bag." "Fan" is used to generate wind; "pink" is used to smear it to dissipate the turbid air generated by body heat and prevent prickly heat. In the imperial court, after the "summer solstice", the royal family took out ice "for winter storage and summer use" to "eliminate the summer and avoid the fall". Since the Zhou Dynasty, it has been used by all dynasties and has become a system.
Summer Solstice Noodles: "Winter Solstice Dumplings and Summer Solstice Noodles". On the Summer Solstice, the most indispensable thing is the bowl of "Summer Solstice Noodles" with long flowing water. Summer Solstice Noodles is a Han custom that is popular in most parts of the country. Pan Rongbi of the Qing Dynasty wrote in "Records of the Years in the Imperial Capital": "On that day, everyone eats cold noodles, which is what the saying goes." There is a folk saying that "if you eat noodles during the summer solstice, a day will be shorter." Although the summer solstice is not the hottest time in summer, it means that the hot summer has arrived. People begin to change their diet from the summer solstice to low-calorie, easy-to-make, and refreshing foods. Noodles are usually the first choice for ordinary families. Therefore, summer solstice noodles are also called "entering the valley".
Eating dog meat: According to relevant records, killing dogs to replenish the body during the Summer Solstice is said to have originated from the Warring States Period, the year following Qin Degong’s accession to the throne, when June was extremely hot and plagues were prevalent. According to the saying that "dogs are yang animals and can ward off bad luck", Duke De of Qin ordered his subjects to kill dogs to ward off evil spirits. Later, the custom of killing dogs in the summer solstice was formed. There are many epidemic diseases in summer, so it is suitable to eat dog meat during the summer solstice, which can enhance immunity. There is a folk saying: During the summer solstice, dogs will not be able to escape (there is nowhere to hide). On the summer solstice day of the lunar calendar, there has been a folk custom of eating dogs during the summer solstice in Yangjiang, Guangdong for hundreds of years to dispel evil and replenish the body.
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