Customs and food at the beginning of spring

Customs and food at the beginning of spring

Customs and food at the beginning of spring. The arrival of the beginning of spring can make everyone feel the breath of spring. The specific content and form of the customs at the beginning of spring vary with the times and regions. They are different and have thousands of years of tradition. The following is about the customs and food of the Beginning of Spring. Customs and Food at the Beginning of Spring 1

Food Customs at the Beginning of Spring

Eating Spring Rolls

Eating spring rolls was originally an integral part of the customs of the Beginning of Spring Festival. However, this festival custom has faded a lot now, and even many young people no longer know this custom.

Nowadays, people eat more noodles and dumplings instead of spring plates, spring pancakes, and spring rolls to welcome the arrival of spring. Therefore, there is a widely circulated saying among the people that "Spring noodles are eaten with Spring dumplings." Spring rolls have become a favorite flavor food. Today, spring rolls with golden color, crispy skin, fresh meat filling and attractive aroma have become a unique and popular dish at banquets in many large hotels.

Eating spring dishes

Since the Tang Dynasty, the custom of eating spring dishes at the beginning of spring has been widely spread among the people. For example, the book "Sui Shi Guang Ji" written by Chen Yuanliang in the late Southern Song Dynasty quoted the Tang Dynasty's "Four Seasons Treasure Mirror" as recording: "On the first day of spring, everyone makes spring cakes and lettuce, called 'spring plate'.

The word "spring plate" is also frequently seen in poetry works of the Tang Dynasty. For example, the poet Cen Shen once wrote in the poem "Send Yang Qian to Runan County to go to the province of Runan to get married": "Runan is looking far away, early in the morning." Go to Chunpan. "In the Song Dynasty, this custom became more common. Su Shi, a great poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, mentioned this custom many times in his poetry works.

According to Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica": "On New Year's Day and the beginning of spring, onions, garlic, leeks, polygonum, mustard and other pungent and tender vegetables are eaten together, which means welcoming the new year. It is called the 'five pungent dishes'. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, people improved the five-spicy dish and added some seasonal vegetables, changing it from a monotonous spicy dish to a green and red dish with good color, fragrance and flavor, and named it "spring dish".

Eating spring cakes

The custom of eating spring cakes at the beginning of spring originated in the Tang Dynasty and is also called "biting spring". Because at the beginning of spring, spring returns to the earth, all things revive, and various vegetables sprout. People try them freshly. The ancients wrapped seasonal vegetables in dough, rolled them into rolls, steamed them or fried them. They named them spring pancakes, which means a good harvest and spring. As a symbol, they give it to each other to welcome the spring.

The original spring cake is a kind of pancake baked or steamed with flour. When eaten, it is often eaten with stir-fried vegetables such as bean sprouts, spinach, leek, vermicelli, etc., or with Spring cakes and cabbage are eaten. Eating spring cakes at the beginning of spring means welcoming spring and praying for a good harvest.

Eating radish

In many places, the beginning of spring is also called "biting spring". At the beginning of spring in the north, the most representative food is eating radish, which is commonly known as "biting spring". Eating radish can be divided into various forms such as nibbling, slicing, shredding, and stuffing. Ming Dynasty Liu Ruoyu's "Ming Palace History" records: "At the beginning of spring the next day, everyone, no matter how high or low, chews radish, which is called "biting spring"; "Yanjing Years' Records" written by Fucha Dunchong, Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty records: "Women, etc. Buying more radishes and eating them is said to relieve spring sleepiness. "Eating radish can not only relieve spring sleepiness, but also enhance women's fertility function. Beginning of spring radish is also called "descendant radish." Beginning of spring customs and diet 2

Beginning of spring eating customs

Spring dish:

Spring dish is also called "five-spice dish", which is made of five kinds of spicy lettuce. "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "Five-spice dish is served on New Year's Day and the beginning of spring. Onions, garlic, leeks, mugwort and mustard are mixed with pungent and tender vegetables to bring in the new year. "This custom spread to the Tang, Song, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties. For example, Yelv Chucai of the Yuan Dynasty had a poem "Making a Poor Spring Plate in the Post on the Beginning of Spring", which mentioned using lotus root, peas, green onions, artemisia, leeks and vermicelli to make the dishes. Spring dish.

In Ningjin area, it is cooked with onion, garlic, pepper, ginger and mustard. It is called the five-spice dish. It can be eaten with wine or given as a gift. Give green leeks and yellow mandarin oranges as gifts.

Spring pancakes:

The Tang Dynasty's "Four Seasons Treasure Mirror" records: "At the beginning of spring, people eat reeds, spring pancakes, and lettuce, called 'vegetable plates'. "It can be seen that people in the Tang Dynasty had already begun to try spring dishes and eat spring cakes.

The so-called spring cake, also called lotus leaf cake, is actually a kind of hot noodle pancake - use two small pieces of water, grease the middle with oil, roll it into a pancake, and peel it into two pieces after it is cooked. Spring pancakes are used to wrap vegetables, including cooked and stir-fried vegetables.

The method of making spring pancakes was recorded in the book "Tiao Ding Ji" of the Qing Dynasty: "roll the dough and wrap it with ham, chicken, etc., or seasonal cabbage sum, and fry it for guests. It is also salty Crush the meat loin, garlic, black dates, walnut kernels, foreign sugar, and white sugar, and roll the spring cake into sections. "This is the way to eat it in the Qing Dynasty.

Today’s spring cakes still use the ancient baking or steaming methods. The size depends on personal preference. When eating, some people like to spread sweet sauce and roll croissant with green onions. Some people like to eat them. Some places also pay attention to using cooked meat such as shredded tripe and chicken in sauce to be eaten in spring cakes.

Spring rolls:

In addition to spring cakes, spring rolls are also a festive delicacy that people often eat on the Beginning of Spring. Spring rolls evolved from the ancient custom of eating spring dishes on the first day of spring. There was a kind of "rolled pancake" in the Song Dynasty, which was a transitional type between spring pancakes and spring rolls.

In the Yuan Dynasty's "Complete Collection of Household Necessities", there are records of rolling spring pancakes wrapped in fillings and deep-fried before being eaten. By the Qing Dynasty, the name spring rolls had appeared.

The method of making spring rolls is to wrap the stuffing in a thin round dough and roll it into a long shape, then fry it in oil until golden brown and float. The filling can be meat or vegetarian, salty or sweet.

Radish:

According to Cui Shi's "Four People's Monthly Orders" of the Han Dynasty, our country has long had the dietary custom of "eating lettuce at the beginning of spring... to welcome the new year" , and after the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the so-called "biting spring" mainly refers to eating radish on the first day of spring. For example, Liu Ruoyu's "Ziuzhongzhi·Eating Good Shang Jilue" of the Ming Dynasty states: "At the beginning of spring the next day, everyone, no matter how high or low, chews radish." Radish", named 'biting spring'. Fucha Dunchong of the Qing Dynasty also recorded in "Yanjing Suishui Ji": "Spring is the beginning of spring. Rich families eat more spring cakes on this day, and women buy more radishes and eat them, saying 'biting spring', which means they can relieve spring sleepiness. ”

Why eat radishes?

The more common saying is that it can relieve spring sleepiness. After the beginning of spring, the temperature gradually rises, and people's yang energy rises step by step. The Chinese people who pay attention to food supplements choose foods with pungent and sweet properties to allow the body to adapt to the weather.

Su Dongpo once wrote a poem: "The roots of the radish still contain morning dew, and in autumn the east garden is covered with frost and snow. The radish will bear children and have grandchildren." Li Shizhen praised the radish even more, thinking that it " The roots and leaves can be used raw, cooked, as sauce, as soybean, as vinegar, as sugar, as wax, or as rice. It is the most beneficial among vegetables. "Radish also has medicinal properties such as expectorant, ventilation, and cough relieving." . This may be the original intention of the ancients who advocated eating radishes at the beginning of spring. The Customs and Food of the Beginning of Spring 3

What is special about the Beginning of Spring

1. Jumang God

There is a long history of holding commemorative activities on the day of "The Beginning of Spring". It has appeared at least 3000 years ago. At that time, Gou Mang, also known as Mang God, was the god of spring in charge of farming. Jumang is the god of spring, the god of vegetation and life. The image of Jumang is that of a human with a bird's body, enforcing rules and taking charge of spring affairs. In the Zhou Dynasty, the east hall was set up to welcome the spring, which shows that worshiping Jumang has a long history.

2. Whin Chun Niu

Whin Chun Niu, also known as Whin Chun Niu, originated earlier and has been preserved since then. Folks in Shandong want to smash the cow's head to pieces, and people compete for the spring cow's soil. This is called spring grabbing, and it is good luck to grab the cow's head. In addition, there are tea-picking activities to worship spring cows, and turtle beetle heralding spring activities are also held in Hubei.

3. Biting Spring

The Beginning of Spring has its own food, mainly spring pancakes, radishes, five-spice dishes, etc. At the Beginning of Spring around the world, there are many people selling spring rolls in the market. hawker. There are two points worth noting here: first, in the past, it was thought that biting the spring meant eating radishes, but in fact it also included eating spring pancakes; second, the so-called begging for spring meant welcoming the spring. Why eat radish? A common saying is that it can relieve spring sleepiness.

4. Ancestor worship

In many areas, ancestors are worshiped at the beginning of spring. For example, Guangdong's "Xin'an County Chronicle" records: "Folks believe that there are things going on at the ancestral temple on this day. The food offered to ancestors at the beginning of spring is also special. Henan's "Ruyang County Chronicle" records: a spring banquet is held, spring cakes are eaten, and divination and pears are recommended." Linying County Chronicle refers to the Beginning of Spring Sacrifice as Yaochun.

5. Hiding from Spring

According to traditional folklore, people should hide from spring on the day of the Beginning of Spring.

Because the climate begins to change at the beginning of spring, the new aura will have an adverse impact on some people, and even worse, will affect the luck of the year, so the custom of avoiding spring emerged.

According to traditional customs, on the day of the Beginning of Spring, there should be no quarrels of words. We must welcome this day in harmony and calmly. According to some local customs, it is not advisable to move, visit seriously ill patients, or attend funerals on this day to avoid causing bad luck and affecting the luck of the whole year.

6. Worship Tai Sui

China has the custom of welcoming Tai Sui, imagining Tai Sui as a god on duty. If you welcome Tai Sui, you will be safe and prosperous. As a traditional custom, the activity of "worshiping Tai Sui" is currently very popular in Beijing, Guangzhou, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other places in China, as well as in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore. So when is the time when Tai Sui is on duty? According to the ancient traditional chronological rules of the stems and branches, the beginning of spring is the time when the old and new Tai Sui are handed over.