The main activities of folk customs in the long summer
1, long summer egg
There is a folk saying that "eggs are crushed by stones in the long summer", which means that people will be full of energy when they eat eggs in the long summer. Children hang eggshells made of silk thread around their necks, which contain boiled eggs and duck eggs. Some even draw patterns on the eggs, trying to compete with each other. This is called egg collision. There is also a saying that "eggs are eaten in long summer, and it is not summer in hot weather". According to legend, since the day of long summer, the weather has been sunny and warm, and it has gradually become hot. Many people, especially children, will feel tired and weak, and their appetite will gradually fade, which is the so-called "summer in summer". Nu Wa Niangniang told the people that on the day of long summer every year, cooked chicken, duck and goose eggs were hung on the children's chests to escape the heat. Children will also play egg-beating games in groups of three or five.
2. Long summer "weighing people"
People hang scales under outdoor trees to weigh children and old people and test their physical changes over the past year. There is a stool hanging on the scale hook, and everyone takes turns sitting on the stool to weigh people. When weighing flowers, the caller said auspicious words.
In fact, in the beginning, we only learned about a person's physical health by weighing. Will kindly point out that people who are too fat and too thin will have a certain guiding role in later nutrition and diet. Slowly, it was handed down by everyone.
3, long summer porridge
According to local historical records, in ancient China, during the annual "Long Summer" solar term, people formed the custom of eating porridge. According to folklore, drinking porridge in long summer on this day can ensure a year of peace, disease-free and disaster-free. In fact, in the past, porridge was basically used to supplement nutrition, and gradually evolved into the habit of drinking porridge in summer.
4. Long summer noodles
In the past, there was a proverb that eating noodles in summer is an important custom in many areas, especially in Changchun, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. There is also a folk saying that "eating noodles in the long summer makes the day longer". Because northerners eat noodles every day, they don't particularly care about eating noodles in this solar term.
5, long summer health
In the long summer season, people tend to be impetuous, so they should gradually learn to keep in good health after the long summer. Health care is embodied in many aspects, both external, such as exercise and fitness, and internal, diet and emotional regulation. For food lovers, some suggestions on diet and health care are also given.
Eating nuts regularly can effectively strengthen and protect the heart. Eating nuts such as dried fruits, almonds, pecans and peanuts often helps to protect the heart. Because the sun is the spirit in summer, we should give priority to light food, such as cabbage, bitter gourd and loofah.
What is the long summer solar term for?
One thing to do in the long summer: welcome the summer.
Long summer is one of the 24 solar terms, and the long summer solar term also represents the arrival of summer, so there will be activities to welcome summer. In ancient times, people attached great importance to the custom of long summer. On the long summer day, the ancient emperor would lead officials to the southern suburbs of Beijing to welcome the summer and hold a ceremony to welcome the summer.
The second thing to do in the long summer: early adopters.
Later generations have a festival in summer, such as tasting new things. For example, there is a saying in Suzhou that "three creations are seen in the long summer", and the three creations are cherries, plums and wheat, which are used for ancestor worship. In Changshu, tasting new foods is more abundant, and there is a saying of "nine meats and thirteen vegetables". Nine meats are crucian carp, salted eggs, snails, chicken, salty fresh, marinated shrimp and cherry meat; Thirteen elements include cherry, plum, wheat silkworm, bamboo shoot, broad bean, spear tip, pea, cucumber, lettuce, grass head, radish, rose and pine flower. In Nantong, we eat boiled chicken and duck eggs.
Three things to do in long summer: doing summer.
"Making Summer" on the edge of "Boiling Ding in Long Summer" prevailed in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. The long summer has entered the busy farming season. On this day, the cooking is not only for the whole family to eat well before going to work in the fields, but also for the neighbors to taste together. Just like rinsing the edge of a tripod, "one grain is cooked" to connect feelings.
Four things to do in long summer: breaking eggs
"Eggs are thrown all over the street in the long summer", and beating eggs is usually a child's game. To use boiled eggs, generally boil them with white water (the shell can't be damaged), soak them in cold water, and then put them in a net bag woven with colored silk thread or wool for children to hang around their necks. The rules for breaking eggs are quite simple. To put it bluntly, it means "see whose eggshell is hard": everyone holds an egg in his hand, with the pointed one as the head and the round one as the tail. The head of an egg hits the head of an egg and the tail of an egg hits the tail of an egg. He fought for it one by one. The man who broke the shell gave up and then ate the eggs. Xiao Qiang, the last one who could not break the battle, was honored as the "king of eggs".
Five things to do in long summer: eat light cakes.
In the long summer, there is also the custom of eating light cakes. East Fujian mainly eats "light cakes" (flour baked with a little salt) in the long summer. Zhouning, Fu 'an and other places in eastern Fujian soaked the light cake in water and made it into dishes, while Jiaocheng, Fuding and other places cut the light cake in half and ate fried bean sprouts, leeks, meat and waste vegetables.