Summer solstice custom activities
Sacrifice to gods and ancestors
The solstice in summer is the harvest season of wheat. Since ancient times, people have had the custom of celebrating harvest and offering sacrifices to ancestors at this time in order to pray for a good year. Therefore, the summer solstice, as a festival, was included in the ancient ritual of offering sacrifices to the gods. "Zhou Li Chun Guan" contains: "With the arrival of summer, go to local things." In the Zhou dynasty, sacrifices were made to gods from summer solstice, which meant to eliminate famine, hunger and death. The solstice of summer is just after the wheat harvest. Farmers not only thank God for the bumper harvest, but also pray for the "autumn report". Around the summer solstice, some places hold a grand "Summer Wheat Festival", which is the relic of the ancient "Summer Wheat Festival" activities.
Avoid summer and crouch
On the solstice of summer, women give each other folding fans, powder cakes and other things. "Youyang Miscellaneous Gifts": "On the summer solstice, I had to leave when I joined the company." "Fan" produces wind; "Powder fat" is suitable for dispelling turbid qi caused by body heat and preventing miliaria. In the imperial court, after the "summer solstice", the royal family took out the ice cubes that were "stored in winter and used in summer" to "avoid summer and shelter from the wind", which was used throughout the dynasties from the Zhou Dynasty and later became a system.
"wheat zongzi" and "summer solstice cake"
Jiangnan food customs generally include wheat dumplings, millet, plums, wonton, noodle soup and so on. "Wujiang County Records": "On the summer solstice, make wheat dumplings." . After the first sacrifice, you pay for it. Not only eat "wheat dumplings", but also give them to each other as gifts. On the day of summer solstice, farmers will roll pancakes, bake them, add vegetables, pods, tofu and bacon, eat them after ancestor worship, commonly known as "summer solstice cakes" or give them to relatives and friends.
Dongzhi wonton xiazhi noodles
Since ancient times, there has been a folk saying in China that "the solstice in winter is Wonton Noodles, and the solstice in summer is". Eating noodles on the solstice in summer is an important custom in many areas in the south of the Yangtze River. There is a saying that eating noodles on the solstice in summer will shorten the day. There are many kinds of noodles in the south, such as Yangchun noodles, dried soup noodles, shredded pork noodles, three fresh noodles, sesame oil noodles and cold noodles, while noodles with gravy and noodles with dregs in the north. "Because new wheat has appeared from summer to day, eating noodles from summer to day also means tasting new things."
Healthy food from summer to the sun
1, cucumber
"Seeking Truth from Materia Medica" mentioned that cucumber "tastes sweet and cold, which can clear away heat and benefit water", so it is good to eat more cucumbers in hot summer. The water content of cucumber is 96%~98%, which is the highest among vegetables. It contains very tender cellulose, which plays a certain role in promoting the excretion of rotten food in the intestine and lowering cholesterol.
2, bitter gourd
Chinese medicine believes that bitter gourd is bitter in taste and cold in nature, which can clear away heat and purge fire. Bitter taste of bitter gourd can stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, stimulate appetite, clear away heat and prevent heatstroke. Bitter gourd, whether it is cold salad, stir-fry or soup, can achieve the purpose of "removing fire" as long as it can be done well without losing its "cyan".
Step 3: tomatoes
Tomatoes are sweet and sour, and have the effects of clearing away heat and toxic materials, cooling blood and calming liver, invigorating stomach, promoting digestion, promoting fluid production and quenching thirst, nourishing blood and stimulating appetite. A large amount of vitamin C is an essential component of human connective tissue, which can increase the strength and elasticity of cartilage, vascular wall tubes, ligaments and bones.
4. Pumpkin
Pumpkin has the effects of invigorating middle energizer, invigorating qi, moistening intestine and relaxing bowels. It contains nutrients such as protein and amino acids, and is also rich in carotene, which can protect eyesight, improve blood sugar and strengthen the qi of heart and kidney.
5. Duck meat
Duck meat is cold, rich in protein, and because it belongs to waterfowl, it can nourish the stomach, promote fluid production and soften blood vessels whether cooking porridge or soup, so it is a rare cool food in meat. Many people eat too lightly in pursuit of cooling off summer heat, which leads to insufficient intake of protein and weak constitution. In fact, crucian carp, chicken and loach, including lean pork, etc. , all have the effect of clearing away heat and relieving summer heat, so you can eat with confidence, and be careful not to eat too much. However, mutton, beef, dog meat and other hot foods need to be selected in moderation.
6. Corn
Corn nourishes the stomach, dehumidifies and benefits water. Suitable for diarrhea due to spleen deficiency and damp-heat diarrhea.
7. Broccoli
There are two kinds of cauliflower, white and green, which have the functions of stimulating appetite, promoting fluid production to quench thirst and relieving fever and toxicity, and are also rich in vitamins C, B and carotene.
8.loofah
Luffa has the effect of clearing away heat and relieving summer heat. Ancient medical books and their compendium of materia medica all say that loofah can "clear away heat and benefit intestines". Eating loofah soup in summer can relieve the heat. When cooking soup, it should not be cooked for a long time, and it is best to keep the bright green of loofah. The skin of towel gourd and its flowers boil water together instead of tea, which also has the function of heatstroke prevention and antipyretic.
9.eggplant
"Compendium of Materia Medica" says that "eggplant is sweet, cold and non-toxic. Indications are cold and heat, strain of five internal organs and plague. Eating eggplant can disperse blood and relieve pain, remove dysentery and diuresis, reduce swelling and moisten intestines. " "Outline of Medical Forest" says that eggplant is "wide in the middle, dispersing blood and stopping diarrhea". Modern medical research shows that the rich vitamin P in eggplant can enhance the adhesion between cells, prevent and treat microvascular embrittlement bleeding and promote wound healing. Therefore, eating eggplant often can prevent and treat diseases such as cerebral hemorrhage, hypertension and arteriosclerosis, and also has a certain therapeutic effect on chronic gastritis.
10, spinach
Spinach can nourish blood, moisten intestines and quench thirst. In order to avoid the formation of calcium oxalate from oxalic acid and calcium in spinach, it is suggested to blanch it with hot water first, and then eat it after removing oxalic acid.
1 1, wax gourd
Wax gourd has a good effect of clearing away heat and relieving summer heat. In summer, eat more melon to quench thirst, relieve summer heat and diuresis. Because it is a diuretic and contains very little sodium, it is a good product to reduce swelling of chronic nephritis edema, malnutrition edema and pregnant women edema. It contains a variety of vitamins and trace elements necessary for human body, and can regulate the metabolic balance of human body.
12, lotus root
Lotus root has the effects of clearing heat, calming nerves, cooling blood and removing blood stasis, and contains minerals such as vitamin B, phosphorus and iron, which can improve anemia, diminish inflammation and bacteria, reduce blood lipid and lower blood pressure.
13, mung bean
After work, drinking a bowl of mung bean soup will make you feel refreshed, thirsty and relaxed. This is because mung beans have the functions of clearing heat, quenching thirst and diuresis.
14, crucian carp
Carassius auratus can strengthen the spleen and promote diuresis, which is suitable for spleen deficiency, stopping stomach and diarrhea. Not suitable for frying shepherd's purse.
What is the method of meditation on the summer solstice?
1, swimming
In addition to fishing, swimming is also an activity that is beneficial to summer heat and exercise. Compared with other sports, swimming can be said to be the most refreshing in summer. Because swimming is carried out in water, and the heat dissipation capacity of water is 15 times that of air. People are naturally "hydrophilic", and swimming often gives people a relaxed and happy feeling, so swimming in hot summer is a good way to keep fit and be comfortable.
Step 2 practice yoga
Yoga is a system that helps human beings to give full play to their potential by raising their consciousness. Yoga posture uses ancient and easy-to-master skills to improve people's physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual abilities, which is an exercise method to achieve harmony and unity of body, mind and spirit.
3. Read books, enjoy flowers and catch up.
In the summer afternoon, listening to some soothing music, pouring a cup of tea, gently turning over a few pages and chatting with three or five friends about life is also a way to relax in summer. Proper exercise in summer is also essential for health preservation, but it should be carried out in the cool morning or evening in rivers, lakes, parks, courtyards and other places with fresh air.