Winter Solstice, also known as "Winter Festival" and "Winter Festival", is one of the twenty-four solar terms, opposite to the summer solstice. .
"Tongwei·Xiao Jing Yuan Shen Deed": "On the fifteenth day after the heavy snowfall, fight with your fingers, it is the winter solstice, in the middle of November. The yang begins to arrive at the cathode, and the sun solstice in the south, gradually getting longer."
During the Tang Dynasty, the Winter Solstice was celebrated with a seven-day holiday.
By the Ming Dynasty, there were only three holidays in the country, including the "Winter Solstice".
According to the "Holidays" article in Volume 80 of Wanli's "Ming Huidian", "the Ming Dynasty had three statutory holidays: Winter Solstice, New Year's Day and Lantern Festival."
Among them, the "Winter Solstice Festival" is a three-day holiday for civil and military officials starting from that day; the "New Year's Day" is a five-day holiday starting from the first day of the lunar month; and the "Lantern Festival" is a ten-day holiday starting from the 11th day of the first lunar month.
Moreover, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty had to personally participate in the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the sky, which was called the "Winter Solstice Suburban Sky". All the officials in the court had to submit congratulations to the emperor and congratulate each other, just like celebrating New Year's Day.
However, in the Chongzhen Dynasty, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven was held as usual, and the submission of congratulatory forms by officials to His Majesty the Emperor was basically simplified.
It is precisely because of this that there is a saying that "the winter solstice is as big as the new year". People pay special attention to the winter solstice festival and regard it as important as the "beginning of the year".
After the winter solstice, the yin energy reaches its peak and the yang energy begins to rise. People at that time thought this was a blessing from God, so they designated it as the beginning of the year.
On good days and auspicious days, celebrations must be held, and therefore they have been valued by emperors of all dynasties. The emperors held winter solstice in the suburbs.
The most distinctive features of the folk Winter Solstice greetings are "Luchang" and "Longshi".
The so-called lu long refers to the younger generation paying homage to the elders, especially the daughter-in-law offering shoes and socks to the elders. When worshiping the elders on the winter solstice, a family banquet must be prepared and salutes to the parents and elders. In addition, the daughter-in-law presents shoes and socks to the parents-in-law. This is exactly what " The original meaning of "Lu Chang Festival" is also known as "Lu Chang Festival" among the people.
As for "Longshi", it means to respect and worship the teacher. On the winter solstice, the teacher will first lead the students to pay homage to the saint Kong, then the disciples will pay homage to the teacher, and then the classmates will pay homage to each other.
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On the winter solstice, Zhang Cheng and Ji Xuanzhu came to the courtyard of the Chicheng General's inner house early. After they paid homage to the three old ladies, Ji Xuanzhu stayed with them.
The Liu sisters were also here. They came over obediently to give a big gift to their mistress, Ji Xuanzhu. Ji Xuanzhu accepted the gift gracefully and said with a smile: "Your sisters are used to living here with the old lady! "
"Liu Ying thanked Madam for her concern. It is a blessing for me and my sister to serve by Old Madam's side. I am used to living here. As long as Old Madam does not dislike my sisters, it will be fine." Liu Ying replied softly.
"Okay, since you two sisters have such filial piety, you can stay with the old lady to fulfill your filial piety for me. After I am familiar with the various mundane affairs of the master's family, I can then go to the two old ladies in person to fulfill my filial piety. ." Ji Xuanzhu said.
She stretched out her hand again, held the hands of her mother-in-law Zhang Yang and her aunt Zhang Han, and asked obediently: "Mother-in-law, aunt and uncle, is this okay?"
"Okay, okay..."
Zhang Cheng's mother smiled and said three good things in a row, and then said: "We Xuanzhu are the most sensible, and whatever we say is right."
Aunt Zhang Hanshi also smiled and said: "You, don't come here to say hello all the time. What's more important is to give us two old ladies a grandson as soon as possible!"
"Oh, grandma, look what you said..."
"Hahaha……"
…………
In the main room, Ji Xuanzhu was chatting with the two old ladies, the Wu family's cousin, Zhang Lifang, Wu Tingyue, the Liu sisters and others, while Sister-in-law Jia was busy outside.
"The winter solstice is as big as the new year!"
All government offices have taken vacations. Even in the military camp, except for the sergeants on duty, Zhang Cheng also gave them five days of vacation, so that most of them could go home to reunite for the holidays. Those who did not live in the North Road area had to get together. During the festival in the military camp, everyone can have fun together.
Today, Zhang Cheng also invited Chicheng Bingxian He Chongwu, Guanliangtong judge Qin Shizheng, Chicheng garrison Zhang Guodong, Qianzong Chen Dakuan, Jin Yong and others, as well as Guangbeicang Ambassador You Mingzhen and Pharmacy Medical Officer Shen Shichun.
In addition, Bingxian He Chongwu also invited Shao Congyou, a scholar from the Chicheng Confucian Academy, on behalf of Zhang Cheng. In this way, nine people were gathered together.
As soon as the winter solstice arrives, people begin to count "nine". Therefore, nine people must be gathered for a banquet, and nine plates and nine bowls are also served on the banquet to take the meaning of "nine nine" to relieve the cold.
As the saying goes, "The rich eat for a night, the poor freeze for a night."
The meaning is that on the day of the winter solstice, every household has to buy festive items, but rich households will be more luxurious, while poor households will be more miserable.
Fortunately, there are no extremely poor households in Beilu today. Although the situation of each household is different, and generally there are good and bad situations, the problem of food and clothing has basically been solved.
As for those who cannot afford to eat, they must be lazy and lazy. Zhang Cheng also deeply hates such useless people and will not tolerate them.
At this moment, there was laughter and laughter in the inner house of the Chicheng General Office. Ji Xuanzhu accompanied the three old ladies, and the two young ladies Zhang Lifang and Wu Tingyue were sitting at the same table. The Liu sisters, Yu Rui and Xiu Yue were at the next table. It also made up the number of nine people.
Outside, all the officials gathered together happily. Although their hearts were different, on the surface they were in harmony. Everyone chatted and toasted and blessed each other.
"Today is the winter solstice. We have been invited by General Zhang Shen to gather at the general's office. How about we each recite a poem to toast him?" Qin Shizheng suggested that everyone write poems under the influence of wine, hoping to use this to impress Zhang Cheng. Make a fool of yourself.
Bingxian He Chongwu smiled and said nothing, Xuezheng Shao Congyou also looked confident. Medical officer Shen Shichun seemed to be thinking about something, he shook his head as if he was reciting some poem in his heart.
Ambassador Guangbeicang You Mingzhen shook his fat head and said with a smile: "There are several adults here. How dare we, a vulgar person, to do anything for the sake of doing things, just think that we are fined with wine!"
After he finished speaking, he picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it in one gulp.
Zhang Guodong has seen some things in the world, but reciting poems is indeed more difficult for him than reaching heaven. Chen Dakuan and Jin Yong are even more confused. What is reciting poems?
After seeing that You Mingzhen couldn't recite poems and having a glass of wine, the two of them felt a little more at ease. Only Zhang Guodong couldn't help but look at Zhang Cheng, and he could see that Qin Shizheng was exerting his will. Zhang Cheng just made a fool of himself.
Seeing that there was no objection, Qin Shizheng said to Shao Congyou: "Master Xuezheng is full of knowledge. How about asking Master Shao to give me a head start?"
Shao Congyou had a calm look on his face. He raised his hand to brush the little beard on his chin, then stood up and walked around the table in a circle.
When he returned to his seat, he put one hand behind his back, brushed his sparse beard with the other hand, raised his head and chanted:
"Drinking alone is not much fun, just chanting and thinking.
A glass of New Year wine and two poems from old friends.
The willows are just beginning to turn yellow, and the mustache is half white.
The smell of wasted spring is known to each other. "
"Okay, what a 'drinking alone without much fun'!"
Shao Congyou had just finished reciting poems, but before he sat down, Qin Shizheng clapped his hands and started cheering. While he was clapping, he also glanced sideways at Zhang Cheng, but seeing that he looked calm and relaxed, he couldn't help but sneer in his heart!
