The Meaning and Origin of Eating Yuanxiao on the Lantern Festival
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month every year is the Lantern Festival , In addition to watching lanterns during the Lantern Festival, there is a custom of eating lanterns all over the country.It is rumored that eating Yuanxiao originated from King Zhao of Chu or the palace maid of the Han Dynasty, which means reunion, health and safety.
The origin of the custom of eating Yuanxiao
When and where the custom of eating Yuanxiao originated, there are different folk sayings.It is said that in the Spring and Autumn Period, King Zhao of Chu passed through the Yangtze River on his way back to his country, and saw something floating on the surface of the river, white and slightly yellow in color, with red flesh like rouge inside, and the taste was sweet.Everyone did not know what it was, so King Zhao sent someone to ask Confucius.Confucius said:"This duckweed fruit is also the fruit, and whoever gets it will be a sign of revival." Because this is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, every time after this day, King Zhao ordered his servants to imitate this fruit with noodles and make it with hawthorn.The red stuffing is boiled and eaten.There is also a saying that Lantern Festival was originally called Tang Yuan.When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there was a maid in the palace called Yuan Xiao, who was very good at making Tang Yuan.Since then, the world has named after this maid.These two legends are not recorded in historical data and are not credible.
Symbolism of Eating Yuanxiao
Eating dumplings on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is one of the top ten good luck customs in China.Eating dumplings is also called eating Yuanxiao.Because the tangyuan represents reunion and harmony, the days become more prosperous, which is very important to a family, so on the Lantern Festival, you must eat "Yuanxiao" with your family.
Eating tangyuan during the Lantern Festival, in addition to implying a festive family reunion, also has the health benefits of keeping out the cold, nourishing the spleen and stomach, and nourishing the lungs.The material of Yuanxiao Tangyuan is mainly glutinous rice.According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, glutinous rice is the valley of nourishing the spleen and stomach and nourishing the lungs and qi.Glutinous rice is sweet and warm in nature.After eating, it can nourish the body’s blood and nourish the spleen and stomach.The coldest winter is Sanjiu.Although it has passed, the weather is still cold.The most likely to lose in cold weather is stomach qi.The ancients used glutinous rice to make glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.In addition to the stickiness of glutinous rice, the glutinous rice balls are easy to put in the pot and will not fall apart, and because glutinous rice has the characteristics of keeping out the cold.
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