Great cold, the last of the twenty-four solar terms, as the name suggests, means that the weather is extremely cold. "The reverse pole of the cold, so it is called the great cold", at this time, the climate in some parts of the mainland is severely cold, the snow on the ground does not melt, showing a scene of ice and snow, cold and frozen, is the coldest period of the year. The great cold means the end of the four hours, and also heralds the beginning of the new spring.
In ancient China, the great cold was divided into three seasons: "one waiting for chicken milk; two waiting for birds to be sick; and three waiting for water and ze belly." This means that chickens have yang qi and breed eggs, and can hatch chicks when they enter the great cold season; birds such as eagle falcons are in a state of extreme predatory ability, hovering in the air in search of food to replenish the body's energy to resist the cold; the ice in this solar term waters is frozen to the center of the water, and it is the strongest and thickest, and children can skate on the river.
As the saying goes, the taste of the big cold is getting stronger and stronger. According to the calendar, since most of the time in Lichun is after the New Year, the great cold is the last festival of the year, so there is also a saying of "great cold to welcome the year". In some parts of the mainland, there are many important folk customs between the cold and the spring, such as removing the old cloth and making the new one, making wax flavor, offering stoves, tail tooth offerings, and buying sesame straw.
In terms of seasonal health, the great cold is also recognized as a good time to supplement. In this transition period from winter to spring, diet and living should be "transformed". Healthy diet should reduce saltiness and increase bitterness to nourish the heart, should be hot food, to prevent damage to the spleen and stomach yang qi, but dry and hot things should not eat more, you can eat some cabbage, rape, carrots, cauliflower and other sweet vegetables. In the cold season, we should be at ease, pleasant, keep a good mood, and have a peaceful mood.
"After the great cold, exactly one year", is the end of the cold, but also the beginning of the new life. The great cold has arrived, and the spring is in sight, and the new year's solar cycle is about to usher in.
Text: Yin Shuo
Poster: Wang Yiqiao
Source: Procuratorial Daily Justice Network