While depicting Xiaoxue, or Minor Snow, the Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet Huang Tingjian once interestingly described the period's seasonal culinary scenery: "Snow moistens bamboo shoots for plumpness and stores warmth for better vegetable growth, enhancing their flavor."
Minor Snow, the 20th solar term in the Chinese lunar calendar, remains closely tied to Chinese people's dining tables like the first nineteen.
During the season, as the weather turns colder, temperatures in most northern regions drop below zero, and the climate is dry. But it also becomes the perfect time for making cured and air-dried delicacies.
From rural villages to urban households, the folk tradition of "curing meat to prepare for winter" continues. From the north to the south, although production methods vary, it's common to see neatly hung sausages and delicious cured meats as well as fermenting sweet wine tailored for the season.
As one of the most representative seasonal foods during this period, ciba, a traditional glutinous rice cake, once again takes the spotlight on the snack lists of southern families.
Made from pounded glutinous rice and steamed to appear white in color, it is sweet and sticky in texture. Typically round in shape, the snack symbolizes the joy of harvest and reunion.
Some regions marinate dried fish or prepare delicious pork soup.
Around Minor Snow, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River region will also experience the first snowfall. A farming proverb says: "When minor snow fills the sky, the next year will yield a good harvest."
The snow, as it blankets wheat fields, can freeze certain pathogens and pests, and assist in the decomposition of organic matter, thereby enhancing soil fertility.
Let us embrace the unique gifts of nature during Minor Snow, brew a pot of hot tea with family and friends, and enjoy the beautifully silver-coated scenery.
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