小雪為十月中，此時雪還未盛。雨遇寒，將霰為雪。雨凝先為霰，霰成微粒，霰為霏，飛揚瀰漫為小雪。
“小雪雪滿天，來年必豐年。”此刻，華北部分地區正雪花飛舞。冬天，你好！
小雪三候
一候：虹藏不見：小雪之日“虹藏不見”。陰陽交才有虹，此時陰盛陽伏，雨水都凝成陰雪了，虹當然不見。
二候：天氣上升地氣下降：小雪後五日“天氣上升地氣下降”，天地各正其位，不交不通。
三候：閉塞而成冬：再五日“閉塞而成冬”，冬為藏，冬為終。
小雪習俗，美味迎新年
忙醃菜，過年正好吃
南京有諺語：“小雪醃菜，大雪醃肉。”小雪之後，家家戶戶開始醃製、風乾各種蔬菜，包括白菜、蘿蔔以及雞鴨魚肉等，以備過冬食用。
杭州人往往也會趁著這個節氣開始醃製醬鴨、臘肉。
十月朝，餈粑碌碌燒
在南方某些地方，有小雪時節吃餈粑的習俗。有俗語說，“十月朝，餈粑碌碌燒”。
“碌碌燒”是非常形象的客家語言。“碌”，是像車轆那樣滾動，意思指用筷子捲起糯米粉團，像車轆那樣前後上下左右四周滾動，粘上芝麻花生沙糖；“燒”，即是熱氣騰騰。
吃餈粑一要熱，二要玩，三要鬥（比較），才過癮，才能體味“十月朝，餈粑碌碌燒”的農家樂趣。
十月豆，肥到不見頭
小雪時，臺灣中南部海邊的漁民們會開始曬魚乾、儲存乾糧。臺灣俗諺：“十月豆，肥到不見頭”，是指在嘉義縣布袋一帶，到了農曆十月可以捕到“豆仔魚”。
刨湯肉，美味迎新年
“小雪殺豬，大雪宰羊。”包頭農村的風俗習慣是，每到小雪、大雪兩個節氣，村民們便開始殺豬宰羊準備年貨。無論哪家宰畜，鄰居、親朋都要過來幫忙。
殺了豬，東家要用醃酸菜、滷豆腐、寬粉條、沙土豆做一鍋豬燴菜，再配上米飯、小菜，略備薄酒，邀請四鄰聚餐，寓意團結、和睦、萬事興旺。
少數民族也有類似習俗。小雪前後，土家族群眾就開始了一年一度的“殺年豬，迎新年”。用熱氣尚存的上等新鮮豬肉精心烹飪而成的美食，稱為“刨湯”。
小雪已至，這樣養生
多吃葉酸食物：防抑鬱
小雪之後，進入抑鬱多發的季節，應常食菠菜、獼猴桃、牡蠣、橘子、黃豆和深綠色的蔬菜，因為這些食物中都含有葉酸，可以幫助抵抗抑鬱。
全麥麵包、粗麵粉製品、穀物、酵母、動物肝臟及水果等富含B族維生素的食物，對改善不良情緒及抑鬱症也大有裨益。
防寒保暖要做好
從這個節氣開始，東北風颳得多了，由於氣候雖冷卻還沒到嚴冬，很多人不太注意戴帽子和圍巾，這樣往往容易遭受風寒。常言道：“若要安逸，勤脫勤著”，因此應多備幾件冬裝，做到酌情增減，隨增隨減。
對於老年人，應選擇柔軟、光滑的棉織或絲織內衣、內褲，儘量不穿化纖類衣物，以使靜電的危害減少到最低限度。
早睡晚起，睡前泡腳
小雪節氣要增強體質、提高機體免疫力和抗寒能力。首先，要保證充足的睡眠，最好不要遲於22點休息。
每晚用熱水泡腳，能刺激足底穴位，或者抽空做做暖腳操，增加腰腿部力量，促進下肢血液循環，防止凍傷，並能提高機體抗寒能力。
多喝水防內熱產生
多飲水可以促進新陳代謝，縮短糞便在腸道停留的時間，減少毒素的吸收，溶解水溶性的毒素。最好在每天清晨空腹喝一杯溫開水，還能降低血液粘度，預防心腦血管疾病。
蜂蜜水可潤燥解毒，白蘿蔔水能清熱利尿，梨水可以潤肺止咳，都是這個時節不錯的選擇。
多食熱粥
小雪過後，可以多吃保護心腦血管的食品，如丹參、山楂、黑木耳、西紅柿、芹菜等；降血脂的食品，如苦瓜、玉米、蕎麥、胡蘿蔔等；溫補性食物和益腎食品，如腰果、山藥、栗子、核桃等。
食物烹調可多采用燉食，這樣營養流失較少；多食熱粥有益健康，如有養心除煩作用的小麥粥、消食化痰的蘿蔔粥、益氣養陰的大棗粥等。
黑色食物補腎防感冒
預防感冒是貫穿冬季養生的主題，而多吃黑色食物不僅能迅速補充熱量、防感冒，還能滋補肝腎、清瀉內火、保養肌膚。如黑芝麻具有補肝腎、潤五臟、益氣的作用；黑豆、黑米、黑棗、黑木耳等，也都具有很好的保健功能。
想健康，多喝湯
雞湯特別是老母雞湯有很好的補虛功效，它能緩解感冒症狀，改善人體的免疫機能，冬季養生多喝有助於提高人體免疫力。
魚有健脾開胃、止咳平喘等功能，將它和冬瓜、蔥白煮湯食用，可以減輕水腫。
勤運動，不懶惰
小雪過後，雖然氣溫更低，但積極鍛鍊也不要放鬆。慢跑、快步走、跳繩、跳迪斯科、打太極拳等，能讓全身各個部位活動起來，促進血液循環。
但也不可運動過度，大量的出汗會“發洩陽氣”，起到相反的作用。
The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Minor Snow (Chinese: 小雪), the 20th solar term of the year, begins this year on November 22 and ends on December 6.
It is the second solar term of winter, referring to the time when it starts to snow, mostly in China's northern areas, and the temperature continues to drop.
From this solar term onwards, people in South China will begin to feel the coming of winter. With the weather becoming increasingly cold, people wait expectantly for the first snow.
Folk customs during Minor Snow
Pickling vegetables
In Nanjing, it's customary to make pickle during the Minor Snow period, and then salted meat during Major Snow. During Minor Snow, every household will begin to make pickled and dried vegetables. In Hangzhou, people will start to make sauced duck and Chinese bacon.
Eating glutinous rice cakes
In many areas of Southern China, people eat glutinous rice cakes during Minor Snow. In these places, there's a saying:"十月朝，餈粑碌碌燒." In this saying, "碌(lu)" means that people use their chopsticks to pick up a glutinous rice cake and roll it like a wheel in a bowl full of sesame and peanut sugar, and "燒(shao)" indicates that the glutinous rice cakes are steaming hot.
Cooking meat dishes
During Minor Snow, people in many regions of China will kill pigs, while during Major Snow, they will kill sheep. No matter which household kills the animal, neighbors and friends will all come to help. After the animal has been slaughtered, the host will prepare dishes and hold a party, which symbolizes unity, harmony, peace and prosperity.
Ways to stay healthy during Minor Snow
Eating more porridge and soup
Eating more porridge and soup in winter is good for your health. For instance, wheat porridge can nourish the heart, while radish porridge can improve digestion and reduce phlegm that often arrives with the changing weather. Soups also help keep people healthy and can improve the immune system. For instance, fish soup is said to invigorate the spleen, stimulate appetite, and relieve coughs and colds.
Drinking more water
We already know that drinking more water is beneficial for metabolism. During the winter months, it is highly recommended to drink a cup of warm water on an empty stomach in the early morning. In this way, blood viscosity can be reduced, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases can be prevented. During Minor Snow, honey water, white radish water and pear water are excellent choices, as honey water can moisten dryness and helpdetoxify, white radish water can clear heat, while pear can moisten the lungs and relieve stubborn coughs.
Stay warm
From this solar term onwards, the northeast wind will blow more frequently. The weather is cold, but not yet too cold. Therefore, many people forget to put on their hats and scarves, which leaves them more likely to catch a cold. If one wants to keep healthy, they should change their clothes in accordance with the weather. We suggest you prepare several sets of winter clothes.
(Photos/Pixabay)
Source: People's Daily
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