Ito ay isang napakahalagang seasonal period, at ang pinakamahusay na panahon para sa nourishment. Ang "Start of Winter" ay maaaring iinterpretasyon bilang: "Start means beginning, winter means end, all things are stored." Ang Start of Winter ay nangangahulugan ng pagdating ng winter. Noong "Lüshi Chunqiu·Twelve Month Records," ang Start of Spring, Spring Equinox, Start of Summer, Summer Solstice, Start of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Start of Winter, Winter Solstice ay naitakda. Ito ang anim na pinakamahalagang seasonal periods sa 24, na eksaktong nagpapahiwatig ng proseso ng seasonal change.
Ang Start of Winter, bilang unang seasonal period ng winter, ay nagsisimula sa paligid ng November 8, kapag ang araw ay nasa 225 degrees ng solar longitude. Dahil sa geographic difference sa North and South China, ang tunay na winter ay hindi palaging nagsisimula sa "Start of Winter," kundi kapag ang temperature ay nasa abot ng 10 degrees nang tatlong araw. Ngunit sa tradisyonal na pananaw, "winter" ay nangangahulugan ng "end," o "termination." Ayon sa Traditional Chinese Medicine, ang pagdating ng seasonal period na ito ay nangangahulugan ng yang yang isinilid, yin ay naging dominant, ang mga puno ay namamatay, ang mga insekto ay naghahanda para sa hibernation, at ang lahat ng buhay ay nagbabago patungo sa paghinto, upang maghanda para sa spring growth.
Ang tao ay hindi may hibernation, ngunit ang tradisyonal na kultura ay may "Winter Nourishment" na gawi. Bawat taon, ang mga tao sa Hilagang at Timog China ay nagluluto ng mga exotic dishes upang mapanatili ang kanilang kalusugan sa gitna ng malamig na panahon. Paano natin dapat mag-ingat sa panahong ito? Ito ang ating pangunahing paksa.
Ang pinakamahalagang aklat sa medisina sa China, ang "Huangdi Neijing·Suwen·Four Seasons Regulation of Spirit," ay nagsabi: "In winter, three months, this is called closure and storage. The water freezes, the ground cracks. Do not disturb yang. Go to bed early, rise late, wait for sunlight. Let your mind be hidden, secretive, as if you have something private, as if you have gained something. Keep warm, avoid exposure to cold, do not let yang escape. This is the response to winter energy, the way to nourish and store. To violate this will harm the kidney, and in spring cause paralysis and weakness, and reduce the ability to grow." Ang mga salitang ito ay nagpapahalaga sa spiritual, lifestyle, at dietary regulation, at nagpapahalaga sa principle ng winter health based on natural changes. Ito ay nagpapahiwatig na ang winter ay isang panahon ng cold weather, dead trees, and dormant life, kung saan ang yang ng katawan ay sumasakop sa loob. Kaya ang winter health should follow the natural law of closure and storage, with the fundamental goal of conserving yin and protecting yang. Sa spiritual regulation, dapat "let your mind be hidden, secretive, as if you have something private, as if you have gained something"—aim for calmness, control emotional activity, maintain mental peace, keep emotions hidden, avoid disturbance, so that yang can be properly stored.
At home, ito ay nagpapahalaga sa "do not disturb yang, go to bed early, rise late, wait for sunlight." Ibig sabihin, sa malamig na winter, huwag gawin ang mga bagay na magdudulot ng yang disturbance, dahil ito ay maaaring magdulot ng disruption sa physiological process ng yang-yin transformation. Parang "in winter, the world closes, blood and qi are stored, and people should not exert themselves or sweat, to avoid releasing yang." Kaya't ang tamang pagtulog at paggising ay mahalaga, at dapat magbigay ng sapat na tulog upang mapanatili ang yang, at mapalakas ang yin. Kung masyadong mababa ang damit o masyadong mababa ang temperature sa loob, madalas ang pagkakaroon ng cold; kung masyadong mababa ang damit o masyadong mataas ang temperature, ang pores ay bukas, ang yang ay hindi nakakatago, at ang cold pathogen ay madaling makapasok. Ang Traditional Chinese Medicine ay nagsasabi: "Cold is a yin pathogen, often damages yang." Ang yang ng katawan ay parang araw sa langit, nagbibigay ng liwanag at init sa kalikasan. Kung wala ito, ang lahat ay hindi maaaring umiral. Kung wala ang yang sa katawan, ang metabolic activity ay nawawala. Kaya't ang lifestyle sa Start of Winter ay dapat "store" at "protect."
Ang dietary regulation ay dapat sumunod sa "nourish yin in autumn and winter," "do not disturb yang," "nourish those who are deficient, warm those who are cold." Ayon sa seasonal changes, ang "Yinshan Zhengyao" ni Hu Si Hui noong Yuan Dynasty ay nagsabi: "...In winter, the climate is cold, so eat millet to counteract the cold." Ibig sabihin, iwasan ang masyadong malamig na pagkain, pero huwag masyadong mainom, at kumain ng mga pagkain na may mataas na heat at yin-nourishing properties. Dapat din kumain ng maraming bagong gulay upang maiwasan ang vitamin deficiency, tulad ng beef, lamb, goose, crucian carp, maraming soy milk at milk, at maraming radish, green vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms. Dapat tandaan na ang Pilipinas ay malawak na bansa, may iba't ibang geography at lifestyle. Ang climate sa Northwest at Southeast ay magkaiba. Sa Northwest, ang winter ay malamig, kaya ang nourishment ay dapat maging mainom at malakas, tulad ng beef, lamb, dog meat, atbp. Sa South of the Yangtze River, kahit na nasa winter na, ang temperature ay mas mainom kaysa sa Northwest, kaya ang nourishment ay dapat maging cool and mild, tulad ng chicken, duck, fish. Sa mga lugar na mataas at malamig, may mababa ang rainfall at dry climate, kaya dapat kumain ng sweet and moist foods tulad ng fruits, rock sugar, atbp. Bukod dito, dapat ayon sa indibidwal na pangangailangan, dahil ang pagkain ay may mga klase: grains, meat, fruits, vegetables, at ang tao ay may iba't ibang edad at gender. Ang body constitution ay may iba't ibang tipo: deficiency, excess, cold, heat. Ayon sa principles ng Chinese medicine, ang youth focuses on nurturing, middle age on adjustment, old age on protection, and elderly on prolonging life. Kaya ang "winter nourishment" ay dapat personalized, at dapat piliin ang right type of nourishment: light, moderate, strong, etc. Huwag mag-apply ng nourishment nang walang pag-iisip.
Para sa mesa, inilalaan ko ang mga simple at effective na recipes na angkop sa lahat ng edad at gender:
Black Sesame Porridge (Bencao Gangmu):
[Ingredients] 25 grams of black sesame, 50 grams of rice.
[Method] Roast and grind the black sesame into powder. Wash the rice, boil together with black sesame, bring to boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until porridge forms.
[Benefits] Nourishes liver and kidney, nourishes the five organs.
Note: More suitable for elderly or weak individuals, and helps prevent premature aging.
Cordyceps Steamed Duck (Bencao Gangmu Shiyi):
[Ingredients] 5 pieces of Cordyceps, 1 mature male duck, wine, ginger, scallions, salt, and water.
[Method] Remove feathers and internal organs, wash well. Boil in water until foam appears, remove. Cut the duck head along the neck, insert Cordyceps, tie with string. Place in a large bowl with wine, ginger, scallions, salt, and water. Steam over water for about 2 hours until duck is cooked. (Can also use steam pot.)
[Benefits] Nourishes deficiency, strengthens essence, nourishes yin, enhances yang.
This recipe uses Cordyceps to boost yang and enrich essence; the duck supplements yin and nourishes deficiency. One leans toward yang, the other toward yin. Together, they form a powerful tonic for nourishing deficiency and enhancing yang.
Note: Not recommended for those with external pathogens still unresolved.
Tomato Rock Sugar Lotus Root:
[Ingredients] 2 tomatoes, 1 piece of lotus root, rock sugar as needed.
[Method] Peel tomatoes, blanch lotus root in boiling water for 3–5 minutes. Place both in a dish and sprinkle with rock sugar.
[Benefits] Strengthens spleen, stimulates appetite, generates essence, quenches thirst.
On the day of Start of Winter, hope these three dishes bring joy to your family life, and inspire more people to strengthen their health awareness. Remind everyone to prepare early for flu prevention. Here’s a popular folk "Immortal Porridge" song—easy to learn, remember, and apply: "One handful of rice boiled into soup, seven scallions, seven slices of ginger, stir in half a cup of vinegar, and you’ll stay healthy even with a cold."
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