Beginning of Winter · FFET10321
Winter tonic eating at Lidong (bu dong)
Around Lidong, people in southern Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan stew chicken, duck, beef or mutton as a tonic, often with the four-herb mix
Winter begins: things are stored away as water and ground freeze
Southern Fujian treats Lidong as the start of winter. People eat chicken, duck, beef, mutton or fish, often stewed with the four-herb mix; in the past, with meat scarce, it was a festive meal for the living (2009 record). People in Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan eat high-calorie foods at Lidong (2024 record). Taiwan's tonic dishes include ginger duck, lamb hot pot and sesame-oil chicken (2023 record). These records come from popular media, and no dated old text recording the custom was found.
What
Winter tonic eating at Lidong means eating chicken, duck, beef, mutton or fish, often stewed with the four-herb mix. In Taiwan, dishes also include ginger duck, lamb hot pot and sesame-oil chicken, and soups made with herbal mixes such as the eight-treasure and ten-complete blends.1,2,3
When
Lidong falls on November 6 to 8 each year, while southern China and Taiwan feel winter around December. The Song-era Dongjing Meng Hua Lu, volume 9, records warming-stove gatherings among ordinary people on the 1st of the tenth month. These were different early-winter gatherings, not the later tonic meal, and cannot establish the custom's beginning.4,5
Where
Minnan (southern Fujian) has the tonic-eating custom (2009 record). People in Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan eat high-calorie foods at Lidong (2024 record), and Taiwan has various tonic dishes (2023 record).1,2,3
How
Chicken, duck, beef, mutton or fish is stewed, commonly with the four-herb mix of angelica, ligusticum, peony root and rehmannia. Taiwan also has herbal soups made with the eight-treasure and ten-complete blends. Friends used to ask each other what they were preparing for the tonic meal.1,3
Why
In the past, with meat scarce, the tonic meal was a festive meal for the living (2009 record).1
Impact and influence
In the past, with meat scarce, the tonic meal was a festive meal for the living, not an offering. Taiwan's tonic dishes include ginger duck, lamb hot pot and sesame-oil chicken.1,3
No tale about this food has been found.