Ancient texts offer no confirmation that tonic foods were taken on the first day of winter in antiquity, but in the illustrated compilation Ku-chin t'u-shu chi-ch'eng it is stated that on that day the emperor travelled north with his ministers to welcome the god of winter, after which he took a hot bath in water steeped in aromatic herbs, chry-santhemums and gold and silver flowers.
遍查古籍，其實並沒有立冬進補這回事，據古今圖書集成記載，古代立冬（即冬季第一天），天子要率領群臣去北方迎接冬神，回來後再以各色香草、菊花、金銀花浸在熱水中洗澡，並沒有大吃大喝。