Winter Solstice, an important solar term in the Chinese calendar, marks the day with the shortest daylight and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. This day typically falls between December 21st and 23rd on the Gregorian calendar. For the year 2024, the Winter Solstice falls on December 21st.
In traditional Chinese culture, the Winter Solstice is accompanied by many customs that reflect people's respect for natural laws and the emphasis on family reunions. Regarding dietary traditions, there are different ways to celebrate between the South and North. People in Southern regions have the custom of eating tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls), symbolizing family unity and harmony; while in the North, it is popular to eat Jiaozi.
This tradition is said to commemorate the revered medical sage Zhang Zhongjing, who treated many people with frostbitten ears, with the shape of dumplings resembling ears. Additionally, in some areas, people perform ancestral worship on this day, praying for peace and prosperity in the coming year.
There is also the folk custom of "counting the nines," which begins from the Winter Solstice, with every nine days forming one unit, until after nine cycles of nine days—81 days in total—when spring arrives and flowers bloom. This tradition not only reflects the ancients' meticulous observation of seasonal changes but also represents the crystallization of their wisdom, used to guide agricultural production and daily life.
(By Yang Jiming/ Qi Qian)
