What is winter like on solstice?

According to the traditional calendar of China, a year is divided into 24 solar terms, and the winter solstice is one of the 24 solar terms. It is not only a very important solar term in the China lunar calendar, but also a traditional festival of the Chinese nation. It originated in the Spring and Autumn Period and is the earliest of the 24 solar terms, commonly known as "Winter Festival", "Long Festival" and "Sub-Year".

The winter solstice is in the middle of November of the lunar calendar, that is, Gregorian calendar 65438+February 22 or 23. On the solstice of winter, the direct sunlight on the ground reaches the southernmost point of the year, that is, the sun is directly on the tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is most inclined to the northern hemisphere. Therefore, the winter solstice is also the year with the shortest day and the longest night in the northern hemisphere all year round. After the winter solstice, the direct point of the sun slowly moves northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually lengthen and the nights gradually shorten.

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In ancient China, people attached great importance to the winter solstice and thought it was a grand festival. People regard the winter solstice as the starting point of solar terms. After the winter solstice, the new year is coming, so the solemnity of the ancient winter solstice festival is no less than that of the New Year. There is a saying that the winter solstice is as big as a year, that is to say, the custom of winter solstice is almost the same as the New Year holiday.

"Han Shu" said: "The sun shines on the winter solstice, and you are long, so congratulations." People think that after the winter solstice, the days become longer and longer and the sun rises. This is the beginning of a solar cycle and an auspicious day, which should be celebrated. The Book of Jin records: "On the winter solstice of Wei and Jin Dynasties, people from all over the world celebrated ... its appearance was not as good as that of Zheng Dan." Explain the ancient emphasis on the winter solstice.

Celebrations have been held since the Han Dynasty. At the peak, the court is closed for three days, and you don't listen to politics. The folk closed for three days, as lively as the Chinese New Year.

People's Network-Twenty-four solar terms | Winter solstice