Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - The 24 Solar Terms - What does the winter solstice solar term mean?

What does the winter solstice solar term mean?

To put it simply, the sun will no longer move to the tropic of Capricorn, but will start to move northward from winter to the future, and the days will become shorter and shorter.

The winter solstice is also called "off-year". First of all, it shows that the year is coming, and when the winter solstice comes, the New Year is just around the corner, so the ancients thought that the winter solstice was as important as the New Year.

The second is to show the importance of the winter solstice. The solstice in winter has both natural and humanistic connotations. It is not only a natural solar term, but also a traditional festival to worship ancestors.

Many places in southern China will celebrate the winter solstice. Some coastal areas in the south continue the traditional custom of ancestor worship. Every household is dedicated to ancestor statues, memorial tablets, etc. Go to the hall at home, place an altar, set up incense burners, offerings, etc.

In some places, while offering sacrifices to ancestors, they also offer sacrifices to gods, land gods and deities, so as to make the next year's weather favorable and the family prosperous.

After thousands of years of cultural development, the winter solstice has formed a unique culture. Wonton, jiaozi, glutinous rice balls and so on are all holiday foods on this day.