When is the winter solstice?

The winter solstice falls on December 21, 22 or 23 of the Gregorian calendar every year.

The winter solstice is the 22nd solar term among the "Twenty-Four Solar Terms". It is also known as the Southern Solstice, Winter Festival, Ya Sui, etc. It has both natural and humanistic connotations and is one of the twenty-four solar terms. It is an important solar term and is also a traditional ancestor worship festival among Chinese people. The winter solstice is one of the four seasons and eight festivals, and is regarded as a major festival in winter. There is a saying among ancient people that "the winter solstice is as big as the new year".

With the beginning of the winter solstice, our country has entered nine cold days, and the power of winter has further emerged. At this time, the winter front will reach the northern and eastern parts of Yunnan and the northern part of South China, and the winter territory will be the largest in the whole year. Cold air is active and frequently affects our country.

The north is often accompanied by biting cold winds. Northeast China, northern Xinjiang, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and other places need to be alert to the impact of strong winds and snow. The humidity and cold in the south are getting worse, and many places in the south of the Yangtze River, including Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and other places, will receive the first snow at this time. During the intermittent period of cold air, places such as North China, the Huanghuai River, and the Sichuan Basin need to guard against haze.

The traditional customs of the Winter Solstice are as follows:

1. Brewing rice wine

Traditional Gusu people drink winter wine on the night of the winter solstice. Winter wine is made with glutinous rice or rice wine. Yellow rice, brewed with osmanthus.

2. Eating glutinous rice balls

Eating glutinous rice balls is a traditional custom during the Winter Solstice, especially popular in Jiangnan. "Tangyuan" is an essential food during the Winter Solstice. "Yuan" means "reunion" and "completeness". Eating glutinous rice balls during the Winter Solstice is also called "Winter Solstice Yuan". There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls makes you one year older".

3. Eat roasted pork and ginger rice

In some places in the south, roasted pork is eaten on the winter solstice. On the winter solstice, the dried roasted pork becomes a must-have on the dining tables of Guangdong and Guangxi. An indispensable delicacy, it means adding vegetables to add years to the meal. On the winter solstice, Wuchuan people have a custom of "eating ginger rice" during the winter solstice.

4. Eating sweet potato soup

In Ningbo’s traditional customs, sweet potato soup is one of the must-eat delicacies during the winter solstice. "Fan" and "fan" have the same pronunciation. In the understanding of Ningbo people, eating sweet potatoes during the winter solstice means "turning over" all the bad luck of the past year. Tangguo is similar to gnocchi, but much smaller and has no filling inside. Tangguo is also called Yuanzi, which means "reunion" and "completeness".