What is the winter solstice holiday?

The Winter Solstice is one of the major traditional Chinese festivals, which falls on the 22nd or 23rd day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar every year, marking the official start of winter. The festival of winter solstice has a long history and rich cultural connotation in China.

First of all, the winter solstice is regarded as an important festival in traditional Chinese culture, marking the day when the direct sunlight reaches its southernmost point in the year, the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. On this day, the day is the shortest and the night is the longest in the northern hemisphere, so the winter solstice is also known as the festival of "long days". It is believed that the winter solstice is the day when yang energy reaches its lowest point and yin energy reaches its highest point, thus ushering in the beginning of a new year.

Secondly, the winter solstice also plays an important role in traditional Chinese food culture. On the winter solstice, people usually eat a special kind of food - soup dumplings. Soup dumplings are round foods made of glutinous rice flour, symbolizing reunion and wholeness. In China, it has become a custom to eat soup dumplings on the winter solstice, and it is believed that eating them can bring good luck and happiness.

In addition, the winter solstice is also associated with health care. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the winter solstice is the time when the human body's yang energy is the weakest, so special attention should be paid to taking care of the body on this day. People will choose warming foods, such as sugar snaps and ginger soup, to strengthen their bodies and prevent the effects of cold weather on their bodies.

Finally, the Winter Solstice is also an important family reunion festival. Chinese people emphasize family bonds and affection, and on the Winter Solstice, families will get together, ***eat dinner, and ***celebrate this special day together. This is not only a traditional custom, but also a way to express the deep emotions between family members.

In short, winter solstice is an important festival in traditional Chinese culture, which marks the official beginning of winter and has rich cultural connotations. Whether in terms of dietary practices, health care or family reunions, the Winter Solstice carries people's aspirations and blessings for a better life.