Enjoy Chinese --- The Winter Solstice 冬至

The Winter Solstice冬至

The winter solstice is an important solar term in the lunar calendar in China,which is also a traditional festival.
冬至是中国二十四节气中重要的一个，也是一个传统的节日。

As early as 2,500 years ago, about the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), China had determined the point of Winter Solstice by observing movements of the sun with a sundial. It is the earliest of the 24 solar terms. The time will be on each December 21 or 22 according to the Gregorian calendar.
早在2500年以前的春秋时期，中国已经用土圭观察太阳的轨迹测定出了冬至。它是二十四节气中最早制订出的一个，时间在每年的公历12月21或22日。

The Northern hemisphere on this day experiences the shortest daytime and longest nighttime. After the Winter Solstice, days will become longer and longer. As ancient Chinese thought, the yang, or muscular, positive things will become stronger and stronger after this day, so it should be celebrated.
在冬至这一天，北半球将经历一年中最短的白天和最长的黑夜。冬至过后，白天将变得越来越长。中国古代的人认为“阴极之至，阳气始生”，这一天应该庆祝。

The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279).
把冬至作为一个节日始于汉代，盛行于唐宋时期。

The Han people regarded Winter Solstice as a "Winter Festival", so officials would organize celebrating activities. On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest. The army was stationed in, frontier fortresses closed and business and traveling stopped. Relatives and friends presented to each other delicious food.
汉人把冬至称为“冬节”，为此官府会举行庆祝活动。在这一天，官府和百姓都会放假。军队待命，边塞闭关，商旅停业，亲朋好友以美食相赠。

In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer scarifies to Heaven and ancestors. Emperors would go to suburbs to worship the Heaven; while common people offered sacrifices to their deceased parents or other relatives.
唐宋时期，冬至被作为祭天祭祖的日子。皇帝在这天要到郊外举行祭天大典，百姓则要向父母尊长祭拜。

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) even had the record that "Winter Solstice is as formal as the Spring Festival," showing the great importance attached to this day.
到清朝，冬至甚至被作为和春节一样正式的节日，可见对这个节日的重视。

In some parts of Northern China, people eat dumpling soup on this day; while residents of some other places eat dumplings, saying doing so will keep them from frost in the upcoming winter.
在中国北方的一些地方，人们会在冬至会吃馄饨，其它地方的人则会吃饺子，他们认为这么做可以驱除冬天的寒冷。

In parts of Southern China, people eat tangyuan, a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of glutinous rice flour，while some other places families will get together to have a meal made of red-bean and glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and other evil things.
在中国南方的一些地方，人们会吃汤圆，这是一种糯米粉做的小圆团。也有一些地方各个家庭会团聚在一起吃赤豆糯米饭，寓意着驱除邪恶的东西。


Tonie
Qiaobang International Education