Like!中国节---冬至

The 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar have been around for, well about 2500 years, give or take. But do you know which solar term was the first? Bonus points for those of you who know it's Winter Solstice, 冬至。

It’s an important one too, as it was once a traditional holiday. People still celebrate it in many parts of the country. 

Winter Solstice marks when the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. After that, the sun rises earlier and sets later each day until Summer Solstice.

It’s also a time for Chinese families to get together. There was a saying that "Winter Solstice holiday is greater than the Spring Festival"，冬至大如年。

Dumplings 饺子are essential and the most popular food, especially in northern regions of China. In the south, glutinous rice balls 汤圆that symbolize family reunions are gobbled up in abundance. In Tengzhou, Shandong Province people eat mutton soup. In Suzhou, Jiangsu Province people drink rice wine fermented with osmanthus flowers, while in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province the locals prefer poached eggs with longan.

According to TCM, Winter Solstice is a good time to eat nutritious food.Many types of food are good for you during this period such as 莲子lotus seeds, 芡实gorgon fruit, 赤豆red beans and 大枣Chinese dates. And with all that in mind, I hope you’re not afraid of the dark!

冬至到，寒意浓。天岁寒，心转暖。愿冬至温暖！