The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms.Winter Solstice，the 22nd solar term of the year，begins this year on Dec 22 and ends on Jan 5.

On the first day of Winter Solstice，the Northern Hemisphere experiences the shortest day and the longest night in the year，as the sun shines directly at the Tropic of Capricorn.From then on，the days become longer and the nights become shorter.The Winter Solstice also marks the arrival of the coldest season in the year.

Here are nine things you should know about Winter Solstice.

The Winter Solstice Festival

There was a saying in ancient China，“The Winter Solstice is as significant as the Spring Festival.”

As early as the Zhou Dynasty（c.11th century—256 BC），people worshipped the gods on the first day of the Winter Solstice，which also was the first day of the new year.The Winter Solstice became a winter festival during the Han Dynasty（206 BC—AD 220）.The celebratory activities were officially organized. On this day，both officials and common people

中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)歷法把一年分為24個(gè)節(jié)氣。冬至是第22個(gè)。今年的冬至從12月22日開始，1月5日結(jié)束。

冬至節(jié)氣的第一天，由于太陽直射南回歸線，北半球白晝最短，黑夜最長(zhǎng)。冬至過后，白晝變長(zhǎng)，黑夜變短。冬至也意味著一年最冷的時(shí)節(jié)來臨。

一起來了解一下關(guān)于冬至的9個(gè)小常識(shí)。

冬至大如年

中國(guó)有句古話叫：“冬至大如年?！?/p>

早在周朝時(shí)期（公元前約11世紀(jì)——公元前256年），人們就在冬至這天祭拜神靈，冬至還是新年的第一天。冬至在漢朝（公元前206年——公元220年）成為一個(gè)冬季節(jié)日，在這天會(huì)舉行正式的慶?；顒?dòng)，官員和百姓均可休息。

would have a rest.

During subsequent dynasties，such as the Tang（618—907），Song（960—1279）and Qing dynasties（1644—1911），the Winter Solstice was a day to offer sacrifices to Heaven and to ancestors.

Eating nuts

When midwinter arrives，vital movement begins to decline and calm down.In this period，eating an appropriate amount of nuts，such as peanuts，walnuts，chestnuts，hazelnuts and almonds，is good for one’s body.Traditional Chinese medical science teaches that the quality of a nut is tepidity and most nuts have the function of nourishing the kidneys and strengthening the brain and heart.

Eating dumplings

During Winter Solstice in North China，eating dumplings is essential to the festival.There is a saying that goes“Have dumplings on the first day of Winter Solstice and noodles on the first day of Summer Solstice.”

Eating wontons

People in Suzhou，Jiangsu province，are accustomed to eating wontons in midwinter.According to legend，during the midwinter feast 2，500 years ago，the King of Wu（one of the states during the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period）was disgusted with all kinds of costly foods and wanted to eat something different.Then，the beauty Xishi came into the kitchen to make“wontons”to honor the king’s wish.He ate a lot and liked the food very much.To commemorate Xishi，the people of Suzhou made wontons the official food to celebrate the festival.

在后來的朝代，比如唐朝（公元618年——907年）、宋朝（公元960年——1279年）和清朝（公元1644年——1911年），冬至成為祭天祭祖的節(jié)日。

吃堅(jiān)果

當(dāng)冬至來臨，生命活動(dòng)會(huì)開始減少并平寂下來。這時(shí)候吃適量的堅(jiān)果，比如花生、核桃、栗子、榛子、杏仁，對(duì)人的身體很有好處。中醫(yī)傳統(tǒng)理論認(rèn)為，堅(jiān)果性溫，大部分堅(jiān)果都有滋養(yǎng)腎臟、強(qiáng)腦強(qiáng)心的功效。

吃餃子

在北方，冬至一定要吃餃子。俗語有云“冬至餃子夏至面”。

吃餛飩

蘇州人有在冬至這天吃餛飩的習(xí)俗。據(jù)傳，在2500年前的冬至宴席上，吳王（吳國(guó)是西周和春秋時(shí)期的一個(gè)國(guó)家）厭倦了各種名貴的食物，想要吃一些特別的東西。美女西施下廚給他做了一碗“餛飩”，滿足了他的愿望。吳王吃了很多，他非常喜歡這種食物。為了紀(jì)念西施，蘇州人把餛飩作為慶祝冬至節(jié)的官方食物。

Eating tangyuan

In places such as Shanghai，people eat tangyuan，a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of glutinous rice flour，to celebrate Winter Solstice.

Eating mutton and vermicelli soup

In Yinchuan，Ningxia Hui autonomous region，peoplecallmidwinterthe“GhostFestival”.On that day，it is customary for people there to drink mutton and vermicelli soup and eat the dumplings in the soup.They give the midwinter soup a strange name—“brain”—and share it with their neighbors.

Eating rice cakes

During the Winter Solstice，Hangzhou residents traditionally eat rice cakes.In the past，before the approach of the Winter Solstice，every household would make the cakes to worship their ancestors or use as gifts for relatives and friends.Today，though fewer families eat homemade cakes，people there still buy rice cakes for the Winter Solstice Festival.

Offering nine-layer cakes to ancestors

Taiwan residents keep the custom of offering nine-layer cakes to their ancestors.People with the same surname or family clan gather at their ancestral temples to worship their ancestors in order of their ages.After the sacrificial ceremony，there is always a grand banquet.

Eating red-bean and glutinous rice

In some regions south of the Yangtze River on the first day of Winter Solstice，the whole family gets together to have a meal made of red bean and glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and other evil things.

吃湯圓

上海等地的人們吃湯圓來慶祝冬至的到來。湯圓是用糯米粉制成的一種有餡兒的小團(tuán)子。

吃羊肉粉絲湯

在寧夏銀川，人們將冬至稱為“鬼節(jié)”。在這一天，人們習(xí)慣吃羊肉粉絲湯和湯餃。他們給冬至的湯起了一個(gè)奇怪的名字叫“頭腦”，而且還會(huì)和鄰居們一起分享。

吃年糕

杭州人有冬至吃年糕的傳統(tǒng)。過去，每逢冬至，家家戶戶都會(huì)做年糕來祭祖或饋贈(zèng)親友?，F(xiàn)在吃自制年糕的家庭沒那么多了，但杭州人仍然會(huì)在冬至買年糕吃。

用九層糕祭祖

臺(tái)灣人保留了用九層糕祭祖的習(xí)俗。同宗同族的人們齊聚在先祖祠堂，按年齡順序祭拜祖先。祭拜儀式結(jié)束后，往往會(huì)舉行盛大的宴會(huì)。

吃紅豆糯米飯

在長(zhǎng)江以南的部分地區(qū)，人們會(huì)在冬至這天全家聚在一起享用一頓紅豆糯米飯，目的是驅(qū)趕鬼魂和其他邪物。