Eating dumplings is a traditional custom from winter solstice, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. Shanghai belongs to the south. It eats jiaozi on the solstice in winter. In the past, Shanghainese were most particular about eating glutinous rice balls. They tasted the newly brewed sweet white wine, flower cakes and glutinous rice balls at the family banquet, and then sacrificed their ancestors with meat pieces. "Tangyuan" is an essential food in the winter solstice and a round dessert made of glutinous rice flour. "Round" means "reunion" and "perfection", and eating glutinous rice balls on the winter solstice is also called "winter solstice group". There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls is one year older".

The Winter Solstice Troupe can be used for ancestor worship or as a gift to relatives and friends. In the past, Shanghainese were most particular about eating jiaozi. An ancient poem said, "Every family beats rice to make glutinous rice balls, knowing that it is the winter solstice of the Ming Dynasty." "Circle" means "reunion" and "perfection". Eating jiaozi on the solstice in winter symbolizes family harmony and good luck.

Meteorological changes in winter solstice;

From winter to the future, although the solar altitude angle gradually increases, it is a slow recovery process, and the heat lost every day is still greater than the heat received, showing a situation of "making ends meet". On the day of "March 9 and April 9", the accumulated heat is the least, the temperature is the lowest, and the weather is getting colder and colder. China has a vast territory, and the climate and landforms vary greatly from place to place.

Although the days from winter solstice are short, the temperature from winter solstice is not the lowest; It won't be very cold before the winter solstice, because there is still accumulated heat on the surface. The real cold winter is after the winter solstice. Due to the disparity of climate in different parts of China, this astronomical climate feature is obviously late for most parts of China. After the winter solstice, the climate in all parts of China will enter a coldest stage, which is often called "ninth year cold" and "ninth year cold".