The significance of winter solstice
In ancient times, people regarded the solstice of winter as a big festival, so this day was also called "Winter Festival", "Dragon Festival" and "Next Year". During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a winter solstice. In the Zhou Dynasty, solar terms became a festival and many sacrificial activities were held. The custom of offering sacrifices continued until the Qing Dynasty. Because there was a special festival of offering sacrifices, it was no longer offered in the winter solstice.
People only eat traditional food on the solstice in winter to celebrate reunion. In the eyes of the ancients, the solstice of winter can't go far, because it symbolizes the end of winter and the year, and a family must have a reunion dinner with Americans. Then it will snow, the river will be full of ice, and it will be very cold.
The origin of solar terms
"In October in beginning of winter, the earth was frozen by light snow, rivers were crossed by heavy snow, ships could not go to the winter solstice, the slight cold weather was cold, the great cold was in the New Year, and the 24 solar terms were exactly one year." This solar term song embodies the wisdom of ancient people in China, and I can sing it when I was very young. The winter solstice is also called the winter festival. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, five days are the first class, three days are one day or one breath, and a year is divided into twelve days and twelve gases, which are collectively called twenty-four solar terms.
The influence of festivals on life
Winter solstice is one of the 24 solar terms. Because the winter solstice is not fixed on a certain day, it is called a "living festival" like Qingming. The winter solstice usually falls on the Gregorian calendar1February 22nd or 23rd. On the solstice of winter, for us in the northern hemisphere, the sun is directly on the tropic of Capricorn (also known as the winter solstice daily line), which makes us in winter, thus making the days shortest and the nights longest in the northern hemisphere. After the winter solstice, the sun slowly shifts to the Tropic of Cancer, winter approaches spring, and the days in the northern hemisphere get longer and the nights get shorter. Therefore, in ancient times, there was a saying that "the winter solstice is the setting sun", which means that the spirit of the sun slowly picks up from the winter solstice. Ancient people also predicted the next weather according to the weather conditions from winter solstice to Sunday.