What is the significance of the Winter Solstice? Why is the date of the Winter Solstice not fixed? Why do we eat glutinous rice balls, dumplings, and wontons during the Winter Solstice? What are the taboos of the Winter Solstice? What items symbolize the Winter Solstice? What are the customs or ways of celebrating the Winter Solstice in different regions?

Significance of the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice refers to the day with the shortest daylight and the longest night of the year, usually occurring on December 21 or 22. On this day, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Capricorn, and the daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere reach their lowest point.

Significance	Explanation
Turning Point of Solar Terms	The Winter Solstice marks a key moment of the transformation of yin and yang, from this day on, the days will gradually become longer, symbolizing the rise of yang energy and the arrival of spring.
Cultural Importance	In Chinese culture, the Winter Solstice is regarded as an important festival, and ancient people believed that this day marked the beginning of the new year, thus celebrations would be held.
Family Reunion	The Winter Solstice is a time for family reunion, where people leave work early to return home for a sumptuous dinner, symbolizing harmony and reunion within the family.
Dietary Customs	In northern regions, people typically eat dumplings, while in southern regions, they often eat glutinous rice balls, which symbolize reunion and auspiciousness.

The Winter Solstice is not only an astronomical phenomenon but also a festival with profound significance in Chinese culture, reflecting the harmony between nature and humanity.

Why is the date of the Winter Solstice not fixed?

Winter Solstice

By Image by Przemyslaw “Blueshade” Idzkiewicz - Following third-party images were used to create this image: “Earth’s City Lights” [1], and “The Blue Marble: Land Surface, Ocean Color and Sea Ice” [2]. These images come from an archive of the American government agency NASA and, as such, they constitute “public domain” content. Illumination maps were created using “Home Planet” [3] by John Walker., CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113521

The date of the Winter Solstice is not fixed mainly because it is determined by the position of the sun and the orbit of the Earth, resulting in variations in the date of the Winter Solstice each year.

Reason	Explanation
Based on Solar Movement	The Winter Solstice is one of the twenty-four solar terms, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. The determination of this day is based on the length of the sun’s shadow at noon, with the day having the longest shadow being the Winter Solstice.
Influence of Earth’s Orbit	The Earth’s orbit around the sun is elliptical, and the tilt of the Earth’s axis causes the specific date of the Winter Solstice to vary by 1 to 2 days each year. Typically, the Winter Solstice falls between December 21 and 23 in the Gregorian calendar.
Differences between Lunar and Solar Calendars	The date of the Winter Solstice in the lunar calendar is also not fixed because the lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon, while the Winter Solstice is based on the position of the sun, so the lunar Winter Solstice may occur in early or late November.

What are the customs of the Winter Solstice?

Custom	Explanation
Eating Glutinous Rice Balls	Glutinous rice balls symbolize reunion and completeness, usually eaten on the Winter Solstice, representing family harmony and a fulfilling life. The shape of glutinous rice balls also signifies the welcoming of yang energy’s rise, symbolizing the beginning of the new year.
Eating Dumplings	In northern China, families eat dumplings during the Winter Solstice because their shape resembles gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. This custom is said to originate from the story of the famous physician Zhang Zhongjing, who used dumplings to treat frostbite, thus becoming a traditional food for the Winter Solstice.
Eating Wontons	Eating wontons during the Winter Solstice has the meaning of the alternation of yin and yang, symbolizing the interaction of heaven and earth. This food is believed to bring about the transformation of wisdom and luck.
Nourishing the Body	The Winter Solstice is regarded as a good time for nourishment, and people choose high-calorie foods, such as sesame oil chicken and lamb hot pot, to enhance strength and resist the cold.
Ancestor Worship and Offerings	The Winter Solstice is an important time for worship, and many families prepare offerings, such as glutinous rice balls and fruits, to worship ancestors and deities on the altar, thanking for the blessings of the past year and praying for peace in the coming year.
Keeping Winter	In some regions, people “keep winter” on the Winter Solstice, similar to staying up on New Year’s Eve, symbolizing the addition of years for descendants and longevity for elders.
Wearing New Clothes	In some places, people wear new clothes on the Winter Solstice to symbolize a new beginning and blessings.

What are the taboos of the Winter Solstice?

Taboo	Explanation
Eating Glutinous Rice Balls in Even Numbers	The number of glutinous rice balls must be even, as odd numbers represent loneliness, while even numbers symbolize happiness and completeness.
Avoiding Going Out at Night	The Winter Solstice night is long and has heavy yin energy, it is advised not to go out after 9 PM to avoid misfortune.
Avoiding Staying Up Late	Staying up late can lead to weakened yang energy and excessive yin energy, affecting the fortune of the coming year.
Avoiding Sexual Activity	Due to the heavy yin energy during the Winter Solstice, excessive labor may lead to the leakage of yang energy, making one prone to illness.
Avoiding Quarreling and Anger	It is advised to avoid quarreling on the Winter Solstice to prevent affecting family harmony and the transformation of energy.
Daughters Who Have Married Should Not Return to Their Parental Home	If a daughter returns to her parental home on this day, she may fall ill due to the long journey, affecting family health.
Avoiding Marriage	Traditionally, it is believed that weddings should not be held on the Winter Solstice or other solar term change days to avoid affecting future fortune.

What items symbolize the Winter Solstice?

Item	Simple Explanation
Glutinous Rice Balls	Glutinous rice balls are round sweet treats that symbolize family reunion and happiness, usually eaten on the Winter Solstice.
Dumplings	Dumplings resemble gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity; northern people eat dumplings during the Winter Solstice to pray for wealth in the coming year.
Wontons	Eating wontons during the Winter Solstice represents the alternation of yin and yang, symbolizing the transformation of fortune and helping to increase wisdom.
Pork Trotter Noodles	Eating pork trotter noodles not only removes bad luck but also symbolizes longevity, showing respect to parents.
Sesame Oil Chicken	A nourishing soup suitable for replenishing energy during the Winter Solstice, helping to ward off the cold and replenish vitality.
Lamb Hot Pot	Eaten during the Winter Solstice to increase body heat and resist the cold, it is also a good choice for nourishment.
Ginger Duck Soup	This dish helps to ward off the cold and keep warm, suitable for winter consumption.
Black Foods	Such as black sesame and black beans, believed to help replenish nutrition and enhance immunity, suitable for consumption during the Winter Solstice.

What is the relationship between Glutinous Rice Balls and the Winter Solstice?

Glutinous Rice Balls

Photo by zheng juan on Unsplash

Item	Content
Touching Legend	There is a story about a father and daughter separated; the father, on the Winter Solstice, divided the glutinous rice balls in half and told his daughter that even if they are cut apart, there will be a day of reunion. The daughter hangs glutinous rice balls every Winter Solstice, hoping to reunite with her father.
Origin of Eating Glutinous Rice Balls to Gain a Year	In ancient times, it was believed that the Winter Solstice was the beginning of the year, and eating glutinous rice balls symbolized aging, which gradually evolved into the saying “eating glutinous rice balls to gain a year.”
Significance of Red and White Glutinous Rice Balls	Winter Solstice glutinous rice balls are usually divided into red and white colors, symbolizing the balance of yin and yang. Eating both colors of glutinous rice balls represents consuming “the balance of yin and yang,” leading to better fortune.
Auspicious Meaning of Eating in Even Numbers	Glutinous rice balls are usually eaten in even numbers, with even numbers representing pairs, happiness, and completeness, while odd numbers are seen as loneliness.

What is the relationship between Dumplings and the Winter Solstice?

Dumplings

Photo by Abhishek Sanwa Limbu on Unsplash

Item	Content
Legend of Zhang Zhongjing	It is said that during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the medical saint Zhang Zhongjing created dumplings to help people suffering from the cold during the Winter Solstice. He made the filling with lamb and medicinal herbs, wrapped it in dough, and distributed it to the people, treating many frostbitten ears. This filling was called “Ear-Soothing Soup,” and later people referred to it as “dumplings” to commemorate Zhang Zhongjing’s benevolence.
Custom of “An Ear”	In the north, there is a saying, “If you don’t hold a bowl of dumplings on the Winter Solstice, no one will care if your ears freeze off,” emphasizing the tradition of eating dumplings on the Winter Solstice and reminding people to keep warm, especially in the cold winter.
Symbolizing Wealth and Happiness	The shape of dumplings resembles gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Eating dumplings is believed to bring good luck and wealth, so many families prepare dumplings on the Winter Solstice to pray for prosperity in the coming year.
Nourishment and Health	The Winter Solstice is a good time for nourishment; dumplings contain meat and vegetables, providing sufficient nutrition and helping to enhance the body’s resistance, suitable for consumption in the cold winter.

The custom of eating dumplings during the Winter Solstice not only commemorates Zhang Zhongjing’s benevolence but also carries beautiful meanings of wealth, happiness, and family reunion. On this day, people express their hopes and blessings for future life through enjoying dumplings.

What is the relationship between Wontons and the Winter Solstice?

Wontons

By Sumit Surai - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56050158

Item	Content
Connection of Name and Chaos	The name of wontons sounds like “chaos," which in ancient times represented a state where heaven and earth were not yet separated. It is said that eating wontons during the Winter Solstice is to commemorate the birth of Pangu from chaos, symbolizing rebirth and new life. This also reflects the importance of the Winter Solstice as a key moment of yin and yang transformation in the year.
Meaning of Breaking Yin and Welcoming Yang	Eating wontons is believed to have the meaning of breaking yin energy and welcoming sunlight, symbolizing the beginning of a new year and hope. The Winter Solstice is the coldest time of winter, and eating wontons signifies warding off the cold and welcoming brightness.
Ancestor Worship Custom	In some regions, wontons are used for ancestor worship, expressing respect and gratitude to ancestors. This custom emphasizes family reunion and remembrance of ancestors, strengthening the bonds between family members.
Northern Customs	In northern regions, eating wontons during the Winter Solstice is a common custom, and people believe that eating wontons can bring good luck and wisdom, especially in the cold winter. This also reflects people’s hopes for a healthy and happy life.

Wontons express the hopes for new life, reunion, and a bright future.

What are the customs or ways of celebrating the Winter Solstice in different regions?

Region	Customs
Taiwan	1. Eating ginger duck: nourishing and warming the body, enhancing strength. 2. Eating glutinous rice balls: family reunion, praying for peace. 3. Ancestor worship: preparing offerings such as three kinds of meat and fruits.
Japan	1. Eating yuzu bath: placing yuzu in the bathtub to ward off the cold and keep warm. 2. Eating pumpkin: traditionally believed to prevent colds. 3. Eating soba noodles: symbolizing longevity.
Korea	1. Eating red bean porridge: symbolizing warding off evil and misfortune. 2. Rituals: holding ceremonies to worship ancestors.
Malaysia	1. Chinese communities eat glutinous rice balls: continuing Chinese traditions. 2. Holding Winter Solstice reunion dinners: gatherings with friends and family.
Singapore	1. Eating sweet glutinous rice balls: symbolizing reunion and happiness. 2. Holding Winter Solstice festival activities: community gatherings for celebration.
Vietnam	1. Eating Winter Solstice round (bánh trôi): similar to glutinous rice balls, symbolizing reunion and happiness.
Northern China	1. Eating dumplings: symbolizing wealth, believed to bring good fortune. 2. Ancestor worship: family gatherings to worship ancestors and express gratitude.
Southern China	1. Eating glutinous rice balls: symbolizing reunion and happiness, usually red and white glutinous rice balls. 2. Reunion dinner: enjoying a sumptuous dinner together as a family.
Jiangnan Region	1. Eating red bean sticky rice: used to ward off evil spirits, praying for peace.
Northeast Manchu	1. Worshiping heaven and ancestors: worshiping heaven and ancestors on the Winter Solstice night and sharing offerings.
Kinmen, Fujian	1. Eating spring rolls: originating from a Ming Dynasty legend, symbolizing filial piety and reunion.
Guangdong Region	1. Treating the Winter Solstice like New Year: family gatherings, enjoying a sumptuous seafood and meat feast.

On the Winter Solstice, people usually spend time with friends and family, enjoying traditional foods to express gratitude and blessings for life.