The Chinese Winter Solstice Festival 冬至节

This year the winter solstice will occur on 21 December at 23:38 pm.

The Dongzhi Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians.

Dongzhi literally means the extreme of winter in Chinese. It occurs exactly when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26'. As early as 2,500 years ago, about the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), China had determined the point of Winter Solstice by observing movements of the sun with a sundial. It is the earliest of the 24 seasonal division points. The time will be on either 21 or 22 December according to the Gregorian calendar.

After the Winter Solstice, days will become longer and longer. As ancient Chinese thought, the yang, muscular, or positive things will become stronger and stronger after this day, so it should be celebrated. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. So, Dongzhi is a turning point and the philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram Returning.

The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer scarifies to Heaven and ancestors. Emperors would go to suburbs to worship the Heaven; while common people offered sacrifices to their deceased parents or other relatives.

There is a Chinese saying that ‘the Winter Solstice is more important than the new year Spring Festival’. So the Winter Solstice festival is highly valued by the Chinese.

Traditionally, the Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during the get together (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyan or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. The Tangyuan are normally brightly coloured and stuffed with various ingredients such as black sesame paste, peanut paste and red bean paste and cooked in a sweet soup. Each family member receives at least one large Tangyuan in addition to several small ones.

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汤圆 Glutinous Rice Balls

今年的冬至发生在阳历12月21日晚上11时38分。

冬至节是华人与东亚人所庆祝的最重要的节目之一。

中文‘冬至’指的是冬天的至极，发生在太阳直射的纬度为23° 26'，离开地球最远的时候。早在2千5百年前的春秋时代（公元前770至476年），中国人已经用日晷仪来欢察太阳的运行以断定冬至的时间点了。它是二十四节令的起点。在阳历，冬至大约在12月21日或22日。

冬至以后，白天越来越长。古老华人看法认为在这天以后，阳气、刚强或正面的东西会逐渐强大，所以值得庆祝。庆祝过后，昼长夜短，所以刚正之气的流入增加。所以，冬至是个传折点，它的哲学性的重要就以《易经》中的‘复’卦为代表。

冬至于汉朝（公元前206年至公元220年）成为一个节日，而在唐宋（618-1279）盛行。在唐宋时期，冬至是一个祭拜天与祖先的日子。皇帝会到郊外祭天，而一般老百姓则祭拜死去的父母与其它亲戚。

华人俗语说：‘冬大过年。’可见华人对冬至节的重视。

传统上，冬至节是一家团聚的时候。团聚时所进行的一项活动，尤其是在中国南方与华人集聚的海外，是做与吃汤圆。汤圆象征团圆。一般上，汤圆都染上亮丽颜色，里面塞满了如芝麻、花生、红豆糊之类，以糖水来煮。每个家庭成员最少要吃一粒大汤圆加上几个较小的汤圆。