The winter solstice festival was originated from the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties (618 – 1279). People in the old times attached great importance to the festival.
冬至民俗 Custom
祈福
祈求与消除锅中的疫疾，减少荒年与人民的饥饿与死亡。
贺冬
In Han Dynasty, the festival is regarded as the Winter Festival and people had one day off for the holiday. Officials organized the ceremonies to celebrate the day and people visited each other with delicious food.
祭祀
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, the day was to sacrifice to the heaven and the ancestors. The emperor usually went to the suburb for worshiping to the heaven. The common people prayed at the tombs of their ancestors and deceased relatives on the day.
冬至饮食 Food
饺子
谚语云：“十月一，冬至到，家家户户吃水饺”
The dumpling is the essential food for people in northern China. After the winter solstice, it will become colder and colder. By eating dumplings, people think they can avoid their ears from being frostbitten as the dumplings look like people’s ear.
The story:
Zhang Zhongjing (150-219), is a famous physician in Eastern Han Dynasty. He was once an official in Changsha. When he returned home to private life, he saw people lived a very hard life and their ears were red with cold in the snowing winter. He was very sad and let his disciple cook to drive out the chill with mutton, hot pepper, and some medicine. Zhang let him boiled them first and minced them, then wrap them with flour. After boiling, he gave the food to the people there. By eating this kind of ear-like food, people’s ears were all cured. Later, every winter solstice, people cook such kind of food which was called dumplings to avoid ears from being frozen.
Having a meal made of red-bean and glutinous rice is also popular for people in southern China. By eating it, people think ghosts and evil things can be driven away.
AUTHOR | HISTORIAN | ARTIST 