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Winter Solstice Festival Celebrated on 2015/12/22

The Dongzhi Festival or Winter Solstice Festival (Chinese: 冬至; Pinyin: Dōng Zhì; "The Extreme of Winter") is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the Dongzhi solar term on or around December 22.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun appears at its most southerly position, directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn. It marks the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. Origin The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). The Han people regarded Winter Solstice as a "Winter Festival", so officials would organize celebrating activities. On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest. The army was stationed in, frontier fortresses closed and business and traveling stopped. Relatives and friends

Karen

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presented to each other delicious food. 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. The Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) even had the record that "Winter Solstice is as formal as the Spring Festival," showing the great importance attached to this day. Traditional Customs/Food

Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also time for the family to get together. In northern China, people typically eat dumplings for Dongzhi.

Many people make "Jiujiuxiaohan" pictures, but in various styles. Some paint a plum blossom and 81 petals from the day after the festival, one day each. After the painting is completed, the day after will get warm. The most elegant form is making antithetical couplets.

It is also a custom to send shoes as a gift. People today usually make or by shoes and then send them to the children.The boys inNorth Shanxidistrict get used to play the "Dagang" game while girls usually kick shuttlecocks. Even the adults will join in the fun. Treating for teachers is an important habit on this day. And some people give a banquet to treat their employees.

Karen

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In the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas often make and eat Tangyuan or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolise reunion. Tangyuan are made of glutinous rice flour and are sometimes brightly coloured. Each family member receives at least one large Tang Yuan in addition to several small ones. The flour balls may be plain or have filling. They are cooked in a sweet soup or savoury broth with both the ball and the soup/broth served in one bowl. It is also often served with a mildly alcoholic unfiltered rice wine containing whole grains of glutinous rice (and often also Sweet Osmanthus flowers), called jiuniang.

Wish everyone have a happy day with family today!

In the end, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Karen