Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice was the earliest solar term that was worked out in ancient China, and its date changes among 21，22 and 23 December due to the Sun and the Earth. Winter Solstice is the day that has the shortest daytime and the longest dark hours among a year. 

In China, people in the north prefer to have dumplings while other areas have different foods for the solar term. Now, let's have a look at different customs in different regions in China.

Natives in Suzhou——have wonton due to the memory of Xishi

Suzhou was the capital of Wu 2,500 years ago. The beauty, Xishi, played an important role in the battle between Wu and Yue. The food, wonton, was made by Xishi for the King of Wu in winter solstice, and it was named by Xishi. The meaning of the name was an metaphor, which referred to the stupid King. Because Yue won the war under the help of Xishi, people in this region began to have wonton in winter solstice in order to the memory of Xishi.

Wonton

Natives in Ningxia——have "tounao"

The custom for Winter Solstice in Ningxia is to have a kind of soup, which is made of mutton and rice noodle. People call it by a strange name: tounao, which means the head.

Nativies in Chaoshan——ancestor worship, have sweet bolls and visit graves

On the of winter solstice, people in Chaoshan prepare enough pork, chickens, fishes and fruits and go to ancestral halls for ancestor worship. Generally speaking, the ceremony finishes before lunch, and family members get together for lunch, sweet balls is one of the delicious food.

Visiting graves is another activity in Chaoshan in winter solstice. In general, people usually visit graves in Qingming Festival, however, because of the better weather in winter solstice, people in Chaoshan prefer the latter day. 

Natives in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan Province——have mutton and mutton soup

On the day of winter solstice, people in this region always like to enjoy something delicious. They have mutton and mutton soup in order to keep warm and to hope "good luck" during coming year.

Mutton soup

Winter Solstice is important in China, even though the Chinese people who live abroad still celebrate the festival every year and keep these customs.