Traditional culture in plain words
Winter Solstice (冬至)
The Winter Solstice is the great day of family reunion known as 'doing winter' (做冬). An old saying holds that 'winter matters more than the new year'.
At a glance
How the festivals began
The Winter Solstice is both a solar term, one of the twenty-four terms of the year, and a traditional festival. The date moves a little each year: 22 December 2026, 22 December 2027 and 21 December 2028. This is the longest night of the year. After it, the days slowly grow longer. The ancients saw this as yin reaching its end and yang beginning to grow (陰極陽生).
For Chinese communities worldwide, this is a day for the whole family to gather. In Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and overseas, many families go home early for the evening meal. Many workplaces also let people finish a little earlier.
Traditional customs
The 'doing winter' reunion meal often includes white-cut chicken, roast pork and glutinous rice. The family honours the ancestors first, then sits down to eat together. In southern China and Hong Kong, glutinous rice is a familiar solstice dish. In Taiwan and the Minnan (southern Fujian) area, many families roll tangyuan (湯圓), small sweet rice balls that stand for reunion. Families with children especially enjoy making them together.
See also Winter Solstice (冬至)
Festival dates are converted from the lunar calendar and are for reference only. Customs vary a little from place to place. For temple and community events, please follow the organisers' announcements.