Winter Solstice — 2025 insights
Winter Solstice冬至
Winter Solstice is both a key solar term and a traditional festival in China, once considered as significant as the Lunar New Year. From the Zhou dynasty onward, imperial and folk rituals celebrated the return of longer days.
Key dates
Gregorian date: 2025-12-21
Lunar date: Eleventh lunar month, 2nd day, 乙巳 year
Arrives around December 21 to 23
Seasonal origin
The sun stands over the Tropic of Capricorn; the northern hemisphere experiences the shortest day and longest night before daylight gradually increases again.
Seasonal verse
At a roadside inn in Handan I meet the solstice night, lamp light keeping me company. Thoughts fly homeward to loved ones, who surely speak of the traveller far away.
Customs
Historic records show emperors held great ceremonies to honor heaven, while ordinary families visited elders and presented seasonal greetings. Today, regions such as the Chaoshan area and parts of Zhejiang still keep ancestral offerings on this day.
Seasonal food
Celebratory foods vary widely: northern dumplings, Chaoshan tangyuan, southeastern mochi, Taizhou sesame rice balls, Ningbo sweet potato rice cakes, Tengzhou lamb soup, Jiangnan sticky rice, and Suzhou winter rice wine all mark the festival.
Guidance
The coldest season demands hearty nourishment. Lean meats, root vegetables, and slow-cooked broths help generate warmth and resilience—especially for women seeking to balance hormones and circulation.