The significance of winter solstice

One of the twenty-four solar terms

Winter solstice, also known as short solstice, winter festival and sub-year-old, has both natural and humanistic connotations. It is not only an important solar term among the 24 solar terms, but also a traditional folk festival in China. The solstice in winter is one of the eight festivals in four seasons, and it is considered as a big holiday in winter. In ancient times, there was a saying that the winter solstice was as big as a year. The custom of winter solstice varies in content or details due to different regions. In southern China, there are customs of offering sacrifices to ancestors and enjoying the winter solstice. In northern China, it is a custom to eat jiaozi from winter to Sunday every year.

The winter solstice is the 22nd solar term in the "twenty-four solar terms", and the solar calendar reaches 270 degrees. It is celebrated on June 65438+February 2 1, 22 or 23 of the Gregorian calendar every year. The solstice in winter is the limit of the sun's southward travel. On this day, the sun shines directly on the tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is most inclined to the northern hemisphere. Therefore, the winter solstice is the lowest day of the sun height in all parts of the northern hemisphere, and it is also the shortest day of the year in all parts of the northern hemisphere. The farther north, the shorter the day is. North of the Arctic Circle, the sun is below the horizon all day, which is the widest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

In winter solstice, although the sun is low and the days are short, the temperature in winter solstice is not the lowest in meteorology. In fact, because there is still "accumulated heat" on the surface, it is usually not very cold before the winter solstice, and the real cold is after the winter solstice. Because of the huge climate difference in China, this climatic winter is obviously late for most parts of China. The winter solstice marks the beginning of the cold season, and people begin to count to nine to calculate the cold weather (folk proverb: "The summer solstice is the third watch, and the winter solstice is the ninth watch").

Chinese Name: Solstice in Winter

Mbth: winter solstice

Alias: Winter Festival, Short Day, Asian Year.

Meaning: The shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

Season: winter

Sun position: The sun reaches 270 degrees of the yellow meridian.

The previous solar term: heavy snow

The last solar term: slight cold

Custom activities: Eat jiaozi.

Custom food: jiaozi, mutton soup, glutinous rice balls and rice cakes.

Attribute: November weather in 24 solar terms.

Bucket handle points: fingers.

Moral: the turn of Yin and Yang, the death of all things, the confinement of life.

Origin of the festival: eight festivals a year, offering sacrifices to God and ancestors.

Date: 65438+February 2 1, 22, 23.