December 22 ushered in the winter solstice. The winter solstice is not only an important solar term among the twenty-four solar terms, but also a traditional ancestor worship festival among Chinese people. It is regarded as a big festival in winter. It can be said that “the winter solstice is as big as the new year”.
On the day of the winter solstice, the sun’s rays shine directly on the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun’s rays are most tilted towards the northern hemisphere, and the sun’s altitude angle is the smallest. It is the day with the shortest day and the longest night in the northern hemisphere. But meteorologically, the temperature at the winter solstice is not the lowest. In fact, because there is still “accumulated heat” on the earth’s surface, it is usually not very cold before the winter solstice, and the real severe cold occurs after the winter solstice.
After the winter solstice, although the sun’s altitude angle gradually increases, this is a slow recovery process. The heat lost every day is still greater than the heat received, showing a situation of “making ends meet”. In the “March 9th and 49th days”, the heat accumulation is the least, the temperature is the lowest, and the weather becomes colder and colder.
What people often say about “Jinjiu” and “Counting Nine Cold Days” is “Counting Nine”, which is counted from the Renri day of the winter solstice (some places say it is counted from the winter solstice), and one “nine” is counted every nine days. And so on; counting nine until “nine nine” is eighty-one days, “nine to end peach blossoms bloom”, when the cold is gone. Nine days are a unit, which is called “Nine”. After nine “Nine”s, it is exactly eighty-one days, which is “out of nine” or “complete nine”. Counting from “one nine” to “nine nine”, the cold winter turns into the warmth of spring.
The ancients divided the winter solstice into three periods: the first period is when earthworms knot; the second period is when elk horns untie; and the third period is when water springs move. It means that the earthworms in the soil are still curled up, and the moose feels that the Yin Qi is gradually receding and unwinding. Since the sun’s direct point returns to the north after the winter solstice, the sun’s back-and-forth movement enters a new cycle. The sun’s height rises and the day length increases, so the spring water in the mountains can flow and be warm at this time.
Winter Solstice customs vary in content or details depending on the region. In southern China, there is a custom of worshiping ancestors and feasting during the Winter Solstice. In northern China, there is a custom of eating dumplings on the Winter Solstice every year, because dumplings have the effect of dispelling the cold. There is still a folk proverb that “if you don’t carry the dumpling bowl during the winter solstice, your ears will freeze off and no one will care.”
After the winter solstice, the climate across China has entered the coldest stage. People should add clothes in time according to the weather conditions and pay attention to keeping warm. After the winter solstice, the days become longer and longer. At this time, the yang energy in the human body is vigorous and it is easiest to absorb external nutrients and exert its nourishing effect. In other words, before and after the winter solstice is the best time to take supplements, but it is not just random supplements that will achieve the effect. To take supplements in winter, you need to pay attention to the appropriate method.
By this day, the Chinese New Year is not far away. Our factory will be on holiday from February 1st to 16th. Before then, if you have any questions about dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onions, and peppers, you can contact me for consultation. Now is the peak export period, time is tight, and the cost will be higher towards the end.
Post time: Dec-22-2023