Celebrating Winter Solstice

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Today is Winter Solstice (Chinese: 冬至), the 22nd solar term of the year.

   Winter Solstice has been celebrated in cultures the world over for thousands of years. This start of the solar year is a celebration of Light and the rebirth of the Sun. In old Europe, it was known as Yule, from the Norse, Jul, meaning 

wheel.On the first day of Winter Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the shortest day and the longest night in the year, as the sun shines directly at the Tropic of Capricorn. From then on, the days become longer and the nights 

become shorter. The Winter Solstice also marks the arrival of the coldest season in the year.As one of the 24 solar terms, winter solstice as opposite the summer solstice is around December 22 in the Gregorian calendar, when the sun 

reaches celestial longitude 270 degrees.

   Winter solstice, the fourth solar term of winter, is also an important festival in China. There is an old saying going in folk that “The winter solstice is no less important than the Spring Festival”.The origins of this festival can be traced 

back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in.

Winter Solstice is a time for the family to get together.Today, people in the northern part of China will eat dumplings, and there is a saying that references this custom. People in southern China will make and eat tangyuan, a kind of 

sticky riceballs,also called rice dumplings, to symbolize the reunion of family.As a Led Lighting factory in Shenzhen,today we ate the dumplings to celebrate this meaningful day,everyone has received a steaming bowl of blessings.

Stay warm and healthy, and good luck in the new coming year. Happy winter solstice.