Explainer | What is the winter solstice? History, food and how Hong Kong celebrates
Known as dung zi in Cantonese and dongzhi in Mandarin, the winter solstice is one of the most important celebrations for Chinese families
Around this time of the year, there is one very important day for Chinese families around the world, not unlike Thanksgiving in North America.
The winter solstice – dung zi in Cantonese, dongzhi in Mandarin – marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere.
The 24 solar terms, which form a Chinese lunisolar calendar, refer to specific points in the Earth’s orbit around the sun. To this day, these markers on the sun’s position and its effects on weather – which you can also find in the Chinese almanac, a divination guide – have a huge influence on people and their activities, from florists to farmers to practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine.
This interpretation of the solar terms is specific to the northern hemisphere, as the seasons are inverted in the southern hemisphere.
The winter solstice was one of the first dates determined among the 24 solar terms. In ancient times, it helped a mostly agrarian society keep tabs on seasonal changes.