The Dongzhì Festival or The Winter Solstice Festival "The Extreme
of Winter" is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the
Chinese and other East Asians during the dongzhi solar term on or
around December 21 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest;
i.e., on the first day of the dongzhi solar term
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. The
philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching
hexagram fù ("Returning" ).
Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family
to get together. One activity that occurs during these get
togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese
communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyuan or balls
of glutinuous rice, which symbolize reunion. Tangyuan are made of
glutinuous rice flour and sometimes brightly coloured. Every one in
the family receives at least one large Tang Yuan and several small
ones. The flour balls may be plain or stuffed. They are cooked in a
sweet soup or savoury broth with both the ball and the soup/broth
served in one bowl.
In northern China, people typically eat dumplings on dongzhi. It is
said to have originated from Zhang Zhongjing of Han Dynasty. On one
cold winter day, he saw the poor suffering from chilblains on their
ears. Feeling sympathetic, he ordered his apprentices to make
dumplings with lamb and other ingredients, distributed them among
the poor to keep them warm. Since the dumplings were shaped like
ears, Zhang named it dumpling soup that expels the cold. From then
on it became a tradition passed down to eat dumplings on the day of
dongzhi to keep the ears from getting chilblains.
