Dongzhì December 21

The origins of this festival go 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 the positive energy flowing in. The philosophical meaning of this is symbolized by the hexagram I Ching fù (“Return”).

Traditionally, the Dongzhi festival is also a time for family reunions. An activity that takes place during these gatherings (especially in southern China and in communities Chinese overseas) is the making and eating of tangyuan or glutinous rice balls, which symbolize reunion. Tangyuan are made from glutinous rice flour and are sometimes brightly colored.

Each family member receives at least one large tangyuan in addition to several smaller ones. The flour balls are sometimes pink or green. They are cooked in a sweet soup or savory broth with the ball and soup/broth served in a bowl. It is also often served with a lightly alcoholic unfiltered rice wine containing whole grains of glutinous rice (and often also sweet osmanthus flowers), called jiuniang.

In northern China, people usually eat dumplings on Dongzhi. It is said that it originated from Zhang Zhongjing in the Han Dynasty. On a cold winter day, he saw the poor people suffering from frostbite on their ears.

Feeling compassionate, he ordered his apprentices to make dumplings with lamb and other ingredients, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm, to prevent their ears from getting frostbite. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears, Zhang named the dish "qùhán jiāoěr tāng" or cold-fighting dumpling soup. Since then, it has been traditional to eat dumplings on Dongzhi Day.

In southern China, people eat rice cakes, which are called reunion. It is not only eaten by family, but also shared with friends and relatives as a blessing. Mutton soup, rice cake and red bean sticky rice are also popular in the South.

Ancient traditions also require people of the same family name or clan to gather at their ancestral temples to worship on this day. There is always a grand reunion dinner after the sacrificial ceremony.