冬至 Winter Solstice

冬至是中国传统二十四节气（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第二十二个节气，英文表达为Winter Solstice。冬至当天，太阳几乎直射南回归线（Tropic of Capricorn），北半球将经历一年中最短的白天和最长的黑夜。自此以后，白昼的时间变得越来越长而夜晚则会越来越短。冬至也标志着一年中最寒冷的季节的到来。
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.


据历史学者介绍，3000多年前，周朝以“日影”最长的一天作为新一年的开始。从这个意义上说，冬至就是曾经的年。所以中国有句古话说：“冬至大如年”。
As early as Zhou Dynasty, people worshipped the gods on the day of the Winter Solstice, which was also the first day of the new year. The Winter Solstice became a winter festival in Han Dynasty. The celebratory activities were officially organized. On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest.

早在周朝时期，人们会在冬至当日，也就是当时新年的第一天祭拜神灵。汉朝时，冬至成为了冬天的节日，朝廷会举行正式的庆祝活动。这一天，百官和庶民都会停工歇息。

在随后的朝代，如唐、宋、元朝，冬至这天要进行祭神祭祖。至明清时期，冬至依旧长盛不衰，民间又有“肥冬瘦年”之说，可见这一节气的重要。


吃坚果

隆冬来临，万物运转趋于停歇。在此期间，适当地吃点坚果，例如花生、核桃、栗子、榛子和杏仁，对身体有好处。传统中医学认为，坚果性温，绝大多数坚果都有补肾、强心、健脑的功效。
Traditional Chinese medical science teaches that the quality of a nut is tepidity and most nuts have the function of nourishing the kidneys and strengthening the brain and heart.

吃饺子

“冬至到，吃水饺。”据说，冬至吃水饺的习俗是为纪念“医圣”张仲景。行医途中，他见沿途乡民饥寒交迫，耳生冻疮，便用羊肉等材料制成耳朵形状的“娇耳”，送给人们驱寒。这便是“饺子”的由来。在中国北方地区，吃饺子是冬至的关键活动。俗话说：“冬至饺子夏至面。”
During Winter Solstice in North China, eating dumplings is essential to the festival. There is a saying that goes 'Have dumplings on the day of Winter Solstice and noodles on the day of Summer Solstice.'


吃馄饨

苏州人习惯在隆冬时节吃馄饨。相传苏州百姓把馄饨作为庆祝冬至的食物，是为了纪念大美人西施。据传，在2500年前的吴国宴席上，吴王厌倦了山珍海味，想换个口味。美人西施去厨房做了一道叫“馄饨”的菜来满足他的愿望。吴王大块朵颐，很是喜欢这种美食。
Local legend has it that on the midwinter feast 2,500 years ago, the King of Wu (one of the states during the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period) was tired of all kinds of costly foods and wanted to eat something different. Then, the beauty Xishi came into the kitchen to make 'wontons' for the king. He ate a lot and liked the food very much.


吃汤圆

冬至的汤圆也叫“冬至丸”“冬至团”，一家人齐聚吃汤圆，寓意“团圆”。在潮汕地区，吃汤圆有“添岁”之意，这就是所说的 “冬节丸，一食就过年。” 许多地方的人都会吃汤圆，一种包有馅料的糯米粉制成的圆形食物，来庆祝冬至。
In many places, people eat tangyuan, a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of glutinous rice flour to celebrate Winter Solstice.


羊肉粉丝汤

羊肉性温，味甘，具有温补气血的功效，是冬季进补的佳品。在宁夏回族自治区的银川地区，人们有冬至日喝羊肉粉汤的习俗。在这天，人们有喝羊肉粉汤、吃汤饺的风俗。老百姓给这种冬至喝的汤起了一个奇怪的名字——“头脑”，并把它们分给左邻右舍。

On that day, it is customary for people there to eat mutton and vermicelli soup and soup dumplings. They give the midwinter soup a strange name: 'brain'，and share it with their neighbors.


年糕

冬至期间，杭州人有吃年糕的传统，民间也流传着“冬至吃年糕，年年都长高”的俗语。古时，在冬至到来之前，家家户户都会打年糕来祭祀祖先，或当作礼品送给亲朋好友。如今，尽管少有家庭还会吃自制的年糕，但人们依然会买年糕来庆祝冬至节气。
Today, though fewer families eat home-made rice cakes, people there still buy rice cakes for the Winter Solstice Festival.