The winter solstice is the 22nd solar term in the "24 solar terms", and the solar calendar reaches 270 degrees. Every year, the festival is held on 65438+February 2 1-23 in the Gregorian calendar. The winter solstice is the limit of the sun's southward travel, and the height of the sun in the northern hemisphere is the smallest on this day.

On the solstice of winter, the sun shines directly on the tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is most inclined to the northern hemisphere. The solstice in winter is the turning point of the sun. After this day, it will go back. The direct point of the sun will move northward from the Tropic of Capricorn (23 26' s), and the northern hemisphere (China is located in the northern hemisphere) will increase day by day.

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There are different customs in winter solstice in the north and south of China, and through historical development, a unique seasonal food culture has been formed. Some places in southern China have the custom of eating and drinking in winter solstice. In most places in the north, there is a custom of eating jiaozi from winter solstice, and eating jiaozi has become the custom of most northerners in China from winter solstice.

The ancients celebrated the winter solstice, and the winter festival is one of the "eight festivals of the year". There are various winter solstice holiday foods, such as jiaozi in the north, Chaoshan glutinous rice balls, Southeast rice cakes, Taizhou glutinous rice balls, Hefei pumpkin cakes, Ningbo sweet potato soup, Tengzhou mutton soup, Jiangnan rice, Suzhou wine making and so on.

Every winter and every day, whether rich or poor, jiaozi is an indispensable holiday feast. As the saying goes: "On October 1st, when the solstice of winter comes, every family eats jiaozi." This custom was left in memory of Zhang Zhongjing, a "medical sage", who gave up medicine from the winter solstice.