 Winter solstice（冬至）
[ 2006-12-19 15:32 ]
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冬至是我國農歷中一個非常重要的節氣，也是一個傳統節日，至今不少地方仍有過冬至節的習俗。在二十四節氣中，冬至節是被最早制定出來的一個，時間約在每年12月22日至23日左右。冬至是北半球全年中白天最短、黑夜最長的一天，過了冬至，白天就會一天天變長,各地氣候都進入一個最寒冷的階段，也就是人們常說的“進九”，我國民間有“冷在三九，熱在三伏”的說法。
現在，一些地方還把冬至作為一個節日來過。北方地區有冬至宰羊，吃餃子、吃餛飩的習俗，南方地區在這一天則有吃冬至米團、冬至長線面的習慣。各個地區在冬至這一天還有祭天祭祖的習俗。
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Winter solstice is a very important solar term in Chinese Lunar calendar.
Being a traditional holiday as well, it is still now celebrated quite often in many regions. Early during the Spring and Autumn period, 2500 odd years from now, Winter solsticewas first determined as the Chinese traditional solar term among the total 24 terms. In Gregorian calendar, it is around Dec 22nd or 23rd.
Midwinter day is the very day in North hemisphere with the shortest day and longest night year-round. After it, daytime will become increasingly longer and the coldest clime will invade all the places on the Northern part of the globe. We Chinese always call it "JinJiu", which means once Winter solstice comes, we will meet the coldest time ahead.
That conclusion is proved well founded. According to scientific results, on Winter solstice, a right angle is formed by the sun and the tropic of carpricorn. Thus, the North hemisphere receives the least sunlight and the shortest day and longest night occur.
Ancient china did pay great attention to this holiday, regarding it as a big event. There was the saying that "Winter solstice holiday is greater than the spring festival". Nowadays, many regions still celebrate it as a big holiday. Northerners may have dumplings and raviolis that day while southerners may have dumplings made by rice and long noodles. Some places even have the tradition to offer sacrifices to the heaven and earth.
（通訊員東南大學方姝琦投稿 英語點津陳蓓編輯 ）
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