The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and has the most hours of darkness. It usually falls around December 22 on the solar calendar.
A traditional Korean winter solstice event is making and eating red bean paste porridge called “patjuk” (팥죽). Red beans are boiled and small balls of glutinous rice are added, making a thick and sweet porridge.
Red beans symbolize the chasing away of evil spirits, and the rice balls symbolize new life. Therefore, eating a delicious bowl of patjuk on winter solstice was believed to chase away all illnesses. Also, eating the same number of rice balls as one’s age symbolizes the successful passing of the year. In the past, Koreans would sprinkle red bean paste porridge around the yard and share the dish with neighbors to chase away evil spirits. At the time, many also believed that a warm winter solstice meant the coming of disease and death, while a cold, snowy winter solstice meant a prosperous New Year. Although the winter solstice is not a major Korean holiday like Chuseok or Lunar New Year’s Day, Korean families do get together to enjoy a sweet bowl of red bean paste porridge and wish each other a healthy and prosperous New Year. These days, numerous porridge restaurants offer patjuk all year round. A bowl usually costs 5,000 to 9,000 won. （SOURCE:VISITKOREA.com)
The
Dōngzhì Festival or
Winter Solstice Festival (
Chinese:
冬至;
pinyin:
Dōngzhì; literally "the Arrival of Winter") is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the
Chinese and other
East Asians during the
Dongzhi solar term (
winter solstice) on or around December 22 (according to East Asia time). In 2013, the festival falls on Sunday, December 22.
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 (復, "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 (湯圓) or balls of glutinuous rice, which symbolize reunion.
Tangyuan are made of glutinuous rice flour and sometimes brightly coloured. Each family member receives at least one large
tangyuan in addition to 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. It is also often served with a mildly alcoholic unfiltered
rice wine containing whole grains of
glutinous rice (and often also
Sweet Osmanthus flowers), called
jiuniang.
In northern China, people typically eat
dumplings on Dongzhi. It is said to have originated from
Zhang Zhongjing in the
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, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm, to keep their ears from getting
chilblains. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears, Zhang named the dish
"qùhán jiāoěr tāng" (祛寒嬌耳湯) or dumpling soup that expels the cold. From that time on, it has been a tradition to eat dumplings on the day of Dongzhi.
Old traditions also require people with the same
surname or from the same
clan to gather at their ancestral temples to worship on this day. There is always a grand reunion dinner following the sacrificial ceremony.
The festive food is also a reminder that we are now a year older and should behave better in the coming year. Even today, many Chinese around the world, especially the elderly, still insist that one is "a year older" right after the Dongzhi celebration instead of waiting for the
Chinese New Year.
In Taiwan
To
Taiwanese people, the festival in winter also plays a very important role. It is also a tradition for Taiwanese to eat
tangyuan on this day. They also use the festive food as an offering dish to
worship the ancestors.
In an interesting twist, in accordance with ancient
Taiwanese history, many people take some of the
tangyuan that have been used as offerings and stick them on the back of the door or on windows and tables and chairs. These "empowered"
tangyuan supposedly serve as protective
talismans to keep evil spirits from coming close to children.
In addition to following some of the customs practiced in
China, the people of
Taiwan have their own unique custom of offering nine-layer cakes as a ceremonial sacrifice to worship their ancestors. These cakes are made using glutinous rice flour in the shape of a chicken, duck, tortoise, pig, cow or sheep, and then steamed in different layers of a pot. These animals all signify auspiciousness in
Chinese tradition.
Another interesting custom in Taiwan is that many people take invigorating
tonic foods during this particular winter festival. To the Taiwanese, winter is a time when most physical activities should be limited and you should eat well to nourish your body. This practice follows the habits shown by many animals which follow the law of nature and
hibernate throughout winter months to rejuvenate and to preserve life. In order to fight cold temperatures, it is necessary to eat more fatty and meaty foods during winter when your body can better absorb the rich and nutritional foods at this time due to a slower
metabolic rate.
Since Dongzhi is the "Extreme of Winter", Taiwanese regard it as the best time of the year to take tonic foods. Some of the most widely popular winter tonic foods enjoyed by Taiwanese to fight cold and strengthen the body's resistance are
mutton hot pot and
ginger duck hot pot. Other foods like chicken, pork and
abalone are also common materials used in making tonic foods with nurturing herbs such as
ginseng,
deer horn and the fungus
cordyceps.（SOURCE:WIKIPEDIA)
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