 |
|
 Chinese festival of Dong Zhì
(or Dongzhì), literally meaning the 'arrival of winter', falls on the
22nd of December. Dong Zhi has become the second most important festival, after
the Chinese New Year. The Dongzhì Festival or Winter Solstice Festival
(Pinyin: dong zhì; "The Extreme of Winter") is one of the most
important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the
Dong zhi solar term on or around December 22 when sunshine is weakest and daylight
shortest; i.e., on the first day of the Dong zhi solar term. 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 ("Returning"). The festival Dong Zhi originally began
as a farmers' celebration of the harvest at the end of the year. So much depended
on the successful growth of crops, that it was a relief to get them stored. Dong Zhi is considered the thanksgiving
of the Chinese calendar. Dong Zhi is the last festival of the year.
Coinciding
with the winter solstice, it is a time for the entire family to get together to
celebrate the past good year. Glutinous rice balls known as Tang Yuan
are cooked and eaten to signify unity and harmony within the family. Winter time also meant the return of the workers who had been away gathering
enough provisions to see the community through the cold months. As a result,
Dong Zhi became a time for giving thanks; for a successful harvest, the fertility
of the land, the safe return of farmers and fishermen and the reunion of the
family. Winter solstice signifies the beginning of winter. The sun is at the Tropic of Capricorn and this results in the longest night of the year for those living in the northern hemisphere.
The festival began as a farmer's festival to celebrate year-end harvest. The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms. Do-ngzh� (pi-nyi-n) or To-ji (ro-maji) (literally: "winter solstice"), is the 22nd solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 270� and ends when it reaches the longitude of 285�. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 270�.
In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around December 21 (December 22 East Asia time) and ends around January 5. In China, Dong zhi was originally celebrated as an end-of-harvest festival. Today, it is observed with a family reunion over the long night, when pink and white tangyuan are eaten in sweet broth to symbolise family unity and prosperity.
|
|
|
Save as Bookmark
Send this Page to Friend.
