{"id":10218,"date":"2025-12-20T15:30:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T07:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quartzite-stone.com\/?p=10218"},"modified":"2025-12-18T15:39:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T07:39:29","slug":"winter-solstice-the-peak-of-yin-and-the-rebirth-of-light-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quartzite-stone.com\/ru\/winter-solstice-the-peak-of-yin-and-the-rebirth-of-light-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435: \u043f\u0438\u043a \u0438\u043d\u044c \u0438 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430 \u0432 \u041a\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0435"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the grand cycle of the Chinese lunar calendar, no solar term carries as much emotional and philosophical weight as the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b>. Known in Mandarin as \u0414\u0443\u043d\u0447\u0436\u0438<\/i> (\u51ac\u81f3), meaning \u201cthe Arrival of Winter\u201d, this is the 22nd of the 24 Solar Terms<\/b>. While many cultures celebrate the shortest day of the year with a sense of trepidation, the Chinese tradition views the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b> as a pivotal turning point\u2014a moment where the extreme cold begins its slow retreat, making way for the inevitable return of warmth and vitality. Indeed, there is an ancient saying: \u201cD\u014dngzh\u00ec d\u00e0 r\u00fa ni\u00e1n<\/i>\u201c, which translates to \u201cthe Winter Solstice is as significant as the Lunar New Year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Astronomy of the Winter Solstice<\/h2>\n

Scientifically speaking, the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b> occurs when the sun reaches a celestial longitude of $270^\\circ$<\/span>. In the Northern Hemisphere, this results in the shortest day and the longest night of the year. For the ancient Chinese astronomers, who were meticulous observers of the heavens, this was the moment when the Yin<\/i> energy (representing darkness, cold, and stillness) reached its absolute zenith.<\/p>\n

However, the beauty of Chinese philosophy lies in its duality. At the very second Yin<\/i> peaks, it begins to wane, and the first spark of Yang<\/i> (light and heat) is reborn. This makes the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b> a celebration of hope. From this day forward, the days will gradually lengthen, and the journey toward spring officially begins. In 2025, we observe this shift on the 21st or 22nd of December, marking a period where the \u201cNine Nine-Day Units\u201d of winter begin their countdown.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

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Culinary Traditions: The Great Dumpling-Tangyuan Divide<\/h2>\n

If you want to understand the cultural geography of China, look no further than the dinner table during the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b>. The country is famously divided by a friendly culinary rivalry between the North and the South.<\/p>\n

1. Northern China: Dumplings and Ear Protection<\/h4>\n

In the north, the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b> is synonymous with Dumplings<\/b> (Ji\u01ceozi<\/i>). This tradition is steeped in medical folklore. Legend has it that the famous physician Zhang Zhongjing once saw poor villagers suffering from frostbitten ears during a particularly harsh winter. He cooked a batch of lamb, peppers, and warming herbs, wrapped them in dough scraps shaped like ears, and fed them to the people. Today, Northerners eat dumplings to \u201cwarm their ears,\u201d believing that skipping this meal might lead to frostbite during the \u201cThree Nine-Day\u201d cold spells.\"\"<\/p>\n

2. Southern China: Tangyuan and Family Unity<\/h4>\n

Travel south of the Yangtze River, and you will find families gathering to roll Tangyuan<\/b>\u2014sweet, glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame or red bean paste. The round shape of the Tangyuan<\/i> and the bowls they are served in symbolise Tu\u00e1nyu\u00e1n<\/i> (reunion) and wholeness. In some regions, these treats are even used as sacrificial offerings to ancestors before being enjoyed by the living, reinforcing the bond between generations during the darkest night of the year.<\/p>\n

3. Mutton Soup and Red Beans<\/h4>\n

Beyond the \u201cbig two,\u201d other regional delicacies include the mutton soup of Suzhou and Ningxia, which provides a blast of heat to the internal organs. In some parts of the Jiangnan region, people consume red bean porridge to ward off \u201cevil spirits\u201d and plagues that were traditionally thought to roam during the solstice.<\/p>\n

The \u201cNine Nine-Day\u201d Countdown<\/h2>\n

A unique cultural feature of the \u0417\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0435\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b> is the \u201cCounting of the Nines\u201d (Sh\u00f9ji\u01d4<\/i>). The 81 days following the solstice are divided into nine periods of nine days each. Ancient Chinese folk songs describe the progression of winter through these units:<\/p>\n