Winter Solstice Festival of Dongzhijie

In ancient China, it was believed that from this time the “male power” of nature rose.Each year, the winter solstice falls between December 21 and 22. The winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. After the winter solstice, the days get longer and the nights get shorter.

In ancient China, it was believed that from this time the “male power” of nature rose, and a new cycle began. Therefore, the day of the winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration.

On this day, the emperors went to the countryside to perform solemn rituals of sacrifice to Heaven, and the common people sacrificed to their ancestors.

Currently, on this day it is also customary to honor the memory of ancestors, using tangyuan - boiled balls of rice flour for sacrifice. In Taiwan, there is a tradition to sacrifice a nine-layer cake to ancestors on the Dongzhijie holiday. From rice flour, dough is mixed, figurines of turtles, piglets, cows, sheep and other animals symbolizing happiness are molded from it. After the ritual of sacrifice, a banquet is held.