Dong Zhi Literally ‘arrival of winter’, Dong Zhi is a Chinese festival celebrating the winter solstice. In ancient China, Dong Zhi was the second most important festival in the lunar calendar (after Chinese New Year). Occurring on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month, it is the last festival on the lunar calendar.

Dong Zhi was originally the Chinese farmers’ celebration of the year- end harvest. It falls on the longest night of the year for people living in the northern hemisphere, when the sun is at the tropic of Capricorn. According to the Chinese concept of yin and yang, the yin qualities of darkness and cold are at their peak on this day. Following this period will be the yang qualities of light and warmth, which represent new life and optimism. In fact, some Chinese emperors celebrated Chinese New Year on Dong Zhi.

Chinese families gather on Dong Zhi to give thanks for a good year, and celebrate it by eating tang yuan. These rice flour balls may have stuffings such as sesame seed or red bean paste, and are served in a clear soup typically made of sugar and water, and seasoned with pandan leaves and ginger. Farming communities in China used to eat hot tang yuan because of the cold of winter. The word ‘tang’ (meaning ‘soup’) sounds like ‘tuan’ (meaning ‘reunion’); ‘yuan’ means ‘round’, and in the phrase ‘yuan man,’ means ‘complete’. Tang yuan thus signifies unity and prosperity for the family.

In Singapore, Dong Zhi is observed mainly by followers of Chinese Religion, although a few Chinese restaurants promote the festival for commercial reasons.

Photo credit: Singapore Press Holdings/ Lianhe Zaobao