冬至節氣

冬至大如年，人間小團圓。

December 21 marks the start of "Winter Solstice," or Dongzhi, the 22nd of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar. On this day, the northern hemisphere experiences the shortest day and the longest night of the year, as the sun shines directly at the Tropic of Capricorn. Dongzhi also marks the approach of the coldest period of the year.

“冬至不端餃子碗，凍壞耳朵沒人管，”這句民間諺語意思是如果在冬至這一天沒有吃餃子，就會導致人們容易感冒、受凍，甚至凍壞耳朵。這句話的背后有著深厚的文化內涵和歷史淵源。相傳，張仲景辭官返鄉，時值隆冬，不少貧寒百姓的耳朵因凍瘡發作而潰爛，張仲景讓弟子在城外支起大鍋，把羊肉和一些祛寒藥物熬煮后切碎，再用面皮包成耳朵模樣，分給人們食用。

今天，你家吃的是什么？

There's a humorous folk saying that if you don't eat dumplings on this day, your ears might freeze and fall off!

Adding a modern twist to this age-old custom, people now make colorful dumplings crafted from natural ingredients. As families come together to prepare and share these parcels of joy, they embrace the spirit of warmth, unity and hope for the year ahead.

From traditional flavors to creative additions, Dongzhi dumplings remain a cherished symbol of nourishment, love and blessings during this special time of year. This winter solstice, gather your loved ones, roll up your sleeves and make your own colorful dumplings.