Start of Winter

Start of Winter is the 19th solar term and the first of winter, falling around November 7. It marks the start of the new season; crops harvested in autumn should be stored up.

Food & Customs: A popular saying goes, “Northerners eat dumplings, southerners eat duck.” In the north, families make dumplings—shaped like ears, they are believed to prevent ears from freezing. The name also echoes jiazi, the transition between autumn and winter. In the south, chicken, duck, sea bass, mutton, and fat crab are favored. In Suzhou, people mix salted pork, greens, and lard into vegetable rice. In parts of Zhejiang, eating mutton wards off the cold. This is also the best time for Shaoxing yellow rice wine to begin brewing and Jinhua ham to start sun-drying.

What to Note: Go to bed before 10 p.m. and wait for sunrise to rise. Follow the “layering” principle: inner layer absorbs sweat, middle layer warms, outer layer blocks wind. Protect the head, back, and feet, where yang energy gathers.

Part of the content sourced from: Xinhua; China Daily; Guangming Net; China National Radio
Source: Chinajob