Harbinger of the year's 22nd solar term, Winter Solstice, which also marks the arrival of the coldest season in the year, has inspired community organizations in Wuxi to arrange a series of events to celebrate the traditional festival and access communities' concern and care for others.
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As the Chinese saying has it, "The Winter Solstice is as significant as the Spring Festival." The local subdistrict offices in Xishan district of Wuxi launched an activity for community residents to make and sample tangyuan, a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of glutinous rice flour to celebrate Winter Solstice. [Photo by Gu Yan/wxrb.com] |
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As the coldest season in the year arrives, Red Cross workers of the Huishan subdistrict office in Laingxi district, Wuxi, distribute cotton quilts to needy families in the community. [Photo by Sheng Yi/wxrb.com] |
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Social workers of the Guangyi subdistrict in Laingxi district, Wuxi prepare the festive tuanzi, a kind of traditional Chinese food made with rice, to give to empty-nest senior citizens in the community, a gift of festival atmosphere as well as care from the community and society. [Photo by Cai Chenjie/wxrb.com] |
The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Winter Solstice begins this year on Dec 21 and ends on Jan 4.
On the first day of Winter Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the shortest day and the longest night in the year, as the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. From then on, the days become longer and the nights become shorter.
