Beginning of Winter        November 7 ~ November 21
It is the first solar term of winter. Winter comes, farmer reap the rice, store them and finish their work in this year. Many animals will start their hibernation soon.

Minor Snow (Slight Snow)         November 22 ~ December 7
It is the second solar term of winter. It turns cold and begins to snow in Huanghe River area in this period.

Major Snow (Heavy Snow)         December 7 ~ December 21
It is the third solar term of winter. Temperature is low temperature and day is short. There is heavy snow in northern China.

Winter Solstice           December 22 ~ January 5
It is the fourth solar term of winter. In the northern hemisphere, the first day of the term has the shortest day of the year. In the southern hemisphere, winter and summer solstices are exchanged. There is a Chinese proverb saying 'Winter solstice is more important than new year's day'. Chinese people eat dumpling on the winter solstice day (December 22nd or 23rd).

In this period, it becomes very, very cold. A traditional saying has it that, the cold will end 81 days after winter solstice.

Lesser Cold (Minor Cold)          January 6 ~ January 19
It is the fifth solar term of winter. According to an ancient Chinese book 'Zhou Shu', on the Lesser Cold day (first day of the term), wild goose begins to fly back to the north, where is still a world of snow and ice.

Greater Cold (Major Cold)          January 20 ~ February 3
It is the last solar term of winter. During this period, it is very cold. People are busy cleaning their house and preparing foods for the lunar new year.

The weather on the Greater Cold day (first day of the term) was once an important weather index for farmers. North wind and great cold on the day indicates the coming year will see a big harvest. Raining on the day means the farmers will suffer a year of bad weather.

Editor: Wing

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