On the Winter Solstice, one of the 24 Solar Terms on the traditional Chinese calendar, the temperature drastically drops, making it a perfect time for foods with “warming” properties. In ancient times, people believed that yang energy is generated on the day of the Winter Solstice, making it the start of the next annual cycle of energy. The Winter Solstice has always been regarded as an important day in China, and even more important than the Chinese New Year in certain regions. As the weather gets colder, dishes with “warming” properties begin taking over the dining table.
On the day of the Winter Solstice, Mr.Bekar Mikaberidze, Chairman of the Guangzhou Branch of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce, headed to Guangzhou’s famed hot spring resort Conghua Eco-Town at the invitation of our host Vivian Ma. Together, they prepared dumplings filled with lamb and medicinal herbs, a dish that keeps you warm from inside out throughout the freezing winter.
In return, Mr. Mikaberidze invited us to the Georgian Belt & Road Business House based in Guangzhou, where we joined his wife to prepare a hearty homemade dinner with traditional Georgian dishes, including Khachapuri and an assorted platter poetically named “the Friendship Plate”.
On the Winter Solstice, life and warmth can still be found in the bitterly cold natural world, and the two ancient civilizations are also living examples of the legacy and strength of love and peace. The Sino-Georgian relationship has been given new momentum and opportunity by the Belt and Road Initiative.
