冬至是20四节气的第20二个节气，也是阳历届的到最后个节气。冬至统称冬节、长至节或亚岁，至古近些年始终都特别关键性的我国传统化中秋节。明年的冬至源自12月22日。

冬至今天，大日光直接照射路面的的位置到了一年多时间的最南端，大日光基本上直接照射南再战线（统称冬至线），一缕阳光对北半球为歪斜。对此，冬至日是北半球全省各地一年多时间中昼夜最长的一个月，因此越往北昼夜越简短。

冬至是最早的朝代被实施的是一位节气。中国古代因为自冬至起，昼夜一整天比一整天长，晶楠彼此的阳气准备兴作渐强，象征着下是一位配置的准备，是大吉之时。

从冬至单日起，至少六天算作1个“九”，有6个“九”，共81天。这81天是一整年最冷的一段话时候，以后便带来春天来了。民間有贴九九消寒图的民间风俗，有很多用来商朝历史入九在这之后的阴晴，有很多事进行每日一 写一项来摆脱九九。

先秦以冬至为岁首，君主这一天冬至便不会交待国政。汉朝时称冬至为“日至”，仕途要闭幕贺节之仪，并放假时间调理，民间艺术则要给爸爸妈妈尊长拜节。

冬至经历过千余年的开发，建立了特色的节令食艺术，吃包子则是基本上中国内地人冬至的风俗人情，在西北十分展现出。谚云：“国庆月，冬至进家家户户吃水饺。”

Winter Solstice

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Winter solstice, the 22^nd solar term, is the last solar term in 2022. Winter solstice begins on Dec 22 this year.

Winter solstice marks the day with the shortest period of the daylight and the longest night of the year. The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening hours of daylight during the day.

Winter solstice was one of the first solar term created in ancient China. People in ancient China observed that daytime became longer after winter solstice, which made it a very auspicious day as it signalled a new beginning.

Ancient Chinese people divide 81 days after winter solstice ( regarded as coldest time of the year) into 9 parts. Many used “ double-nine” diagrams to count the days to spring, wither by recording the weather or writing one stroke of a character on a daily basis.

Winter solstice has always been an important festival in China. It was viewed as New Year’s day in Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). During Han Dynasty (206BC-220), officials took the day off and participated in festive activities, where as civilians paid respects to their elders.

China has developed an unique festive food culture throughout the years. Eating dumplings is a common folk custom for many Chinese on the day of winter solstice, especially those living in the north.（英中文+毛笔书法  ASP平台 程成）