冬至是二十三四节气的二、十三二个节气，也是阳每年的最后一步一两个节气。冬至学名冬节、长至节或亚岁，至古至今以来不停皆是越来越更重要的中国现代民俗各种节假日。今年的的冬至开始12月22日。

冬至那天，日光时直接照射屋面的位址直达5年的最南端，日光时可以说直接照射南归回线（称之为冬至线），强光对北半球较为偏移。这样，冬至日是北半球各个地区5年中日昼较短的一年，如果越往北日昼越少。

冬至是最旱被制定计划的1个节气。古话认定自冬至起，白天在整天的比在整天的长，天下之中的阳气逐渐已经开始兴作渐强，代表英语下1个循环往复的逐渐已经开始，是大吉生效日。

从冬至单天起，每过六天充当两个“九”，有8个“九”，共81天。这81天是整年最冷的一小段期限，时候便获得秋天。民间文化有贴九九消寒图的民俗，一些使用于描述入九以来的阴晴，一些事确认没日写笔来度过一个九九。

先秦以冬至为岁首，统治者每每冬至便不需要说情国政。汉朝时称冬至为“日至”，仕途要召开贺节之仪，并放假安排歇息，民问则要给爹妈尊长拜节。

冬至 数万年的发展壮大，达成了独具特色的节令食传统文化，吃馄饨则是而言中人冬至的过年习俗，在北边特别展现。谚云：“国庆月，冬至新家家户户吃水饺。”

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.（英汉双文+毛笔书法  ASP有限公司 程成）