大寒是二十二四节气的最后两个两个节气。大寒节季极端天气各地多，同时风大、温度急骤降低、地面上降雪不化，是占多数地方12个月中去最冷的末期。在今年的的大寒归于11月19日。

民间风俗有“已过大寒、即是一年多”的讲究，这样这个时候的民间风俗多有浓重的“浓浓的年味”。前人有在腊八（即阳历第十二下月初八）祭祀老祖先和神灵、祈祷庆丰收福运的中国传统。部分地方在腊八节首日有喝几种粗粮熬煮而成的腊八粥的自觉性，华东地方有淹制腊八蒜的民间风俗。古时候，大寒时期的小巷大街各有人竞相够买黑芝麻酱秸。大年三十夜，顾客将黑芝麻酱秸洒在回家路上供幼儿踩碎，取其谐音“踩岁”，意喻“岁岁太平人寿”，求得新春好彩头。

除夕夜之夜，他们要鸣放烟火花炮、焚香燃纸、敬迎众神。夜幕将临时，每家每一户每一户灯柱通明、一家人欢聚，聚在同食守岁，迎接新的3年的将至。

大寒季节与尾牙祭从叠。尾牙出于于拜农田公做“牙”的民间风俗，快到老历12月第十六日就掉进了是尾牙。吃春饼（广东位置叫润饼）是尾牙的民间风俗之三。在广东位置各位位置，有很大寒吃糯米的自觉性，虽听来简易，却涉及到着古人在活中积聚的活經驗，而且进人大寒天气状况极为冷，糯米是发热量相当高的吃的东西，有出众的抗冷功效与作用。

Major Cold

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Major cold, the 24^th solar term, is the last solar term in the lunar calendar. Major cold begins on Jan 19 this year.

A folk saying goes:” A new year begins after major cold.” Many of the fold customs during this period are closely related to the lunar new year. Laba festival, celebrated on the 8^th day of the twelfth lunar month, falls during major cold. It is custom to have Laba porridge, made from 8 types of grains, on this day to pay respects to ancestors and gods.

In the old times, people rushed to buy sesame stalks during major cold. The stalks were laid on the ground for kids to crush with their feet (cai sui) on new year’s eve, homophonic to “ wishing a safe and sound coming year.”

Chinese people like to fire fireworks and burn incense paper to pay respects to the gods and welcome the new year. The whole family would get together well into the night on New Year’s Eve to wait for the arrival of the New Year.

Major Cold coincides with the time of end-of-year offerings, which falls on 16^th day of the twelfth lunar month. Eating spring cakes, usually stirfried julienned vegetables wrapped in thin pancakes made from flour, is a custom in many parts of China.

Those in South China like to eat glutinous rice during major cold. This custom, though simple, shows the wisdom of Chinese ancestors. Glutinous rice is high in calories compared to other grains, which made it a suitable staple during the harsh cold winter in the old times.(汉英文翻译+书法艺术  ASP工厂 程成)