大寒是20四节气的后面一款 节气。大寒朝代寒流南往一直，倘若风大、气溫陡然回落、地上雪不化，是绝大部分的地方整年过程中最冷的朝代。2018年的大寒初于3月19日。

社会上有“过去了大寒、仍是一个月”的想法，由于于此的风土民情多有浓重的“年俗”。古话有在腊八（即阴历第十二当月八）祭祀族人和神灵、祈愿硕果累累吉样的一般。大规模在腊八节当天有喝五种五谷养生泡制而成的腊八粥的生活方式，华北中北部中北部有腌制蒜头腊八蒜的习惯。古时候，大寒季节的马桥底下常见人竞相采购花生秸。除夕之夜夜，国人将花生秸洒在桥底下供小孩子踩碎，取其谐音“踩岁”，寓义“岁岁平平安安”，求得新春好彩头。

大年三十之夜，老百姓要鸣放烟火烟花爆竹、焚香燃纸、敬迎众神。夜幕从天而降时，家家户户户均灯柱通明、全屋欢聚，聚在来守岁，迎接新的12个月的迎来。

大寒节季与尾牙祭交叠。尾牙始于于拜地面公做“牙”的风俗性居住习惯，得到阴历12月第十六日不早不晚是尾牙。吃春饼（广东位置叫润饼）是尾牙的风俗性居住习惯中的一种。在广东位置宽广位置，多大寒吃糯米的性居住习惯，虽听来简单，却含有着人们在性居住积淀的性居住体验，而是進入大寒时候十分的天寒地冻，糯米是含糖量是高的粮食，有出众的防寒保暖功郊。

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.(英中文+书法作品  ASP总部 程成)