Kemuning Palma Residents' Association Blog: December 2008

DōngZhì Festival, Tōji Festival (East Asia, Vietnam, and Buddhist)

The Winter Solstice Festival or The Extreme of Winter (Chinese and Japanese: 冬至; Korean: 동지; Vietnamese: Đông chí) (Pinyin: Dōng zhì), (Rōmaji: Tōji), (Romaja:Dongji) is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the dongzhi solar term on or around December 21 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest; i.e., on the first day of the dongzhi solar term. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. The philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram fù (復, "Returning"). Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyuan (湯圓, as pronounced in Cantonese; Mandarin Pinyin: Tāng Yuán) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion.

冬至
冬至是农历的二十四节气之一。这一天北半球黑夜最长，白昼最短。俗称“冬节”、“长至节”、“亚岁”等。

在中國傳統的陰陽五行理論中，冬至是陰消陽長轉化的關鍵節氣。在十二辟卦為地雷復卦，稱爲冬至一陽生。易復卦象曰：「雷在地中，復。先王以至日閉關，商旅不行，后不省方。」

12月21日至12月22日交节，太阳位于黃經270度，直射南回歸線。《後漢書》「禮儀志」中記載：「冬至前後，加子安身靜體，百官絕事，不聽政，擇吉辰而後省事。」由此可知從漢代起冬至是國定假日。

目前澳門是華人社會唯一以冬至作公眾假期的地區。

各地習俗

在中国北方有冬至日吃饺子的习俗，南方某些地方有冬至日吃湯圓的習俗，傳說在漢朝的醫聖張仲景體念家鄉鄉民在寒冬中工作的辛苦，在冬至那天利用羊肉等祛寒的藥材包在麵皮中，作成耳朵的樣子，給鄉民們治病補身，這個藥方的名字叫作「祛寒嬌耳湯」，嬌耳就是餃兒。中國南方則有吃湯圓等甜食的習俗，江浙一帶在冬至吃汤圆外，还要吃桂花酒酿，并祭祖，苏州还有桂花冬酿酒，只在此时节上市。大湯圓有餡的「粉團」是用于晚上祭祖，而無餡較小的粉圓用于早上拜神。