Category: Chinese customs

Introduction
“Winter Begins” arrives on November 7 or November 8 each year. In Chinese, it’s called“Li Dong”. “Li” means beginning and “Dong” means winter. In ancient times, theexplanation for “Dong” was that “all the crops are harvested and dried and it’s time toput them into the storage. All the animals are ready to hide and start winter sleep”.Therefore, “Dong” not only means winter, but also that the metabolism of the naturegets slower. At this time of the year, some rivers and landscape in China start to freeze.In north China, most of the areas already enter winter and for places besides YangtzeRiver, the real winter comes after “Light Snow”.

Introduction
“Hoar-Frost Falls” usually happens on October 23 each year when the sun reaches thecelestial longitude of 210 degrees. Most areas along the Yellow River have frost falling.As the last solar term in autumn, temperature in many places reach 0 degree Celsius.The vapor in the air freezes on the ground in the form of tiny ice needles or hexagonalflower shapes. The leaves fall and worms stop eating and prepare for hibernation.There are some chemical changes to the leaves of some tress such as maple,persimmon tree and Eurasian smoke tree after this day. The colors turn to red fromgreen and it’s the best time to see the red autumn leaves.

Introduction
“Cold Dews” is the 17 solar term of the 24 solar terms and falls on October 8 orOctober 9 each year. It means that it’s colder than “White Dews” and the dews arebecoming frost. During this period, most of the areas around Nanling enter autumn andnorth-east and north-west of China will soon enter winter. When the sun reaches thecelestial longitude of 195 degrees, the swan gooses fly to south in a “single line” or a“herringbone shaped line”, most of the sparrows are gone and chrysanthemum startsto bloom.