The Winter Solstice is the day when night time is the longest of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the day when night time is shortest in the southern hemisphere.
Origin of the Winter Solstice
Due to geographical location as well as cultural interference over the years, the Vietnamese Winter Solstice is similar to the Chinese Winter Solstice, both originating from the agricultural calendar (or Lunar Calendar).
Based on the operation of the Sun, Moon and stars in the sky combined with the law of Yin and Yang, the ancients realized that in a year we have 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Each season includes 6 solar terms, a total of 24 solar terms in a year, of which 8 main solar terms are: Lap spring, Spring equinox, Lap summer, Summer solstice, Lap autumn, Autumn equinox, Lap winter and Winter solstice.
These eight periods were born according to the ancient Chinese calendar and their names symbolize the beginning of a season and the end of a season. The Winter Solstice (or Winter Solstice) is the last period of the year and the Winter Solstice is a milestone in the last period of the year that helps Chinese people determine the Lunar New Year date of the next year.
According to Western Astronomy, this day marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere, and the beginning of summer in the southern hemisphere. According to the Eastern point of view, the Winter Solstice is the day in the middle of winter, the word Chi (至) in Winter Solstice (冬至) means reaching the extreme point. On this day, the Sun will be at its highest southern point in the sky at noon, then slowly return to the north.
The Winter Solstice is the day when night time is the longest of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the day when night time is shortest in the southern hemisphere.
When is the winter solstice 2023?
Winter solstice is the first day of the winter solstice. This weather period usually begins around December 21 – 22 of the solar calendar and ends around January 5 – 6 of the following year , before the Tieu Cold period begins.
The Winter Solstice 2023 lasts from Friday, December 22, 2023 of the solar calendar, which is November 10 of the lunar calendar, and ends on Friday, January 5, 2024 of the solar calendar, which is November 24 of the lunar calendar.
Thus, this year’s winter solstice lasts 15 days. The first day is the Winter Solstice – Friday, December 22, 2023.
In Western astronomical terms, it is the time relative to the planet’s position in orbit around the Sun. It is when the solar longitude is 270 degrees in the Northern Hemisphere, and is also the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
What’s special about the Winter Solstice?
Our Earth does not lie flat, but it is tilted 23.5 degrees compared to the plane of the Zodiac. So on the Winter Solstice, our Earth’s southern hemisphere will tilt the most towards the Sun.
The Winter Solstice in Vietnam is nothing special. However, many places around the world choose this day as a festival day. The solstice occurs twice a year, one in the summer called the summer solstice in June, and the other in the winter called the winter solstice in December. On the winter solstice, the Sun is highest in the sky. south, on the summer solstice, the sun is highest in the north.
Determining the date of the winter solstice is very important. Actually, in Vietnam, the Winter Solstice is nothing special, but it is an important day for many countries around the world.
For the Chinese
Because the Winter Solstice is determined according to ancient Chinese culture, it has great significance for the people in this country and the peoples who have influenced ancient Chinese culture. Because from the Chinese point of view, The winter solstice is a very important factor so astronomers can determine the date of the Lunar New Year as well as determine the leap month in the lunar calendar. That’s why the meaning of the Winter Solstice is very important to the Chinese.
Currently, Chinese people all over the world consider the Winter Solstice Festival as a unique traditional holiday of their people. This is the time for holding very important rituals in traditional Chinese beliefs for thousands of years.
During this time, traditional festivals and customs are held, especially the custom of eating tangyuan . This is “water sweet soup” – a typical dish of the Chinese people.
For countries around the world
Vietnamese tradition does not have any special activities during the Winter Solstice. However, the Winter Solstice is also a very bustling time in countries around the world. festivals in many parts of the world such as: Festivus, Kwanzaa, Yalda, Saturnalia, Hanukkah, and HumanLight . Especially the Yule Festival of Wicca. This is one of eight Sabbat festivals of Neopagans in the world today.
- Yule Festival of the Norse, Tuton and Celtic people : In the Nordic, Tuton and Celtic countries, the Winter Solstice is the time of the Yule festival. This is the occasion when people honor gods such as Odin, Thor and Frey during their climactic night of hunting.
- Romanian Yalda Festival : Romanians celebrate the Yalda festival on the Winter Solstice to celebrate the escape from darkness. During this festival, they often wear bear costumes and participate in parade activities at night.
- Saturnalia Festival of the Ancient Romans: The Saturnalia Festival was an important part of ancient Roman culture. On this day, people honored the god of agriculture Saturn for giving them food. This is a time to relax, have fun, and show gratitude.
- Christmas: Christmas is also a big holiday that many countries around the world celebrate, including Vietnam. In addition to the meaning of the Winter Solstice, Christians believe that this is the day Jesus was born. That’s why Christians take this festival very seriously.
Characteristics of the Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is known for having the longest night of the year. However, only countries in the Northern Hemisphere feel that night is longer than day, while in countries in the Southern Hemisphere, day is longer than night.
The Winter Solstice is the time when all living things nourish their vitality and prepare for the period of growth and development in spring. This is the coldest time of the year, so animals, plants and people are in a reduced state, with little contact with the outside environment. Many species operate in a latent form, waiting for an opportunity to become active later.
During the winter solstice, the trade winds and ocean air masses cause the weather to change a lot, rarely causing heavy rain, but sometimes it is very dry, and sometimes there is a very uncomfortable muggy phenomenon.
During the winter solstice, the trade winds and ocean air masses will change the weather a lot . Although it does not cause much impact or much rain, it causes wet and humid rain that makes people uncomfortable.
The winter solstice is also the day that marks the biggest weather change of the year. Therefore, people need to prepare their health and rearrange their lives to adapt to these changes.
During the winter solstice, the harsh cold weather will be detrimental to people with respiratory and bone and joint diseases. During this time, you should supplement vitamin C to improve resistance and eat well to supplement your body’s nutrition.
Elderly people and people with bone and joint diseases should use functional foods and foot massage to help blood circulation and sleep better and deeper.
In addition, during this time, families can use dehumidifiers and clothes dryers to avoid humidity and humidity.