| IN my hometown, Taizhou, which is a city located within Zhejiang Province, we have the tradition that every family holds a feast to gather with the relatives and friends, around the date of Dongzhi, or winter solstice. I don't know the origin of this kind of tradition - whether the feast is to celebrate the date of "winter solstice", but there is one thing that is sure --it is a good chance to meet and communicate with relatives and friends. P.S. There is another similar feast in Summer called "Qi ri ban" or "seven and a half days" if translated into English directly. I guess, "Qi ri ban" may be the local name of "summer solstice" since I have hardly heard people mention "summer solstice". |
Dongzhi - Winter Solstice