Happy Dongzhi!
AnimalCare 
Dec 22, 2013 
AnimalCare, NGOs 
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TheD?ngzh FestivalorWinter Solstice Festival(Chinese:??;pinyin:D?ngzh; literally “the Arrival of Winter”) is one of the most important festivals celebrated by theChineseand otherEast Asiansduring theDongzhi solar term(winter solstice) on or around December 22 (according to East Asia time). In 2013, the festival falls on Sunday, December 22.
The origins of this festival can be traced back to theyin and yangphilosophy 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 theI Chinghexagramf(?, “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 inChinese communities overseas) is the making and eating oftangyuan(??) or balls of glutinuous rice, which symbolize reunion.Tangyuanare made of glutinuous rice flour and sometimes brightly coloured. Each family member receives at least one largetangyuanin addition to several small ones. The flour balls may be plain or stuffed. They are cooked in a sweet soup or savoury broth with both the ball and the soup/broth served in one bowl.
The festive food is also a reminder that we are now a year older and should behave better in the coming year. Even today, many Chinese around the world, especially the elderly, still insist that one is “a year older” right after the Dongzhi celebration instead of waiting for theChinese New Year.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongzhi_Festival
More:
In northern China, people typically eatdumplingson Dongzhi. It is said to have originated fromZhang Zhongjingin theHan Dynasty. On one cold winter day, he saw the poor suffering fromchilblainson their ears. Feeling sympathetic, he ordered his apprentices to makedumplingswith lamb and other ingredients, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm, to keep their ears from gettingchilblains. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears, Zhang named the dish“qhn ji?o?r t?ng”(?????) or dumpling soup that expels the cold. From that time on, it has been a tradition to eat dumplings on the day of Dongzhi.
A good tradition to keep – feed the cold and hungry ones (it’s been raining these days and many street animals are cold and hungry too).
Source: http://myanimalcare.org/2013/12/22/happy-dongzhi/
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