Winter Solstice Calendar

Winter Solstice, also Winter Festival, is not only an important one of the 24 solar terms, but also a traditional festival in folk China. As one of the eight major solar terms, Winter Solstice has been dominated by the tradition of sacrificing ancestors to show filial piety and remember the origin. The forms of ancestor worship vary from place to place due to the different customs. While offering sacrifices to ancestors, some places would also worship the gods and the main offerings include three sacrifices (pig, sheep and cow), three cups of tea and five glasses of wine. Winter Solstice is regarded as a major festival in winter. There is a proverb of "Winter Solstice is as important as Spring Festival" and this is why the ancients called Winter Solstice "Minor Spring Festival" or "Minor Chinese New Year".