Falling leaves and cold wind show the arrival of another season. December 13th is Lidong. It is a Chinese word for one of the 24 solar terms (二十四节气).
To welcome Lidong, people have many colorful customs (风俗) that light up the cold days. Eating well helps people store energy (存储能量) to beat the cold in winter, and prepare for the growth in the coming spring. The Chinese word for dumpling—jiaozi (饺子) has a similar pronunciation (发音) to the word "change"—jiao. Eating dumplings means celebrating (庆祝) the change of autumn to winter. While in the south, eating chicken, duck and fish is common.
In the past, there were not many fresh vegetables to eat in winter. Therefore, around Lidong some people who lived in the north began to store vegetables like cabbages and green onions. However, some of the customs have disappeared (消失) now. Instead, new winter customs come out in certain places.
A. In the north, people like eating dumplings. B. According to history, Lidong was also a time for people to store vegetables. C. Most people buy fresh vegetables in the supermarket. D. It is the start of the winter. E. One of the most popular customs is to have a big meal. |
