Start of Winter, the 19th solar term of Chinese lunar Calender, is one of the traditional festival for Han Chinese. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 225°. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around November 7 and ends around November 22.
立冬，是二十四節(jié)氣的第19個(gè)節(jié)氣，也是漢族傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日之一，作為干支歷戌月的結(jié)束以及亥月的起始;時(shí)間點(diǎn)在公歷每年11月7或8日，即太陽(yáng)位于黃經(jīng)225°。
The three pentads of Start of Winter
冬至三候
Pentad 1: Start of Winter begins and water begins to freeze.
Pentad 2: The earth begins to harden.
Pentad 3: Pheasants enter the water and become clams.
我國(guó)古代將立冬分為三候：“一候水始冰；二候地始凍；三候雉入大水為蜃?！?/p>
Customs
節(jié)氣習(xí)俗
China was a farming country in the past, so people would have a break on the day of Start of Winter after a busy year, cooking delicious food as a reward.
我國(guó)過(guò)去是個(gè)農(nóng)耕社會(huì)，勞動(dòng)了一年的人們，利用立冬這一天要休息一下，順便犒賞一家人一年來(lái)的辛苦。
Welcoming the winter in ancient times
迎冬
Before the Start of Winter, the ancient emperor would take a shower and have no more meat. On that day, the emperor would lead his officials to the suburbs and perform the ceremony of "welcoming the winter."
立冬前，古代皇帝會(huì)齋戒沐浴。在立冬那一天攜文武百官到郊區(qū)行“迎冬”之禮
Eating dumplings?
吃餃子
A legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220), "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing saved many people in Henan province from a typhoid epidemic and their ears from being frostbitten around Start of Winter. He cooked mutton, hot peppers and herbs to dispel the cold and increase body heat. He wrapped these ingredients into a dough skin and made them into an ear shape.
傳說(shuō)在東漢末年，“醫(yī)圣”張仲景醫(yī)治好了河南民眾的傷寒病，他們的耳朵在立冬期間也沒(méi)有被凍傷。張仲景煮了羊肉、紅辣椒以及驅(qū)寒的草藥來(lái)增加身體熱量。他把這些材料包入面皮里，捏成了耳朵的形狀。
Since then, people have learned to make the food which became known as "dumpling". Today there is still a saying that goes "Eat dumplings on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will be frostbitten".
從那以后，人們就學(xué)會(huì)了制作名為“餃子”的食物?，F(xiàn)如今還流傳著依據(jù)老話“立冬不端餃子碗，凍掉耳朵沒(méi)人管?！?/p>
In modern days, to celebrate the festival, some people choose to have swimming competitions in the icy rivers found in bitterly cold places like Harbin in Heilongjiang Province.
現(xiàn)在，立冬之日，一些人選擇在黑龍江哈爾濱等極冷的地方舉辦冬泳比賽來(lái)慶祝冬至。
Health Preservation
節(jié)氣養(yǎng)生
Start of Winter indicates the real arrival of winter. According to traditional Chinese medicine, health preservation in this period should focus on “nourishment and storage”. Sleeping early, getting up late, taking more nourishing food and food which enriches Yin are recommended.
立冬”節(jié)氣過(guò)后，就意味著今年的冬季正式來(lái)臨。從中醫(yī)養(yǎng)生的角度，起居調(diào)養(yǎng)應(yīng)以“養(yǎng)藏”為主，建議早睡晚起，飲食上多吃滋陰的食物，可以開(kāi)始適當(dāng)進(jìn)補(bǔ)。
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
QH 養(yǎng)生小貼士
立冬”節(jié)氣過(guò)后，就意味著今年的冬季正式來(lái)臨。從中醫(yī)養(yǎng)生的角度，起居調(diào)養(yǎng)應(yīng)以“養(yǎng)藏”為主。寒冷的冬季是關(guān)節(jié)炎的高發(fā)季節(jié)，保護(hù)關(guān)節(jié)要從日常生活做起，尤其要注意以下幾點(diǎn)。
一、注意保暖
尤其是注意四肢末梢的保暖。這是因?yàn)樗闹┥已貉h(huán)差，對(duì)外界溫度變化敏感，因此在冬季外出時(shí)要戴上手套、帽子，穿保暖的棉鞋。有膝關(guān)節(jié)炎的患者最好戴上護(hù)膝，防止膝關(guān)節(jié)受涼。
二、合理飲食
俗話說(shuō)“三九補(bǔ)一冬，來(lái)年無(wú)病痛”，冬季也是進(jìn)補(bǔ)的好時(shí)機(jī)，但要提醒大家的是，進(jìn)補(bǔ)時(shí)，要使腸胃有個(gè)適應(yīng)過(guò)程，最好先做引補(bǔ)。中老年人在膳食中注意多食含鈣食物，如牛奶、豆制品、蝦皮、海帶、核桃、土豆等，可增加鈣質(zhì)攝入。另外，少吃辛辣刺激性食物以及生冷、油膩之物，多吃蔬菜水果，也有利于膝關(guān)節(jié)的保護(hù)。
三、重視“信號(hào)”
當(dāng)出現(xiàn)反復(fù)膝蓋疼痛、酸脹，下樓腿疼時(shí)，或天氣變化時(shí)關(guān)節(jié)不舒服等癥狀，應(yīng)引起重視，這些都是關(guān)節(jié)疾病初期的信號(hào)。早期的關(guān)節(jié)病經(jīng)過(guò)對(duì)癥治療、保護(hù)和鍛煉，能夠緩解癥狀、改善功能、延緩病程及矯正畸形。
四、適當(dāng)運(yùn)動(dòng)
許多關(guān)節(jié)炎患者在觀念上有個(gè)誤區(qū)，認(rèn)為患了關(guān)節(jié)炎要多休息，少活動(dòng)，才能保護(hù)好患病的膝關(guān)節(jié)，其實(shí)這對(duì)保護(hù)關(guān)節(jié)并不利。關(guān)節(jié)炎患者鍛煉總的原則是“休息關(guān)節(jié)，鍛煉肌肉”。在寒冷的冬季可以適當(dāng)選擇室內(nèi)運(yùn)動(dòng)，如做床上抬腿運(yùn)動(dòng)，用大腿帶動(dòng)小腿，膝關(guān)節(jié)不彎曲，這種鍛煉方式的好處是不受場(chǎng)地的限制。關(guān)節(jié)炎患者不適宜進(jìn)行劇烈活動(dòng)，如蹲馬步、蹲下起立、爬樓梯、登山等，這些活動(dòng)會(huì)增加關(guān)節(jié)負(fù)荷，加劇關(guān)節(jié)的磨損。
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