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，是二十四节气的第19个节气，也是汉族传统节日之一，作为干支历戌月的结束以及亥月的起始;时间点在公历每年11月7或8日，即太阳位于黄经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.
我国古代将立冬分为三候：“一候水始冰；二候地始冻；三候雉入大水为蜃。”
Customs
节气习俗
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.
我国过去是个农耕社会，劳动了一年的人们，利用立冬这一天要休息一下，顺便犒赏一家人一年来的辛苦。
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，古代皇帝会斋戒沐浴。在立冬那一天携文武百官到郊区行“迎冬”之礼
Eating dumplings
吃饺子
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.
传说在东汉末年，“医圣”张仲景医治好了河南民众的伤寒病，他们的耳朵在立冬期间也没有被冻伤。张仲景煮了羊肉、红辣椒以及驱寒的草药来增加身体热量。他把这些材料包入面皮里，捏成了耳朵的形状。
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".
从那以后，人们就学会了制作名为“饺子”的食物。现如今还流传着依据老话“立冬不端饺子碗，冻掉耳朵没人管。”
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.
现在，立冬之日，一些人选择在黑龙江哈尔滨等极冷的地方举办冬泳比赛来庆祝冬至。
Health Preservation
节气养生
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”节气过后，就意味着今年的冬季正式来临。从中医养生的角度，起居调养应以“养藏”为主，建议早睡晚起，饮食上多吃滋阴的食物，可以开始适当进补。
QH 养生小贴士
立冬”节气过后，就意味着今年的冬季正式来临。从中医养生的角度，起居调养应以“养藏”为主。寒冷的冬季是关节炎的高发季节，保护关节要从日常生活做起，尤其要注意以下几点。
一、注意保暖
尤其是注意四肢末梢的保暖。这是因为四肢末梢血液循环差，对外界温度变化敏感，因此在冬季外出时要戴上手套、帽子，穿保暖的棉鞋。有膝关节炎的患者最好戴上护膝，防止膝关节受凉。
二、合理饮食
俗话说“三九补一冬，来年无病痛”，冬季也是进补的好时机，但要提醒大家的是，进补时，要使肠胃有个适应过程，最好先做引补。中老年人在膳食中注意多食含钙食物，如牛奶、豆制品、虾皮、海带、核桃、土豆等，可增加钙质摄入。另外，少吃辛辣刺激性食物以及生冷、油腻之物，多吃蔬菜水果，也有利于膝关节的保护。
三、重视“信号”
当出现反复膝盖疼痛、酸胀，下楼腿疼时，或天气变化时关节不舒服等症状，应引起重视，这些都是关节疾病初期的信号。早期的关节病经过对症治疗、保护和锻炼，能够缓解症状、改善功能、延缓病程及矫正畸形。
四、适当运动
许多关节炎患者在观念上有个误区，认为患了关节炎要多休息，少活动，才能保护好患病的膝关节，其实这对保护关节并不利。关节炎患者锻炼总的原则是“休息关节，锻炼肌肉”。在寒冷的冬季可以适当选择室内运动，如做床上抬腿运动，用大腿带动小腿，膝关节不弯曲，这种锻炼方式的好处是不受场地的限制。关节炎患者不适宜进行剧烈活动，如蹲马步、蹲下起立、爬楼梯、登山等，这些活动会增加关节负荷，加剧关节的磨损。
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