Annual cultural festival marks winter solstice

Children learn to make Tangyuan, or glutinous rice balls, during the annual cultural festival to mark winter solstice in Xiepu town, Ningbo's Zhenhai district, on Dec 16. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The annual cultural festival to mark the winter solstice, which this year falls on Dec 21, was held in Xiepu town, Ningbo's Zhenhai district, on Dec 16.

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. The winter solstice, the 22nd solar term of the year, marks the arrival of the coldest season.

In folk culture the winter solstice is special. As an old saying goes: "The winter solstice is as important as the Spring Festival."

The festival in Xiepu town gathered together more than 100 families. Both parents and children were dressed up in traditional garments and learned how to make traditional food including Tangyuan, or glutinous rice balls, and Tanghulu, or sugar-coated hawthorn apples on a stick.