早在2500多年前，大概在春秋時(shí)代，中國(guó)就已經(jīng)用土圭觀測(cè)太陽(yáng)的活動(dòng)，測(cè)定出了冬至，它是二十四節(jié)氣中最早制訂出的一個(gè)。這一天是北半球全年中白天最短、夜晚最長(zhǎng)的一天。冬至后，白天會(huì)變得越來(lái)越長(zhǎng)。在中國(guó)北方的一些地區(qū)，人們?cè)谶@一天喝餃子湯，而其他一些地方的居民吃餃子，這樣做將讓他們?cè)诩磳⒌絹?lái)的冬天不受凍。但在中國(guó)的南方部分地區(qū)，一家人在一起吃紅豆和糯米煮的飯來(lái)驅(qū)趕鬼魂和其他邪惡的東西。
As early as 2,500 years ago, about the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), China had determined the point of Winter Solstice by observing movements of the sun with a sundial. It is the earliest instituted in the 24 seasonal division points. The Northern hemisphere on this day experiences the shortest daytime and longest nighttime. After the Winter Solstice, days will become longer and longer. In some parts of Northern China, people drink dumpling soup on this day; while residents of some other places eat dumplings, saying doing so will keep them from frost in the upcoming winter. But in some parts of South China, the whole family will get together to have a meal made of red-bean and glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and other evil things.
