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Solar term 22 of 24
Winter Solstice
冬至 · Dongzhi
The Sun stands over the Tropic of Capricorn: the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. After today, days lengthen again. It was once so important that people said “the winter solstice is as big as New Year”.
The three pentads
- 蚯蚓結Earthworms curl up
- 麋角解Elk shed their antlers
- 水泉動Springs begin to flow
Each solar term is split into three pentads of about five days, each marked by a sign in nature.
Customs
The north eats dumplings and the south eats sweet rice balls. People also start “counting the nines”, nine periods of nine days until spring.
Sky file
- Sun's longitude
- 270°
- Type
- Principal term (zhongqi)
- Season
- Winter
- Chinese month
- 子 Zi month (Major Snow to Minor Cold)
- Sun's position
- Enters Capricorn
- Dates
- Dec 22, 2026 · Dec 22, 2027
Dates are in Beijing time.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Winter Solstice?
- Dec 22, 2026; Dec 22, 2027 (the moment the term begins, Beijing time).
- What are the three pentads of Winter Solstice?
- Pentad 1: 蚯蚓結 (Earthworms curl up); Pentad 2: 麋角解 (Elk shed their antlers); Pentad 3: 水泉動 (Springs begin to flow).
- What customs are associated with Winter Solstice?
- The north eats dumplings and the south eats sweet rice balls. People also start “counting the nines”, nine periods of nine days until spring.
- Where is the Sun at Winter Solstice?
- The Sun reaches ecliptic longitude 270° (entering Capricorn). Winter Solstice is a principal term (zhongqi) in winter.
For culture and fun: personality and tradition only, no predictions.