Today is DongZhi (冬 至), and it's raining heavily here in Sibu. According to the ancient belief, if it rains on DongZhi, there will be no rain during Chinese New Year! :) Looks like quite true for the past few years I observed.
According to Wikipedia, the traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms and DongZhi is 22nd solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 270° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 285°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 270°. In Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around December 21 (December 22 East Asia time) and ends around January 5.
In China, Dongzhi was originally celebrated as an end-of-harvest festival. Today, it is observed with a family reunion over the long night, when pink and white tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) are eaten in sweet broth to symbolise family unity and prosperity.
I am really craving for tangyuan... but it's hundred miles away from home. Mom, could you please courier the tangyuan to me? Any of you enjoying the tangyuan at the moment? Nowadays, there are many types of tangyuan with different flavours; I still prefer the traditional ones, pink and white, plain tangyuan cooked in sweetened juice! :)
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