The winter solstice and the beginning of winter are both seasons that we are familiar with in our daily life, and they have far-reaching significance. In particular, it is worth noting that the beginning of winter comes from the beginning of December every year, and the winter solstice is approaching at the end of December at the end of the year. Therefore, does the winter solstice or the beginning of winter represent the official beginning of winter?
1. The beginning of winter is the beginning of winter
As the first solar term of winter, the beginning of winter is exactly at 225 degrees of ecliptic longitude. However, due to the vast territory of the mainland and the huge difference in longitude on the surface, the real winter solar terms cannot be determined by just one "beginning of winter", but for the whole country, every time the temperature falls below minus 10 degrees Celsius for many days, it marks the official start of winter. However, in the traditional understanding, "winter" means the end of the day, so it is often said that "after the beginning of winter, the sunshine hours gradually decrease, and the height of the sun at noon decreases", which is regarded as the beginning of winter. The mainland also uses this day of winter as a symbol of the beginning of winter throughout the year.
2. The winter solstice is the beginning of the coldest period of the year, which means the beginning of the counting of nine days.
The so-called "number nine" actually refers to the ancient way used by the ancients to measure the cold period of long winter, which originates from the winter solstice in the 24 solar terms, and is calculated from the day of the lunar calendar, with nine days each time as an interval. This method of calculating the number of cold days is widely circulated among the people and has a long history, but there is a lack of conclusive literature to confirm its origin and specific creation date. Nevertheless, according to folklore, after a long period of nine cold days (about 90 days in total), when the value reaches the point of "ninety-nine plus one-nine, and the cultivated land is all over the hillside", as the weather gradually warms up, spring blossoms will come. In fact, "ninety-nine and nineteen, ploughing cattle everywhere" happens to cover a total of 90 days of time.
So, what are the significant differences between the winter solstice and the beginning of winter?
The beginning of winter and the winter solstice have their own characteristics in many aspects: the time difference is obvious, the meaning is different, the climate shows unique characteristics, and each has its own unique folk customs.
First of all, from the perspective of time, the beginning of winter, as a part of the 24 solar terms, is also the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, and the date falls between November 7 and 8 of each year in the Gregorian calendar, when the sun is exactly at 225 degrees of ecliptic longitude; In contrast, the winter solstice usually falls around December 21 or 22 of the Gregorian calendar. Since the location of the winter solstice is not fixed on a specific date, its accuracy is comparable to that of the lunar calendar, and Qingming is known as the "living festival".
Secondly, there are subtle differences in the interpretation of the meanings of the two solar terms: the beginning of winter symbolizes the beginning of winter, that is, the meteorological change process from mild to cold; The winter solstice heralds the beginning of winter, and the weather is getting colder.
In addition, looking at the climatic characteristics, although the beginning of winter is the first solar term of winter, it does not mean that the whole winter has entered a harsh stage since then. In other words, according to the calendar, from the beginning of winter, winter will also enter three months, of which the winter solstice day has the shortest sunshine time, and the daylight may even become the shortest time of the year.
Finally, from a customary point of view, although in many regions people hold various events in early winter to usher in winter or celebrate the winter solstice... We're sorry, but we can't continue to optimize the original text for you. You can click the "Try Again" button, or try again with a different paragraph. I will continue to work hard to help you more.