随着太阳缓缓移动至南回归线，北半球迎来了一年中最长的夜晚——冬至。这一天标志着冬季的正式开始，同时也象征着阳气回升、春意渐浓的美好寓意。在中国，冬至不仅是二十四节气之一，更是一个承载着深厚文化意义的传统节日。

As the sun slowly moves to the Tropic of Capricorn, the Northern Hemisphere welcomes the longest night of the year – the Winter Solstice. This day marks the official start of winter and also symbolizes the beautiful meaning of yang energy rising and spring approaching. In China, the Winter Solstice is not only one of the twenty-four solar terms but also a traditional festival with deep cultural significance.

冬至作为节日已有超过2500年的历史，早在周代，人们便以冬十一月为一年的开端，将冬至视为新年起点。在古代中国，无论是皇室还是平民，都会在这一天举行庆祝活动，以示对新的一年的美好祝愿。《汉书》记载，“冬至阳气起，君道长，故贺……”，表明古人视冬至为吉祥之日，象征着阴阳转换的开始。

The Winter Solstice has been celebrated as a festival for over 2,500 years. In the Zhou Dynasty, people considered the eleventh month of winter the beginning of the year, treating the Winter Solstice as the start of the new year. In ancient China, both the imperial court and commoners would hold celebrations on this day to express their good wishes for the coming year. According to the Book of Han, “Yang energy rises at the Winter Solstice; the path of the ruler grows, so congratulations are in order...”, indicating that the ancients regarded the Winter Solstice as an auspicious day, marking the beginning of the transformation between yin and yang.

在中国，冬至有许多传统的庆祝习俗。其中最著名的莫过于“吃饺子”。饺子不仅是一种美味的食物，更承载着团聚和幸福的美好寓意。除此之外，冬至还是一个重要的家庭团聚日，家人会聚在一起享用美食，共度温馨时光。在一些地区，人们还会进行祭祖活动，以表达对先人的怀念之情。

In China, there are many traditional customs for celebrating the Winter Solstice. The most famous is “eating dumplings.” Dumplings are not only delicious but also carry the beautiful meaning of reunion and happiness. Moreover, the Winter Solstice is an important day for family reunions, when family members gather to enjoy delicious food and spend quality time together. In some areas, people also perform ancestral worship to express their remembrance of their ancestors.