Minor Cold ,the 23nd solar term in the whole year

Today is Minor Cold ,the 23nd solar term in the whole year.During Minor Cold, most areas in China have entered the bitter cold stage of winter.

While bitter cold can't prevent people from enjoying their lives,they start stocking New Year goods, which include Spring Festival couplets, New Year pictures, paper-cuts for window decoration, fire crackers, incense and lanterns.

During Minor Cold people always eat some hot food to benefit the body and defend against the invasion of cold weather — hot foods like pepper, cinnamon, leeks, and parsley. Mutton hot pot, chestnuts and baked sweet potato are three recommended foods for Minor Cold. According to traditional Chinese medicine theories, people need to eat food that contains more yang energy to prevent cold from harming their organs. The yang energy in the three types of food is strengthened through their method of cooking: boiling, stir frying and baking. Mutton hot pot, chestnuts and baked sweet potato are three recommended foods for Minor Cold. Beef, sesame, walnuts, almonds and raisins are also good choices for Minor Cold.

There is an old Chinese saying that goes, "Get exercise in the coldest days of winter." Generally, Minor Cold is the coldest period in China, which is the best time for exercising and improving one's physique. To keep warm, the children of China have special games to play, such as hoop rollingand the cockfighting game.