Start of Winter, the first solar term of winter

 

Today is Start of Winter, the first solar term of winter, and the 19th solar term of the whole year,which means winter is coming and crops harvested in autumn should be stored up.

There was a legend about the Start of Winter in Henan Province which said that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, a saintlike doctor saved many people from the enteric fever and their ears’ from being frostbitten around Start of Winter. 

Zhang Zhongjing wrapped ingredients including mutton, hot peppers and herb into a dough skin and made them into an ear shape to help people to dispel the cold weather.Since then, people have learned to make the food which became known as "dumpling". Even nowadays, there is still a saying that goes "Eat dumplings on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will be frostbitten".

It's getting colder, don't forget to bundle up and keep warm~