Lidong, or Start of Winter, the 19th of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar, announces that winter is coming.
立冬,二十四节气中的第19个节气,标志着冬天的开始。
The north winds whistle, the remaining leaves rustle.
北风呼啸,残叶作响。
Temperatures drop, and crops harvested in autumn should be stored. Even animals begin to store food for hibernation.
温度骤降,禾谷封藏。动物们也都开始为冬眠存粮。
People in North China traditionally eat jiaozi, or dumplings during this time of year.
立冬时,中国北方有吃饺子的习俗。
One legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220), "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing saved many people from a typhoid epidemic and their ears' from being frostbitten around Start of Winter.
相传东汉末年时,“医圣”张仲景在立冬前后拯救了许多人免于伤寒和耳朵冻伤。
He cooked mutton, hot peppers and herbs to dispel the cold and increase body heat, then wrapped these ingredients into a dough skin all folded into the shape of an ear.
他烹煮羊肉、辣椒和草药来驱寒增热,并把这些材料包在面皮里,做成了耳朵的形状。
Since then, people have refined this food which today is known as "jiaozi".
从那时起,人们就学会了制作这种被称为“饺子”的食物。
Today there is still a saying that goes "Eat jiaozi on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will freeze".
今天仍有“立冬不端饺子碗,冻掉耳朵没人管”的说法。
Conversely, people in Southeast China like to eat high-calorie food such as chicken, duck, beef, mutton, and fish, which are usually stewed with Chinese herbal medicines to enhance nourishment during this colder period.
在中国东南部,人们喜欢吃鸡、鸭、牛、羊肉、鱼等高热量的食物,和中药一起炖,以增强营养。