Great Snow is the twenty-first of the twenty-four solar terms, usually occurring between December 6th and 8th annually. By this time, temperatures in northern China drop significantly, the likelihood of snowfall increases, and snow begins to accumulate on the ground, hence the name "Great Snow." This marks the formal beginning of midwinter, when nature enters a scene of severe cold and frost. In traditional agrarian society, Great Snow was a critical transitional period for winter agricultural rest and field management, requiring efforts to protect livestock from the cold, store vegetables in cellars, and prepare the land for winter.
Historically, the Great Snow period embodied people's wisdom in adapting to severe cold and their simple life rituals. The folk saying "pickle vegetables in Light Snow, cure meats in Great Snow" reflects widespread customs, as the dry, cold climate provided ideal conditions for making sausages, cured meats, and other preserved foods for upcoming festivals. Practices like drawing "Cold Dispelling Diagrams" and consuming warming teas and soups were common across regions, helping people track the progress of winter and maintain health through diet. Additionally, traditions such as "working into the night" and "storing ice for festivals" demonstrate the ancient rhythm of labor aligned with seasonal changes and express hopes for an auspicious snowfall ensuring future abundance.
Today, Great Snow continues to serve as both a cultural memory and a natural reminder in modern life. Its deeper significance lies in reminding people that, despite modern heating technology, we should still respect natural cycles, emphasize the principle of "nourishing and storing" in winter, and prepare physically and mentally for the year's end.
By Liu Qin/ Yuan Ruichen
