The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Winter, (Chinese: 立冬), the 19th solar term of the year, begins this year on Nov 7 and ends on Nov 21.

　　中国传统农历将一年分为24个节气。“立冬”是24节气中的第19个节气，今年从11月7号开始，21号结束。

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

　　“立冬”是冬季的第一个节气，它意味着冬天到来，秋季丰收的作物全部要储存起来。

　　Here are eight things you should know about Start of Winter.

　　以下是关于“立冬”你要知道的八件事。

　　Beginning of winter or not

　　立冬就代表着入冬?

　　In ancient times, the Chinese people took the Start of Winter to be the beginning of the winter. However, in fact, the Start of Winter is not the beginning of winter in terms of meteorology. The climate every year is different, so the beginning of winter could be quite different. And with the vast territory of China, winter of every area doesn’t begin at the same time.

　　中国古代的人们认为立冬就是冬天开始了。事实上，农历的“立冬”并不是气象学上冬季的开始。每年的气候条件不同，所以实际入冬的时间就有差异。再加上中国幅员辽阔，各地冬季开始的时间并不一致。

　　Welcoming the winter in ancient times

　　古代的迎冬活动

　　The four beginnings of the seasons were important festivals in ancient times. Before the Start of Winter, the ancient emperor would take a shower and have no more meat. On that day, the emperor would lead his officials to the suburbs and perform the ceremony of "welcoming the winter."

　　二十四节气中的四立，在中国古代是重要的节日，在“立冬”之前，天子会戒斋沐浴，“立冬”这一天，亲率群臣出郊，行“迎冬之礼”。

　　Eating dumplings

　　吃饺子

　　A legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220), "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing saved many people in Henan province from a typhoidepidemic and their ears’ from being frostbitten around Start of Winter.

　　相传在东汉(公元25-220年)末年，“立冬”前后，很多河南省的老百姓患上了伤寒，耳朵被冻伤，“医圣”张仲景知道后巧施妙法帮老百姓治好了伤寒和耳冻。

　　He cooked mutton, hot peppers and herbs to dispel the cold and increase body heat. He wrapped these ingredients into a dough skin and made them into an ear shape. Since then, people have learned to make the food which became known as "dumpling". Today there is still a saying that goes "Eat dumplings on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will be frostbitten".

　　张仲景将羊肉，辣椒以及驱寒提热的药材煮熟，包在耳朵状的面皮中。此后，老百姓也开始模仿制作这种“耳朵状”食物即现在被大家熟知的饺子。直到今天，仍有“立冬不端饺子碗，冻掉耳朵没人管”的说法。