Today is Dongzhi or Winter Solstice, which is still an important cultural holiday these days.
Dongzhi means the arrival of winter. The farmers would lay down their tools and celebrate the harvest by coming home to their families. A feast would be prepared to mark this occasion. It is the day when families get together. In the southern parts of China it is a tradition to eat tangyuans, and in northern China, people typically eat dumplings.
