The solar term is used for reflecting weather and climate changes, mastering agricultural seasons, and influencing the food, clothes, and transportation of thousands of families. The twenty-four solar terms originated in the Yellow River Basin, and as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, ancient Chinese sages established four solar terms, such as mid-spring, mid-summer, mid-autumn, and mid-winter, which were continuously developed and perfected.

This year's Start of Winter begins on November 7 to November 21, marking the official approach of winter season in Chinese lunar year. In Chinese culture, winter represents the end of all things, which means that all food harvested in autumn should be stored properly for the consumption during the winter, and animals will hide themselves in shelters and be ready for hibernation.

Precipitation reduces dramatically in most places of China towards the Start of Winter. The land freezes over in the northeast, and crops in agriculture and forestry begin to overwinter. The "Three Autumns" in the Jianghuai region are coming to an end. The south of the country needs to plant late winter wheat crops and rush to transplant rape, while the north comes to the wintering period. Furthermore, the air tends to dry up after winter, and the soil holds less water, therefore efforts on forest fire prevention begin at this time.

Chinese people have a tendency of acquiring nutritious supplement in the winter in order to be more active in the future year, and they pay special attention to food tonic before the Start of Winter to refill their strength and resist the winter cold. Because our society is agrarian and people work hard all year, people see Start of Winter as a day off to reward the family for their hard work all year.