Dongzhi is a traditional festival celebrated by the Chinese. The most popular way to celebrate this day is by eating dumplings, a traditional Chinese food. The dumplings on the Dongzhi Festival have different meaning with the dumplings of the Spring Festival. There is a legendary story about why the Chinese eat dumplings on that day.It is said that in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing, one of the finest Chinese physicians in history, went back to his hometown before the Spring Festival. It was one of the coldest winters in decades, and many people in his hometown suffered from frostbitten ears. Warm-hearted as he is, he wanted to do something to help.However, how can he treat so many people at the same time? Then an idea came to him. Why not mix the herbs with meat and make the mixture became fillings of a kind of food? So he asked his apprentices to mix the medical herbs and make a new kind of food which looks like ears – the dumpling. Then, they set up a spot in the town, and distributed 2 dumplings to those who suffered from frostbitten ears.They healed soon after they had eaten the dumplings. Then the news had spread that eating dumplings can cure frostbitten ears. Therefore, to avoid frostbitten ears and to honor Zhang Zhongjing, Chinese people eat dumplings on that exact day Zhangzhongjing gave out dumplings-Dec, 22.