Beginning of Winter，立冬 lì dōng

Beginning of Winter, the first solar term of winter, is also one of the traditional festivals of China. It's the 19th in the 24 solar terms and the first of the six winter solar terms. Beginning of winter means that everything enters a state of recuperation. Precipitation in most parts of China decreases significantly during this period. Agricultural and forestry crops in northern China have entered the wintering period.

Since the Republic of China, the traditional customs of celebrating the winter seem to simplify. But some activities are becoming more fixed, more stylized, more universal such as winter swimming and health preservation.

Winter Swimming: Some places now have innovative ways to celebrate the beginning of winter. Winter swimming enthusiasts have used this way to welcome the arrival of winter on this day in Harbin of Heilongjiang Province, Shangqiu of Henan Province, Yichun of Jiangxi Province and Wuhan of Hubei Province. Whether in the north or the south, winter swimming is a favorite way to exercise in winter.

Health Preservation: It means the arrival of winter that year after the solar term. All things tend to rest such as withered vegetation and dormant insects. Although there is no human hibernation, but there is a folk custom of catching up on sleep.