When the wind gets cooler and the last golden leaves fall, the beginning of winter - 立冬 (Lìdōng) - begins in China. It marks the transition from the abundance of autumn to the calm of winter - a time when families gather around the table to share warmth, flavour and comfort.Date of the start of winter (立冬 Lìdōng) 2025: Friday, 7 November 2025
The beginning of winter is different from the winter solstice or the coldest days of January. It is a quiet, almost poetic time: like a wise old friend quietly reminding us to let go of the busy autumn and welcome the cosy warmth of everyday life.
As the ancients said: „At the beginning of winter, you should nourish your body and satisfy your appetite.“
This wisdom is still reflected on Chinese dining tables today - in steaming dumplings, aromatic soups and sweet roasted flavours.
In northern China, it is traditional to eat jiaozi (饺子) at the start of winter. The dough is kneaded, rolled out thinly and filled with pork and Chinese cabbage or chives and egg. As the dumplings dance in the water and the steam rises, the kitchen fills with a familiar aroma. Popular belief says: „If you eat dumplings at the beginning of winter, your ears won't freeze.“ But the real meaning lies deeper - they symbolise the transition of the seasons, the wrapping of the cold in delicate pastry wrappers and the joy of sharing.
In southern China, a bowl of lamb soup warms the body and soul. Fresh meat is slowly braised with radish and ginger until the broth turns milky white. A touch of spring onion on top - and the aroma of cosiness rises. A sip of this dish dispels any chill, warms from the throat to the toes and symbolically keeps the winter cold at bay.
At the same time, the streets fill with the aroma of freshly roasted chestnuts. They roll in cast-iron pans in the black sand, while their sweet, nutty smell attracts passers-by. A bag of hot chestnuts in your hand - and even the wind seems to be blowing a little more gently.
Whether in the north or the south, whether rich or simple - food at the start of winter is always an expression of the same longing: to make life warm and lively with a hot soup, a portion of dumplings or a handful of chestnuts. When the cold wind whistles outside and the lights glow warmly inside, you realise that the warmth of food not only nourishes the body, but also the heart. And that is precisely the meaning of the beginning of winter - to live gently, in harmony with time, and to preserve the warmth of everyday life.
