lì dōng立冬：dōng tiān冬天de的kāi shǐ开始
Every year on November 7th or 8th is "Lidong" (Beginning of Winter).
"Li" means beginning, and "Dong" means storage or winter.
The weather gets colder, plants rest, and animals start preparing for winter.
People say: "When Lidong arrives, winter has come."
Rivers in the north begin to freeze, and the ground becomes hard.
When the cold wind blows, everyone puts on thick clothes.
China is large; the south is still warm, the north is already snowing, but Lidong marks the arrival of a new season.
In ancient times, Lidong was an important festival.
People would thank heaven and earth, celebrate the harvest, and hope for favorable weather in the coming year.
There is a folk custom called "Bu Dong" (Winter Supplement), where people eat delicious food to replenish energy.
People in the north love eating dumplings, saying "If you don't eat dumplings on Lidong, your ears will freeze off."
People in the south like to drink chicken soup, mutton soup, or eat duck and fish to keep warm.
Lidong is also a good time for health preservation.
People should go to bed early and get up late, get more sunlight, and keep warm.
You can eat more mutton, beef, red dates, drink hot soup, and eat less cold food.
Lidong lets people feel the change of seasons and reminds everyone to slow down, rest well, and prepare for the cold winter.