Thursday marks the beginning of Dahan, or Major Cold, the final solar term of the winter and the year. During Major Cold, countries in the Northern Hemisphere witness cold fronts followed by strong winds and decreasing temperatures. Therefore, Beijing, located in north China, may welcome a big snow.

Ancient Chinese divided every solar term into three pentads, each constituting five days. Usually these pentads reflect the climatological and phenological changes during the solar term, and some of them indicate the changes in animals' activities.

Ancient Chinese believed that chickens start to hatch chicks when Major Cold arrives, as increased sunlight helps the newborns grow healthily.

As the weather remains cold, birds of prey become easier to spot as they hover and hunt for food to keep warm.

(Cover image via VCG)

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