Navigate Minor Cold solar term with tradition and customs

Xiaohan, or the Minor Cold solar term, holds the 23rd position among the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, typically occurring on any day from January 5 to 7 each year. Alongside solar terms such as dahan (Major Cold), dashu (Major Heat), and xiaoshu (Minor Heat), it signifies the change in temperature during the transitional period between seasons.

While xiaohan is marked by its cold temperatures without reaching extremely cold, the northern regions of China normally witness the thick and frozen river surfaces during this period. In locales with substantial ice coverage, ice rinks are prepared for various recreational activities, including ice skating, sledding, and other traditional ice games.

A significant tradition during xiaohan is the consumption of Laba porridge. This congee, made with rice, red beans, peanuts, and dried fruit, not only has a distinctive appearance but is also believed within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to have beneficial effects such as regulating the spleen and stomach, reinforcing vital energy, resisting cold, and promoting body strength.

Beyond Laba porridge, different regions have their own unique customs. In Tianjin, there has been a tradition of consuming the core of Chinese cabbage during xiaohan. The outer leaves of the cabbage are removed, leaving only the soil-covered core, having had less exposure to the open air. After about two weeks, the core becomes exceptionally tender and crispy, which addressed previous scarcities of vegetables in winter. Now, with modern living standards improving, seasonal vegetables are available all year-round, diminishing concerns about the scarcity of produce in winter months.

In Guangdong Province, a traditional custom during xiaohan and dahan (which falls on January 20 this year), involves consuming glutinous rice in the morning. Believed to have a higher sugar content than regular rice, glutinous rice is thought to induce a warm feeling into the body, aiding people to dispel the cold. According to TCM knowledge, glutinous rice has the effect of enhancing vital energy, making it particularly suitable for consumption during the cold season.

As xiaohan unfolds its cold embrace, these traditions not only serve to mark the changing seasons but also reflect the rich culture heritage of the Chinese nation.