Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

This year Winter Solstice is on 22^nd Dec 2018 at 06:22. Winter Solstice is celebrated in many cultures in Northern hemisphere. The most common reason for celebration is that, for one whole year, the hour of day light is the shortest on Winter Solstice day. From this day onward, the day light will start to become longer. In addition, on Winter Solstice in Northern hemisphere, the Sun will rise lowest from the horizon as compare to the rest of the year.

Therefore, in cultural perspective, the Chinese celebrate Winter Solstice (Dong Zhi) like a new year to symbolized new beginning (i.e. beginning of new light). Likewise, other cultures in Northern Hemisphere around the world celebrate new beginning on Winter Solstice. When I was young, my parents used to tell me that Dong Zhi is bigger than New Year. That's mean, the celebration is more elaborate as compare to Chinese New Year.

In astrology point of view, Winter Solstice is where the Sun is at 270⁰ in the Celestial Coordinate.  Celestial Coordinate is the reference of objects in the sky with relative to the Earth. That’s mean, we assume that Earth is the central point where it doesn’t move and the rest of the planets and stars move.

from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecliptic_coordinate_system#/media/File:Ecliptic_grid_globe.png

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Ecliptic_vs_equator_small.gif) 

In Chinese Meta-Physics perspective, Winter Solstice or Dong Zhi is part of the 24 sub-season or 24 Jie Qi.

The 24 sub-seasons (Jie Qi) is used for 60 JiaZi or Thousand Years Calendar used in the Chinese Meta-Physics system.

In the Qi Men Dun Jia perspective, the Yang Dun starts on Winter Solstice. So, for those who practice, Qi Men Dun Jia Chai Bu method, Yang Dun starts on 22^nd Dec 2018 at 06:22.

Happy Winter Solstice, 

Calvin