It continues tomorrow!

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This post was last edited by dyscb666 on 2012-12-21 at 16:39. Today is Friday, December 21, 2012, which corresponds to the 9th day of the 11th lunar month – the Winter Solstice. It is the 22nd of the 24 solar terms. The Winter Solstice is a very important solar term in the Chinese lunar calendar, as well as a traditional festival for the Chinese nation. It is also known by various names such as “Winter Festival,” “Longest Night Festival,” and “Yasui.” As early as over 2,500 years ago, during the Spring and Autumn period, China already used gnomons to observe the sun and determine the date of the Winter Solstice. It was one of the first solar terms to be established, falling between December 21st and 23rd of the Gregorian calendar each year. On this day, the days are shortest and the nights are longest in the Northern Hemisphere throughout the year； In most areas of northern China, it is still customary to eat dumplings on this day, while in the south people eat tangyuan*. It just so happens that today is also the end of the world according to Mayan legend; I’ve seen reports everywhere about this legend – some satirical, some mocking, some people who believe in it, some who have been deceived, and many more attempts to clarify the truth. Why does a legend cause such a stir? This is something worth considering carefully. I absolutely don’t believe it. Today, our tower was in operation as a twin-tower structure, and I specifically climbed up to the 120-meter-high tower to look down from above; everywhere there were faint plumes of smoke and green mountains. Legends mean nothing to me; all I know is that today is the traditional Chinese Winter Solstice, and I’m looking forward to eating dog meat with my friends (it’s our custom to eat dog meat during the Winter Solstice to boost strength and ward off the cold).