The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Major Cold, the 24th solar term, begins this year on Jan 20 and ends on Feb 3.

中国传统二十四节气的第24个节气是大寒，今年的大寒从1月20日开始，2月3日结束。

Major Cold is the last solar term in winter and also the last solar term in the annual lunar calendar. In this period, snow, rain and icy cold weather exert a big influence on people's lives.

大寒是冬季的最后一个节气，也是全年（农历）的最后一个节气。在大寒期间，雨、雪、冰冻天气会对人们的生活产生较大影响。

Here are six things you should know about Major Cold.

一起来了解一下关于大寒的6个小常识。

Cold current 寒流来袭

During Major Cold, as the cold current moves southward, the weather is very cold. Although modern meteorological observation shows that in some regions of China the weather during Major Cold is not colder than Minor Cold, the lowest temperatures of the whole year still occur in the Major Cold period in some coastal areas.

在大寒期间，随着寒流一路向南，天气会变得非常寒冷。尽管现代气象观测显示，在中国的某些地区，大寒期间的天气并不比小寒更冷，但是在一些沿海地区，全年最低气温仍然出现在大寒期间。

Eating "dispelling cold cake" 吃“消寒糕”

During Major Cold, People in Beijing have a habit of eating "dispelling cold cake", a kind of rice cake. Sticky rice, the cake's main ingredient, contains more sugar than rice, which can make people feel warm all over their bodies. In Chinese the word "rice cake" has the same pronunciation with the word "higher in a new year", which symbolizes good luck and continual promotion.

在大寒节气，北京人有吃“消寒糕”的习俗。消寒糕是一种用糯米制作的年糕，糯米比大米含糖量高，食用后可以让人全身感觉暖和。汉语中的“年糕”与“年高”发音相同，因此象征着好运气和不断高升。

Buying sesame straw 买芝麻杆

Major Cold always coincides with the end of the year in lunar calendar. In some areas of China, people always fall over each other in eagerness to buy sesame straw during this period because of the old saying, "Rise joint by joint like sesame flowers on the stem." This saying is used to describe either ever-rising living standards or making steady progress in thought, studies or skills.

大寒节气恰逢农历岁末。在中国的部分地区，这个时候人们会争相购买芝麻杆，因为老话有云：“芝麻开花节节高。”这句俗语寓意生活水平不断提高或思想、学业、技能稳步前进。

Eating fried spring roll 吃炸春卷

In Anqing of Anhui province, people traditionally eat fried spring rolls during Major Cold. They use a round, cooked, thin pancake to wrap stuffing in a thin roll. Then it is fried in a pan with oil until it turns yellow and floats to the top. The stuffing inside the spring roll contains meat or vegetables and the flavor can be salty or sweet.

在安徽安庆，大寒节气有吃炸春卷的传统。人们将馅料放在一张圆圆的薄烙饼上，卷成细长形，再放入油锅里炸，直到春卷颜色变得金黄并浮起。春卷里包着菜肉等馅料，口味可咸可甜。

Drinking stewed soup 喝汤

Residents in Nanjing of Jiangsu province like to drink stewed soup during Major Cold, which can make people feel warm from head to foot. They always stew the aged hen soup with ginseng, matrimony vine and black fungus.

江苏南京人喜欢在大寒时节喝汤，这样能从头暖到脚。他们通常炖老母鸡汤，加入人参、枸杞和黑木耳。

Doing winter sports 开展冬季运动

There is a saying that goes, "Dripping water freezes during Minor and Major Cold." In various regions of China, Major Cold is the perfect time for winter sports such as skiing, ice skating and sledding.

俗话说：“小寒大寒，滴水成冰。”在中国各地，大寒是开展滑雪、滑冰、滑雪橇等冬季运动的最佳时节。