Chinese Winter Solstice - Dongzhi

Since I am at the topic of festivities, I would like highlight another festival that will be upon us soon. In ancient times, this festival is considered a greater festival than the Chinese Lunar New Year but with the passing of time, it has been reduced to a quiet family affair where one of the most visible sign of this festival is making of tongyuan a.k.a. rice dumplings rolled into balls served in ginger/red bean/whatever soup. Dongzhi falls between 21 to 23 December every year and unlike the Chinese Lunar New Year which falls between January to February, Dongzhi is the only Chinese festival I know of that follows the movement of the Sun.

Source: http://calliefoodblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/dongzhi-festival_25.html

To many people of Chinese origin here in Malaysia, Dongzhi is a non-event thanks to commercialism and infusion of other cultures which predominate our lives (such as those from the West), hence it is not surprising that you will find lesser people of Chinese descent celebrating this festival with each passing year. In fact, one of the strongest sign of people forgetting this festival is simply because it occurs very close to Christmas, which incidentally, was instituted to commemorate the birth of Christ back in the 4th century to replace the many pagan festivals that celebrates the winter solstice. Another reason for the declining popularity of Dongzhi can be traced to the changing working patterns where people back in feudal China don't exactly have weekly rest days except during festivals. People are expected to work the whole year long and they then take long breaks in celebration of the annual festivals.

Raised in a conservative family with steep polytheistic beliefs, Dongzhi is one of those festivals which I am quite accustomed to. Yet at the same time, very little can be said of this festival except that it is the shortest day during winter (something which Malaysia doesn't experience) and that from this day onwards, everyone look forward to spring and of course, lengthening of the day.

Being raised in a conservative family, I always look forward to Dongzhi precisely because all of us have to put our hands together into making the tongyuans. It is not so much of rolling the doughs into the "roundest" glutinous balls (which actually have a meaning to it where it signifies the wholeness of the relationship in a family as well as reunion), but rather it is the act of doing it as a family. Sometimes, when you have little to discuss with your parents or siblings, activities like this helps to build bonds.

Since accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, every Chinese festivals seemed more important to me because it is a reminder of the little time I have left to spend with my parents. Years of built in unhappiness and resentment I had towards my parents are slowly being erased ever since I accepted the Lord into my heart. Like every typical conservative Chinese parents, they are incapable of showing their loving affection towards their children and not being the favourite child, I often felt neglected and forgotten. When I was young, my parents struggled to put food on the table and unlike the many things children of today are blessed with, I often find toys as luxurious items. My favourite toy is actually a paste similar to playdough where I can use to create my own figurines. Thank God for that since I can put those skills to action where I recently made toy figurines for my Sunday School children.

Anyway, without families and friends, festivals are hollow public holidays and rest days. So I wish to take this opportunity to wish you a good Dongzhi family reunion and Merry Christmas as well...:)