Winter · Solar term
Beginning of Winter
立冬
Conserve with a workable routine
Illustration & cultural context · 图画说明
The story inside the image
Regional vegetable storage before freezing weather
Villagers carry cabbage and radishes into storage, shifting attention from harvest to winter preparation. Some northern regions store these vegetables before freezing weather. Southern conditions may still be mild, and winter crops can remain in the fields.
中文 · 为什么这样画
立冬，收藏收获，为寒天做准备
村民把白菜、萝卜搬入储藏空间，表现从收获转向储备的生活安排。部分北方地区在上冻前收储耐藏蔬菜，而南方此时未必已进入寒冬。画面没有强制满地积雪，冬麦仍可在田间越冬。
An editorial interpretation of regional farming, traditional phenology, or local custom. This is a generated illustration, not a documentary photograph or a forecast for every place.
Daily seasonal care · 冬 · 藏
Conserve energy while keeping gentle activity
This term’s practical focus · Editorial application
Conserve with a workable routine
Protect rest and a manageable activity interval. Storage in the traditional framework is not a requirement to stay indoors or begin supplements.
Classical reasoning. The winter chapter emphasises earlier retiring, rising later in relation to daylight, warmth, and avoiding unnecessary exposure to cold. Storage means conserving in the traditional account; it does not mean indefinite inactivity or automatic supplementation.
Sleep & rhythm
Protect a regular sleep opportunity. If work fixes your waking time, organise bedtime around that need rather than rigidly waiting for sunrise.
Movement & recovery
Warm up gradually, choose a suitable surface and setting, and continue manageable movement. Lower the workload when recovering; do not chase heavy sweat in the cold.
Food & fluids
Warm cooked meals can be comfortable when you prefer them, but keep variety and suitable portions. Winter is not a licence for unlimited rich food, alcohol, or warming herbs.
Mind & emotions
Leave time for quiet recovery while maintaining contact with people who support you. Rest is a useful choice, not a test of discipline.
Contemporary daily-care applications, not a prescription unique to this solar term. Adjust to actual conditions and any existing care plan.
Read the complete seasonal guide →01 · Nature & astronomy
A turning point in the year.
This term corresponds to an apparent solar ecliptic longitude of 225°. It is one of the six traditional terms associated with winter. The illustration explores a seasonal cultural scene; it does not determine the astronomical date. Calendar day labels are available for 1901–2099 in UTC+8; exact local transition times are not displayed.
02 · Classical reading
Begin with the season.
冬三月，此谓闭藏。
Editorial translation: “The three months of winter are called closing and storing.”
This is a passage about the broader season, not a prescription specific to Beginning of Winter. Read our short four-season guide for the main ideas, and adapt daily care to your actual conditions.
Read the seasonal source cardThe reasoning behind a choice.
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Connect this season with yang qi, dampness and digestion, food, and tool suitability. A calendar label alone does not establish a pattern or justify a treatment.