Winter · Solar term
Major Cold
大寒
Prepare a gradual transition
Illustration & cultural context · 图画说明
The story inside the image
Winter preparation and approaching New Year culture
Repairing tools, sorting saved seeds, and sweeping a courtyard connect winter preparation with the next farming cycle and approaching New Year traditions. Major Cold closes the solar-term cycle; it is not a fixed Lunar New Year date or a universal temperature minimum.
中文 · 为什么这样画
大寒，冬藏也包含为下一轮春耕准备
修理农具、整理种子与家人扫院，把一年将尽的农闲安排和迎岁文化联系起来。大寒是二十四节气循环的末端，但不是每年同一天过春节，也不能说全国全年最低温一定出现在大寒。雪与梅花是地域性冬景组合。
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
Prepare a gradual transition
Keep the winter routine sustainable before increasing activity. Plan a small next step rather than a pre-spring fast, cleanse, or sudden training challenge.
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 300°. 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 Major Cold. 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.