Winter Solstice: Dongzhi Festival

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Dongzhi Festival
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	冬至
[show]Transliterations Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Dōngzhì - Bopomofo ㄉㄨㄥ ㄓˋ
Japanese name
Kanji	冬至
Hiragana	とうじ
[show]Transliterations - Revised Hepburn Tōji
Korean name
Hangul	동지
Hanja	冬至
[show]Transliterations - Revised Romanization Dongji
Vietnamese name
Quốc ngữ	Đông chí
Hán tự	冬至

The Dōngzhì Festival or Winter Solstice Festival (Chinese: 冬至; pinyin: Dōngzhì; literally "the Extreme of Winter") is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the Dongzhi solar term (winter solstice) on or around December 22 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest. It will occur on December 22 (East Asia time) in 2010.
The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. The philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram fù (復, "Returning").