‘Lìdōng’ (Start of Winter) is the 19th of China’s 24 traditional solar terms, marking the official beginning of winter according to the lunisolar calendar. It usually falls around November 7–8 each year and signals a noticeable drop in temperature, shorter days, and the onset of colder, drier weather. The character 立 (lì) means ‘to establish’ or ‘to begin’, while 冬 (dōng) means ‘winter’ — together they literally mean ‘the establishment of winter’. Historically, this term guided agricultural activities, such as harvesting late crops and storing food for winter.

In modern usage, lìdōng is not a public holiday but remains culturally significant: many people observe it by eating warming foods like dumplings, mutton hotpot, or glutinous rice cakes to nourish the body and prepare for the cold season. It also appears in weather reports, calendars, poetry, and seasonal health advice rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which emphasizes conserving energy and protecting yang qi during this time.