When traveling to a long-awaited destination, besides admiring the local scenery, one also hopes to experience the local culture and customs. Wuzhong, the birthplace of Wu culture, boasts folk traditions as captivating as its Taihu landscapes.
These folk customs are like a vintage wine—initially mild on the first sip, but soon revealing a rich and mellow flavor that lingers on the tongue, evoking a sense of happiness.
The Winter Solstice Festival, also known as the Winter Festival, is both one of the 24 solar terms and a traditional Chinese holiday. The Gusu area places great importance on this solar term, with a saying: “The Winter Solstice is as significant as the Lunar New Year.” The customs of the Gusu people during the Winter Solstice are diverse, filled with strong traces of the water town and warm, festive vibes, all brimming with a sense of joy.
Autumn osmanthus blooms may fade, but their essence lives on in a cup of osmanthus wine
For the Winter Solstice Eve, there’s a saying: “If you have food, feast all night; if not, freeze all night.” Wealthier families would feast through the night, while poorer ones would sit shivering. Unwilling to endure the cold, people opted to drink and enjoy preserved meats instead.
Two thousand five hundred years ago, Suzhou was the capital of the Wu Kingdom. Its founders, Taibo and Zhongyong, descendants of King Tai of Zhou, adopted the Zhou calendar, which regarded the Winter Solstice as the start of the year. Thus, the Gusu people hold the Winter Solstice Eve in especially high regard, with their annual “menu” being meticulously prepared, preserving the enduring charm of Wu culture.
A must-have for the Winter Solstice Eve is the winter-brewed wine, made only once a year—a glutinous rice wine brewed with osmanthus. It has a golden hue and a subtle, fragrant osmanthus aroma, making it incredibly refreshing. Over a month before the Winter Solstice, fresh glutinous rice is prepared for brewing. Once the wooden lid is opened, the pale greenish liquid releases a faint wine fragrance, with tiny osmanthus petals floating inside. The taste is sweet and mild, with an intoxicatingly fragrant aroma.
“The winter wine’s aroma, color, and taste are sweet and fine, as we gather ‘round the stove to grill fresh delights. Tonight, my love must drink his fill, for laughter declares the Solstice rivals New Year’s night.” Pouring the wine into a cup, its aroma gradually rises, filling the room with a warm, sweet scent that intoxicates even before the first sip. A small taste reveals a nuanced, lingering fragrance, as if transporting you back to the golden autumn of osmanthus blossoms. On the Winter Solstice Eve table, cups of osmanthus-scented, sweet, and refreshing winter-brewed wine bring a festive, celebratory atmosphere to Gusu households.
On the day of the Winter Solstice, long queues form outside preserved meat shops on streets and alleys. That’s because winter-brewed wine is best paired with various types of preserved meats, such as beef and lamb. A cup of winter-brewed wine and a plate of preserved meat capture the essence of the Winter Solstice for old Suzhou residents, embodying their heartfelt wishes for life. After drinking the Winter Solstice wine, everyone looks forward to the bright spring ahead.
Eating wontons in memory of Xi Shi, a reunion dinner with auspicious meanings
In China, there’s a custom of eating dumplings during the Winter Solstice, as the saying goes: “When the Winter Solstice arrives, eat dumplings.” But the old Suzhou people eat wontons, following the saying: “Wontons for the Winter Solstice, noodles for the Summer Solstice.”
Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, King Fuchai of Wu found the lavish dishes at a Winter Solstice banquet too greasy and lost his appetite. The beauty Xi Shi, with a touch of ingenuity, wrapped a small amount of minced meat in thin dough, briefly blanched it in boiling water, and served it in broth for the king to taste. Upon the first bite, the king praised it endlessly, asking: “What kind of delicacy is this? Why is it so delicious?” Xi Shi, thinking of the king’s cluelessness and confusion, casually replied: “Chaos.” Since “chaos” and “wonton” sound similar, this dish was named “wonton” and spread among the people. To honor Xi Shi’s wisdom and creativity, wontons became a traditional Winter Solstice food.
Some Suzhou people also eat “Winter Solstice Rice Balls” on Winter Solstice Eve. Also called “Rice Paddy Balls,” these are made from glutinous rice flour with various fillings, such as minced meat, vegetables, bean paste, or shredded radish. They are used for offerings, consumption, or given as gifts to family and friends.
Honoring the winter season and ancestors, and enjoying the Winter Solstice reunion dinner, every dish—whether cold appetizers, stir-fries, chicken, duck, or fish—is given an elegant name to invite good fortune. Golden fried egg dumplings are called “ingots,” round meatballs are “reunions,” golden bean sprouts are “willow-leaf vegetables,” and thin glass noodles are “golden chains.” Each dish exudes festivity and embodies the heartfelt hopes of the people of Wu.
“It’s said the Winter Solstice rivals the Lunar New Year, with festive greetings and fresh attire. The customs of the ancient Wu region are truly splendid, as every child pays respects to their elders.” On the Winter Solstice, younger generations in the Wu region visit their elders to offer greetings, known as celebrating or honoring the winter, with all rituals mirroring those of the Lunar New Year. This unique Winter Solstice atmosphere offers a different taste of Gusu.