二十四節氣之大寒

大寒是二十四節氣的最后一個節氣，通常在每年公歷1月20日前后，也是冬季六個節氣中的最后一個。大寒同小寒一樣，代表天氣寒冷的程度。此時，冷空氣頻繁南下，各地紛紛迎來新一輪的降溫、雨雪和大風。中國北方地區降至零下十幾度，南方地區的氣溫也逼近零度。

Dahan， or the Great Cold， is the last of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar. It usually falls around 20th January annually， marking the last of the six winter solar terms； like Xiaohan， it signifies the depth of winter’s chill. During this time， cold fronts often sweep southwards， bringing another wave of low temperatures， snow， rain， and strong winds. In northern China， temperatures often plummet to below minus ten degrees Celsius， while in southern regions thermometers dip to close to freezing point.

大寒時節恰逢臘月時分，臘月是陰歷中的最后一個月。大寒正值一年的年末，是辭舊迎新之際。古來素有“大寒迎年”的說法。春節臨近，各地都張燈結彩，在異鄉的工作族和學生黨也即將啟程回家過年，到處都是歡樂的氛圍。迎接春節的喜悅大大沖淡了寒冬的煩悶。人們于春節前夕進行祈福祭灶、掃塵潔物、寫春聯、貼窗花、腌制臘味、置辦年貨，為春節做好準備。

Dahan coincides with the twelfth lunar month， known as Layue， the last month of the traditional Chinese calendar. The Dahan period marks the end of the year and the transition to a fresh start， embodying the saying： “The Great Cold welcomes the New Year.” With the Spring Festival just around the corner， festive decorations brighten all areas； workers and students prepare to return home from afar， creating an atmosphere of joy and excitement. Anticipation of the Chinese New Year sweeps away the gloom of winter. In the days preceding the festival， people engage in various traditions： offering blessings to the Kitchen God， cleaning and tidying their homes， writing Spring Festival couplets， decorating windows with paper cuttings， curing meat， and shopping for the New Year. All these preparations set the stage for a vibrant and joyful celebration.

大寒時節也是人們調養身體的重要時段。此時，人們要遵循中醫的主張—秋冬養陰，適度調整飲食，多食用苦味的食物，如芹菜、萵筍、生菜、苦苣等。在很多寒冷的地區，人們還聚在一起，圍著熱騰騰的爐子吃火鍋。此情此景正如清代對聯“圍爐聚飲歡呼處，百味消融小釜中”所說，團圓的喜悅都融于熱騰騰的鍋子之中了。

The Dahan period is also a key period for bodily nourishment； traditional Chinese medicine holds that the time to nurture yin is in autumn and winter. People are encouraged to adjust their diets， incorporating more bitter foods such as celery， asparagus lettuce， lettuce， and endive. In colder regions， gathering around a steaming hot pot becomes a heart-warming ritual； friends and families sit together， enjoying the bubbling pot which melts away the cold， strengthening bonds. A famous Qing Dynasty couplet captures this perfectly： “Around the stove， we drink and cheer； a hundred flavours meld in the little pot.”In this moment， warmth， flavour and joy blend beautifully.

此外，人們還可根據大寒時天氣寒冷的程度預測來年的情況。俗語云：“大寒見三白，農人衣食足。”“三白”即白雪、白露、白霜。在北方地區，大寒時節的降雪為來年的耕種儲備了水分，同時殺死了蟲害。在南方地區，白露也同樣有促進來年植物生長的作用。大寒天氣寒冷、多雨雪，則來年物產豐收大好。

During the Dahan period， the intensity of the cold offers clues about the year to come. As the saying goes：“If the Great Cold brings three whites， farmers will have abundant food and clothing.” The phrase “three whites”refers to white snow， white dew， and hoar frost. In northern regions， snowfall during this period replenishes the soil’s moisture， preparing for spring planting and helping to eliminate pests. Similarly， in the south， dew provides favourable conditions for the following year’s crops. When Dahan is marked by cold， snowy， and rainy weather， this often signals a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

春夏秋冬又一春，在大寒的尾聲中，人們滿懷期待地等待新年的到來，并進入新一輪節氣的循環。

As the cycle of spring， summer， autumn， and winter comes full circle， Dahan marks the closing chapter of the year. With hopeful hearts， people eagerly await the Chinese New Year， preparing to embrace the next round of solar terms.