Today (22/12/2010) is 冬至. Is a day to eat 汤圆 (I ate late night liao), and to celebrate unity.

It is also on the northern hemisphere this day that having shortest day time and longer night time.

After 冬至, northern hemisphere will experience the period of "coldest of the year", till 立春(beginning of Spring) When "Wood" start to grow.

This is also the day the earth closer (Perihelion is closest) and falls on chinese's 17, so moon reflects most sunlight from sun, so moon looks brighter.....

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/2568/24jieqi2010.jpg

Edited December 21, 201015 yr by bepgof

How come they call it 冬至? Is it because winter is ending soon??

Over in Singapore, do we experience the effects of 冬至 & 立春?

I only know that the first 6 months of the year at my home is the hottest, can fry eggs at my balcony

冬= Winter

至= arrival

冬至 = winter is coming to town.

Since earth is tilted at 23.5 degree and self-spin CCW along the axis, generally those areas ( 23.5deg N and 23.5deg S latitude, say Taiwan(30 deg N) and Sourth Africa(30 deg S)) cannot sense much difference of the season changes, not to mention Singapore. Equator is 0 deg. Singapore's latitude is at 1deg N.

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/3500/worldmapx.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/97/generall.jpg

These celestia spheres' location change, living & non-living things ob earth do change thus have bearing on FS = Ambience temperature changes are vital to living things. Wind flow direction change too, the sunrise, sunset, inclination angle all change too hor.

Always remember, northern & southern hemisphere's temperature always in the opposite. Taiwan now cold but south africa is hot now. North pole now dark dark, & south pole now bright bright.

Above is the basic to star constellation, hor.

When got time will tell you about the angmor's (exactly is babylon's)12 zodiac or the chinese called 黄道十二宫.

Anyway, you don't practice eating 汤圆?

How come they call it 冬至? Is it because winter is ending soon??

Over in Singapore, do we experience the effects of 冬至 & 立春?

I only know that the first 6 months of the year at my home is the hottest, can fry eggs at my balcony

Edited December 22, 201015 yr by bepgof

i eating tonight. To me it is more of family gathering.

do u guys hand-made the tang yuan ? or buy off the shelve ?

冬至的起源、传说、习俗及食俗等等。

http://www.sfes.tcc.edu.tw/sftc011/winter.htm

冬= Winter

至= arrival

冬至 = winter is coming to town.

Since earth is tilted at 23.5 degree and self-spin CCW along the axis, generally those areas ( 23.5deg N and 23.5deg S latitude, say Taiwan(30 deg N) and Sourth Africa(30 deg S)) cannot sense much difference of the season changes, not to mention Singapore. Equator is 0 deg. Singapore's latitude is at 1deg N.

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/3500/worldmapx.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/97/generall.jpg

These celestia spheres' location change, living & non-living things ob earth do change thus have bearing on FS = Ambience temperature changes are vital to living things. Wind flow direction change too, the sunrise, sunset, inclination angle all change too hor.

Always remember, northern & southern hemisphere's temperature always in the opposite. Taiwan now cold but south africa is hot now. North pole now dark dark, & south pole now bright bright.

Above is the basic to star constellation, hor.

When got time will tell you about the angmor's (exactly is babylon's)12 zodiac or the chinese called 黄道十二宫.

Anyway, you don't practice eating 汤圆?

Yes please share more about the "angmor's (exactly is babylon's)12 zodiac or the chinese called 黄道十二宫". Very interesting to learn more about the history of zodiac signs That's when u got the time to do so...

My hubby would normally buy 汤圆 from supermarkets just for praying to GuanYin, never eat leh... just don't like the taste of it. And never have the urge to eat them.

But if we never practice eating 汤圆, will that bring about bad luck?

No right?

Edited December 22, 201015 yr by edenstrauss

In the past when we were kids, my paternal granny used to make her own 汤圆 which comes in both white & dark pink colours.

I could still remember the stern look on her face when we kids r determined to outwit one another in making 汤圆 of different shapes & sizes.

But nowadays, she's too old with severe dementia, to even remember how to make the 汤圆. Infact all of us grandchildren & her own kids don't eat any more 汤圆. Everyone of us are just too busy with our own lives & activities.

Sounds kind of... sad.

We have definitely lost our footing in our roots as Chinese now that grandma isn't able to make anymore of those yummy 汤圆 and when we were all grown up.

Edited December 22, 201015 yr by edenstrauss

U know what bepgof?

U'll fall off your chair if I were to tell u this.

I thought that 至 means "ending"

Chinese words r so cheem leh...

Edited December 22, 201015 yr by edenstrauss

try the selegie soya bean shop near the Kovan TeoChew porridge shops and maybank...

they have different favours...black sesame is my kids' favorite... hope you will find them good too.

Yes please share more about the "angmor's (exactly is babylon's)12 zodiac or the chinese called 黄道十二宫". Very interesting to learn more about the history of zodiac signs That's when u got the time to do so...

My hubby would normally buy 汤圆 from supermarkets just for praying to GuanYin, never eat leh... just don't like the taste of it. And never have the urge to eat them.

But if we never practice eating 汤圆, will that bring about bad luck?

No right?

try the selegie soya bean shop near the Kovan TeoChew porridge shops and maybank...

they have different favours...black sesame is my kids' favorite... hope you will find them good too.

Hi chia90

thanks for recommending... I'll try it out next week

I have eaten at the Alishan Porridge's; love their food but their fish can be very very expensive. I was billed $22 for 1 chunky piece of codfish after my meal - thank goodness I didn't have indigestion or acid reflux like some of their clients after receiving the bill

hehehehe...

Did u try out this ban-mian noodle stall which offers seafood soup with Japanese pearl rice at Kovan wet market?

永昇 Blk 209 #01-07. Directly across the carpark overlooking the nursery. Black signage with a very unique YIN-YANG dish of chilli paste & dishes printed on it.

The boss is a handsome looking man probabbly in his 40s with a very smiley face; defined as a cassanova by my standard With an older plumpish uncle (wearing specs) helping him out.

I have a strong relish for their food which has a very unique & different method of preparation. They use a type of edible $-plant for preparing their food instead of caixin which is the norm.

And the seafood soup would have things like clams or mussels; giving it a very light but palatable taste. Not oily at all.

I need 2 bowls of rice to go with the soup. Yummy... I think u could almost sense me salivating infront of the desktop while typing this out.

Maybe I'll eat the 汤圆 at the selegie stall that u recommended first, then go to the kovan stall to eat my favourite 永昇 seafood soup

Edited December 22, 201015 yr by edenstrauss

yup, they are quite ex...but then again, generally, teochew porridge always charges a premium.... their sweet potato porridge is quite good too.... if not wrong, they used to offer free flow of porridge ... not sure about now.

hmmm edible $$ plant?? will definitely try the next time i go there...

Thanks

Hi chia90

thanks for recommending... I'll try it out next week

I have eaten at the Alishan Porridge's; love their food but their fish can be very very expensive. I was billed $22 for 1 chunky piece of codfish after my meal - thank goodness I didn't have indigestion or acid reflux like some of their clients after receiving the bill

hehehehe...

Did u try out this ban-mian noodle stall which offers seafood soup with Japanese pearl rice at Kovan wet market?

永昇 Blk 209 #01-07. Directly across the carpark overlooking the nursery. Black signage with a very unique YIN-YANG dish of chilli paste & dishes printed on it.

The boss is a handsome looking man probabbly in his 40s with a very smiley face; defined as a cassanova by my standard With an older plumpish uncle (wearing specs) helping him out.

I have a strong relish for their food which has a very unique & different method of preparation. They use a type of edible $-plant for preparing their food instead of caixin which is the norm.

And the seafood soup would have things like clams or mussels; giving it a very light but palatable taste. Not oily at all.

I need 2 bowls of rice to go with the soup. Yummy... I think u could almost sense me salivating infront of the desktop while typing this out.

Maybe I'll eat the 汤圆 at the selegie stall that u recommended first, then go to the kovan stall to eat my favourite 永昇 seafood soup

happy 冬至, (oops if i am a bit late).

Hi muffin,

Better late than never

yup, they are quite ex...but then again, generally, teochew porridge always charges a premium.... their sweet potato porridge is quite good too.... if not wrong, they used to offer free flow of porridge ... not sure about now.

hmmm edible $$ plant?? will definitely try the next time i go there...

Thanks

Yes do try out & give some reviews

But their $$ plant is not those local versions being planted along corridoors or offices. Not the taiwanese $$ plant also. If we eat those, I think our lives would be in danger!

wah this thread becomes an "eating" thread.

to me tong zhi - shortest day, longest night.

i told my collegues i will work on shortest day :-)