Aim2D: real time, 24/7 #ChinaBusinessMarketing, Tech and Social Media News Portal of The Bicaverse based in sunny Shunyi, North east Beijing. Tuesdays we look at business, marketing, tech or social news in and around China. Friday is image gallery where we examine a place, topic or subject giving you greater insight, background to life in China, and of course, your Chinese consumer. If hard, practical, realistic China consumer marketing support is what you need, do drop into our sister site: Unegager. Finally, in a sign of the times, we can assure you that our content is 100% loving created and hand crafted by a fellow human. No AI chatter bots here.
– and we shalt have snow. What will the poor robin do then? How can dumplings keep your ears warm in winter? These and other vitally important questions will be answered today! Or maybe not.
Culture, traditions, folk lore.
We all have our culture, along with myths, legends and traditions. We may possibly believe they are unique to us.
Yet as one travels, one finds an uncanny resemblance to many of our traditions in other cultures. Or their’s to ours~
Even our proverbs, idioms and wise expressions have doppelgangers in other languages. Totally different languages, to the point of absolute incomprehensibility and unfamiliar cultures, yet we all seem to be underpinned by very similar basic beliefs and thoughts.
OK, enough philosophy. Cutting back to western cultures.
How many people today know why we eat Christmas mince pies? Pull Christmas crackers or decorate with “fairy” lights?
The relevance of the wedding breakfast?
Why we eat pancakes?
Sadly, for many, the youth in particular, the reason d’etre behind many of these festivals or celebrations is lost in antiquity today. Yet even a small child knows why we supposedly give gifts at December 25, or eat hot cross buns.
Most of our early, primitive Pagan traditions are lost, a result of Christianity’s scorched earth policy to ensure we all think the same. Speak the same. Dress the same. Follow the same set of rules. It continues today. What a dull, boring, homogeneous mass of bland, vanilla sameness the world could become.
Happily, there are still cultures who stubbornly cling to their old traditions . Their own beliefs. Proudly celebrating them as they seamlessly integrate them with their modern hitech lifestyle. Asia is one such place. After a quick browse of your news headlines I am sure you can probably think of others. Today though, we will focus on China.
The traditional Chinese solar calendar
The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Winter, (Chinese: 立冬), the 19th solar term of the year, begins this year on Nov 7 and ends on Nov 21.
Start of Winter is the first solar term of winter, which means winter is coming and crops harvested in autumn should be stored up.
In our China Daily image gallery today we will look at eight things you may not know about the Start of Winter in China. Including how to use dumplings to keep your ears from being frostbitten. (and you thought we were joking earlier~)
And no, despite our header image, it isn’t – yet – snowing in Beijing. That was shot from our office window February this year. Depressing isn’t it? Cheery, bright, snowy Christmas card scenes have a lot to answer for. Today, as we write, it is a balmy 15 *. Relatively toasty for the time of year.
But be sure, the wild winter wolf waits in the western wings. Well, North West to be exact, that’s where most of our snow comes from. Can’t be too long now till we need our warm woolly undies!
But if you are in the northern hemisphere, (shout out to Nick in Moscow and Steve in Scotland) snow is even closer.
So haul on your thick winter bloomers and read on:
24 Solar Terms: 8 things you may not know about Start of Winter in China
OK, now you know a teeny weeny bit more about your Chinese consumer. What she thinks, how he celebrates winter. All grist for the mill in helping you understand and relate to them better. OK, our job is done, hey ho, Silver, away.
The Robin?
You mean you don’t know?
Shame on you.
Why he’ll sit in a barn, and keep himself warm, and hide his head under his wing, poor thing. (And of course, his mate, she will do the same.)
British nursery rhyme, North England, circa 16th century.
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