Winter Solstice celebration at Shandong county's library

In celebration of the winter solstice on Dec 22, the Dongming County Library, located in Dongming county, Heze city, East China's Shandong province, organized a special event themed on the 24 solar terms.

The 24 solar terms, recognized as a world cultural heritage, play a crucial role in helping people understand and adapt to nature. They also showcase the Chinese philosophy of the harmony between humanity and nature and the wisdom of adapting to changing times and environments.

During the event, Teacher Liu shared interesting facts about the three phases of the winter solstice, such as how ancient people divided the 15 days around it into three parts, each marked by specific natural events.

The highlight of the day was a hands-on activity where participants got to create a unique Dongming craft called "winter solstice grain painting".

Grain painting is a special art form that involves assembling grains to create a picture symbolizing an abundant harvest; it is part of the intangible cultural heritage of the county.

Kids show off their grain paintings. [Photo by Liu Ran for chinadaily.com.cn]

Through this event, participants not only got to immerse themselves in a festive and cultural atmosphere but also experienced the warmth and happiness that comes from celebrating traditional festivals. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)