Minor Snow, 小雪 in Chinese, is the 20th of China's 24 solar terms and falls on November 22 this year. Just as its name implies, the temperature of Minor Snow gradually decreases to zero in northern China. Snow replaces rain as the precipitation in the region. However, as it usually does not get freezing cold till then, the snow often arrives with rain or in small sizes, which quickly melts.

Here are several things you should know about Minor Snow.

Wearing hats and scarves
In China, starting in Minor Snow, the wind blows from the northeast a lot. Because it's still not bitterly cold, many people do not wear hats or scarves yet. In fact, according to an old Chinese saying, "The head is the place where all passages of the body gather." It's essential to keep one's head warm.

Drinking soup
During Minor Snow, indoor heating begins to work (mainly in northern China), which means the indoor air is dry, and most people might find their nose and mouth slightly dry. According to practices in traditional Chinese medicine, this accumulation of "inner heat" in one's body can cause problems. The solution is to drink more hot soup, such as cabbage and bean curd, spinach and bean curd, and mutton and radish.

Eating glutinous rice cake
People in some areas of South China have glutinous rice cakes around Minor Snow. In ancient times, glutinous rice cakes were a traditional festival offering to the bull god.

Making preserved pork
After Minor Snow, the temperature declines sharply, and the air becomes dry. It is the best time to start making preserved pork, which, by the Chinese Spring Festival, would be ready to enjoy. In the past, when storage conditions were poor, people developed many ways to store food, and preserved pork is one example. Some even say that preserved pork tastes more delicious than fresh meat.

Avoiding spicy food
People may eat hot and spicy food on cold days to keep warm. Experts say it's wise not to eat overly spicy food since that will increase your inner heat.

(By Yang Jiming/Qi Qian)