Major Cold (Chinese: 大寒), the last solar term in 24 solar terms, falls on Jan. 20 this year. When this day arrives, it's time to welcome the Spring Festival. People get busy buying new things, salting the meat, and preparing New Year's goods. "Major Cold" represents the end of 24 solar terms and marks winter's end.

The weather is freezing during Major Cold as the cold current moves southward. Although modern meteorological observation shows that in some regions of China, the weather during Major Cold is not colder than Minor Cold, the lowest temperatures of the whole year still occur in the Major Cold period in some coastal areas.

During Major Cold, People in Beijing have a habit of eating "dispelling cold cake", a kind of rice cake. In Chinese, the word "rice cake" has the same pronunciation as "higher in a new year", symbolizing good luck and continual promotion.

Major Cold always coincides with the end of the year in the lunar calendar. In some areas of China, people always fall over each other eager to buy sesame straws during this period because of the old saying, "Rise joint by joint like sesame flowers on the stem." This saying describes ever-rising living standards or steady progress in thought, studies or skills.

In various regions of China, Major Cold is the perfect time for winter sports such as skiing, ice skating and sledging.

(By Yang Jiming/Qi Qian)