🌿 Folk Prescriptions

"December 21st, Winter Solstice," reads the calendar today. Traditionally, this day is closely associated with "tonic supplementation," as the coldest period of the year—the "Three Nines"—follows immediately after the Winter Solstice. However, nowadays, people's health awareness has grown stronger, and "supplementing" is no longer limited to the Winter Solstice or solely referring to ginseng-based tonics. Thus, for many, this year’s Winter Solstice means: no need for supplementation.
Warm Winter Effect Leads to Decline in Sales of Deer Antler and Cordyceps
The primary purpose of Winter Solstice supplementation is to "replenish energy for the body," boosting internal energy and nutrition to resist cold weather. Yet, although this year’s Winter Solstice arrived one day earlier than usual, severe cold has not yet appeared.
"I’m quite sensitive to cold. Last year at Winter Solstice, I bought some tonic paste from a pharmacy, and indeed felt much warmer afterward. I planned to buy some again this year, but it turned out to be a warm winter—I still haven’t felt cold until now." said Ms. Zhang, who is prone to feeling cold. "So, I guess I can save the money on supplements this year." The reporter also visited several pharmacies and food stores on Nanjing Road yesterday. Even though it was already night of the Winter Solstice, there were hardly any customers at counters selling traditional winter supplements such as ginseng, cordyceps, and bird’s nest. Even at a large pharmacy running a promotional event for deer antler and cordyceps, only a few people made purchases. Meanwhile, health supplements like ×× capsules and ×× lozenges were completely ignored. Staff at Sanyang Dry Goods Store and Food Store One reported that sales of health supplements have been declining year by year, dropping nearly 30% compared to last year.
According to the latest statistics from Shanghai Municipal Commercial Information Center, due to the "warm winter effect," although there has been some sales activity over the past month for health supplements and traditional tonics like wild mountain ginseng and cordyceps, their sales volume has declined compared to the same period last year.
Supplementation Throughout the Year, Not Just During Winter
Mr. Huang, over 50 years old, used to emphasize Winter Solstice supplementation, often combining dietary and medicinal approaches. But this year, he decided against it because he feels his daily self-care is already sufficient. "In the past, we supplemented heavily during the Winter Solstice because our living standards weren't as high back then—our daily diet lacked nutrients, so we had to consume all our annual nourishment in one day. Now, with improved quality of life, we eat well every day, and supplementation has become a year-round practice. So there's absolutely no need to rush into taking tonics on the Winter Solstice—let alone eating things like pig knuckle bones."
As the saying goes, "Supplementing during winter prepares you to fight like a tiger next year." This implies that winter supplementation isn't just about the few days around the solstice; it allows effective components in tonics to be stored in the body, laying a foundation for good health in spring. However, nowadays, rich meals are no longer rare treats reserved for festivals. Protein powders, vitamins, fruit slices, and other functional health supplements have become common year-round staples. With such consistent daily supplementation, excessive intake on the Winter Solstice might lead to over-supplementation.
Unaware of Winter Solstice, Unaware of Supplementation
"Winter Solstice is as important as the Lunar New Year"—in the past, people treated the Winter Solstice as a major festival. But today, many young people have lost awareness of such seasonal markers. "What date is tomorrow? I don't know," the reporter randomly surveyed five young adults aged 25 or above yesterday, and none knew today was the Winter Solstice.
Since they don’t even know what the Winter Solstice is, let alone supplementation. Besides, tonic products like pastes aren’t suitable for young people—generally, only middle-aged and elderly individuals need them.
Yet, young people have their own ways to maintain health, such as exercise. The reporter saw many people still swimming regularly at a gym in Shanghai during the winter weekend. A young regular exerciser told the reporter, "Taking supplements and medicine is so troublesome, and it may not even work as well as my daily workouts."
News Background: Origin of the Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is a family reunion festival celebrating a bountiful harvest. In the lunar calendar, it is the final traditional festival of the year. On this day, families eat "tangyuan" (glutinous rice balls), symbolizing harmony and unity within the household.
Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the year into twenty-four solar terms based on climatic patterns, setting one term every two weeks. The Winter Solstice is one of these. It falls six weeks before the Lunar New Year, typically between December 21st and 23rd in the Gregorian calendar.
"Winter Solstice" literally means "winter has reached its peak." This "peak" does not refer to temperature but to Earth’s relationship with the Sun. On this day, the Sun directly shines on the Tropic of Capricorn (the winter solstice line), resulting in the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. After this day, the Sun gradually moves northward. Originally, the Winter Solstice was a harvest celebration for farmers.
In the Zhou Dynasty, the New Year was set on the Winter Solstice. Later, Emperor Wu of Han reformed the calendar and moved the New Year to the first day of the first lunar month, a tradition followed ever since. Because the New Year was once celebrated on the Winter Solstice, emperors throughout history still treated this day as a major occasion, which is why today people still observe the custom of adding one year to their age on the Winter Solstice.
Locally, people use the timing of the Winter Solstice and the weather on that day to predict future weather conditions. Folk sayings go: "If Winter Solstice falls at the beginning of the month, cold will persist through the end of the year; if it falls at the end of the month, cold will come in January; if it falls in the middle of the month, there will be neither snow nor frost" (based on the timing of the Winter Solstice to forecast when cold fronts arrive in Taiwan). Another saying: "If the Winter Solstice is cloudy, the New Year will be clear; if the Winter Solstice is sunny, the New Year will rain" (meaning: if there's no sun on the Winter Solstice, the New Year will be sunny; if it's sunny on the Winter Solstice, the New Year will be rainy).
Custom of Eating Tangyuan
"Tangyuan" is an essential food for the Winter Solstice—a sweet, round dessert made from glutinous rice flour. The "roundness" symbolizes "harmony" and "completeness." Eating tangyuan on the Winter Solstice represents family harmony and auspiciousness.