[1][2] The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos.

[3] After this celebration, it is believed that days will have longer daylight hours and therefore create an increase in positive energy flowing in.

Symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, Dongzhi, represents that the days will start to grow longer and bring a sense of balance and harmony to people's lives.

They would hold heaven worshipping as well as honoring their ancestors by burning joss paper at their ancestral shrines to show gratitude.

[8] In Hong Kong, many businesses let employees off early to spend time with their families on this day,[8] while in some areas shops close for the holiday.

It is also an important time to pay respect to certain livestock and feed these animals special meals to celebrate the occasion.

[8] One activity that occurs during these get-togethers (especially in the Asia and in Overseas Asian communities) is the making and eating of tangyuan (湯圓) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion.

[11] People typically eat Winter Solstice dumplings (Chinese: 冬至糰; pinyin: dōngzhìtuán),[12] which sounds like "reunion".

Moved to pity, he ordered his apprentices to make dumplings with lamb and other ingredients, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm and prevent their ears from getting chilblains.

In Taiwan, like in the culturally related province of Fujian, Dongzhi is a day for spending time with families and making offerings to ancestors.

These cakes are made using glutinous rice flour in the shape of a chicken, duck, tortoise, pig, cow, or sheep, and then steamed in different layers of a pot.