‘Sanjiu Han Dong’ (the coldest period of winter) is a traditional Chinese expression referring to the third nine-day cycle after the Winter Solstice—the peak of winter chill. Without modern heating, ancient Chinese people relied on wisdom and experience to endure the bitter cold. First, they emphasized ‘storage’ or ‘conservation’: as stated in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), ‘The three winter months are for closing and storing,’ advising early sleep, late rising, and minimal outdoor activity to preserve vital energy (yang qi). Second, their diet focused on warming foods like lamb, ginger soup, and red dates to dispel cold and nourish the body. Additionally, they devised various methods for staying warm: wearing layered garments made of hemp or silk padded with cotton, using portable braziers, hand warmers, and foot warmers; in northern China, heated brick beds (kang) circulated residual heat from kitchen stoves to warm entire sleeping quarters. Scholars and poets even turned the cold into cultural enjoyment—gathering around stoves on snowy nights to brew tea, compose poetry, or paint. These practices not only reflect the ancient philosophy of living in harmony with nature but also showcase the unique ingenuity of traditional Chinese life.
‘三九寒冬’是中国传统节气文化中对一年中最冷时段的形象描述,通常指冬至后的第三个‘九天’,即‘三九天’。古人没有现代取暖设备,却凭借智慧与经验,在严寒中安然度冬。首先,他们重视‘藏’——《黄帝内经》有云:‘冬三月,此谓闭藏’,强调冬季应早睡晚起、减少外出,以保存阳气。其次,饮食上讲究温补,如食用羊肉、姜汤、红枣等热性食物驱寒暖身。此外,古人还发明了多种御寒方式:穿多层麻布或丝绵衣物,使用火盆、手炉、脚炉等取暖器具;北方则普遍采用火炕,利用灶火余热温暖整个卧室。更有文人雅士在雪夜围炉煮茶、吟诗作画,将寒冷转化为生活情趣。这些应对‘三九寒冬’的方法,不仅体现了古人顺应自然、天人合一的哲学思想,也展现了中华传统生活智慧的独特魅力。
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