The Essence of Dumplings:Celebrating Winter Solstice and New Year饺子的精髓：庆祝冬至和新年

美食文化是一个国家和民族传统文化的重要组成部分，它不仅代表着当地的饮食特色，也反映了人民的生活方式和文化价值。为此，编辑部策划了“美食”主题文章。2024 年《中国风》栏目，我们将每期介绍一种美食。本期，请跟随我们的脚步走进“饺子”的世界。

Chinese 1）cuisine is knownfor its deep cultural significance，particularly during festivals. Amongits diverse dishes， dumplings， orjiaozi， hold a special place.

In northern China， peoplegenerally eat dumplings on theWinter Solstice， a custom signifying a warm winter. This tradition stems from the medicinaldumplings created by Zhang Zhongjing in the Eastern HanDynasty， originally meant to warm the body and heal frostbittenears.

Another significant time for dumplings is the Lunar NewYear. On Lunar New Year’s Day， families gather to make andenjoy dumplings. The act of making dumplings， with their ingotlikeshape， is considered a way of welcoming wealth in thecoming year.

Over the centuries， dumplings evolved. During the ThreeKingdoms to the Southern and Northern Dynasties period，they were enjoyed with soup， similar to wontons， and werea favorite among all ages. This style is still popular. And innorthern China， dumplings are commonly eaten with a dippingsauce made of vinegar and chili oil， and occasionally withsome soy sauce added in.

2）Archaeological discoveries inChongqing from the Three Kingdomsperiod include terracotta 3）sculpturesdepicting chefs cooking variousdishes， with dumplings prominentlyfeatured. This indicates the popularityof dumplings even back then.

Dumplings represent the warmthof family and the richness of Chineseculture. They are more than a dish;they are a cherished tradition，bringing together generations in ashared experience of cooking andfeasting. From their medicinal originsto their 4）integral role in festivals，dumplings have transcended time，becoming a symbol of family unity，cultural heritage， and the enduringspirit of the Chinese people.

1） cuisine n. 烹饪；菜肴

2） archaeological adj. 考古的

3） sculpture n. 雕塑

4） integral adj. 必需的

中国饮食以其深厚的文化意义而闻名，特别是在节日中。（剩余408字）