Xiaohan is the twenty-third solar term and the fifth of winter’s six chapters, usually arriving between January 5th and 7th. “Xiao” (小) means small or slight. “Han” (寒) means cold. Together, Xiaohan means: the bitter cold has arrived, but has not yet reached its peak — the coldest moment still lies ahead, and people are already preparing for it.
What Does “Xiaohan” Mean?
The ancient text Yueling Qishier Hou Jijie explains: “Xiaohan is the solar term of the early twelfth month. At the beginning of the month, the cold is still relatively slight — hence the name ‘Minor Cold.’ By the middle of the month, it becomes great.” In other words, when Xiaohan arrives, the cold is already strong, but has not yet reached its extreme. That extreme will come with the next solar term, Major Cold (Dahan).
In actual climate, however, Xiaohan is often colder than Major Cold. A folk saying declares: “Minor Cold surpasses Major Cold.” This is because Xiaohan falls around the “Third Nine” period — traditionally the coldest stretch of the entire year. The name of the solar term reflects the ancients’ understanding of the cold’s trajectory, not a precise measurement of temperature at any given moment.
Nature’s Signals: The Three Pentads of Xiaohan
Ancient Chinese observers divided Xiaohan into three five-day periods to capture the changes unfolding in nature as the cold deepens:
- First Pentad: Wild Geese Begin Their Northward Journey. The great geese start migrating northward. Though the north remains frozen and desolate, the geese have already sensed the first stirring of yang energy and set out on their journey home. The character “xiang” (乡) here is used as “xiang” (向), meaning “toward” — the geese are turning their faces toward the north. This is nature’s most sensitive signal: even the migratory birds have felt spring’s distant call.
- Second Pentad: Magpies Begin Building Nests. Magpies start constructing their nests. Magpies are remarkably sensitive to shifts in climate, and at this time they have already begun preparing for the breeding season, gathering twigs and weaving them into new homes. Amid the stillness of deep winter, the busy silhouette of a magpie brings a spark of life to the barren landscape.
- Third Pentad: Pheasants Begin to Call. The pheasants start calling to attract mates. “Gou” (雊) is the sound of a pheasant’s call. As yang energy begins its quiet return, the pheasants sense the shift and raise their voices in courtship. This is a signal of life continuing through the harshest season — and a harbinger that spring is drawing near.
Climate Characteristics of Xiaohan
The most striking feature of Xiaohan is the sharp plunge in temperature and the intensification of cold. This period falls around the “Third Nine,” when cold air masses from Siberia sweep southward with great frequency. In northern China, the land is frozen solid and water turns to ice the moment it spills. In the northeast, north China, and the northwest, the days around Xiaohan are often the coldest of the entire year, with temperatures frequently dropping to minus fifteen degrees or lower.
In southern China, though temperatures are not as extreme as in the north, the damp cold is equally difficult to endure. Without central heating, the temperature indoors barely differs from outdoors — the chill seems to seep through every crack and crevice, making the wind chill feel far colder than the thermometer suggests. A folk saying captures it vividly: “Minor Cold, Major Cold — frozen into a ball.”
It is worth noting that although Xiaohan is called “minor,” its actual cold often exceeds that of Major Cold. This is because Xiaohan falls during the “Third Nine,” while Major Cold falls during the “Fourth Nine” and “Fifth Nine,” when yang energy has already begun its slow recovery. This apparent mismatch between the name and the actual climate reflects the ancients’ profound understanding of natural patterns — they were tracking the trend of cold, not the temperature at a single point in time.
Customs Rooted in Warmth and Anticipation
As Xiaohan arrives, the spirit of the approaching New Year grows stronger, and people begin their preparations for the Spring Festival.
1. Eating Glutinous Rice
In Guangdong, Guangxi, and other southern regions, eating glutinous rice is a Xiaohan tradition. Glutinous rice is warm in nature and sweet in flavor, believed to nourish the spleen and stomach, replenish qi, and enrich the blood. On a bitter winter day, a steaming bowl of glutinous rice topped with cured meat, Chinese sausage, and roasted peanuts warms not only the stomach but also the heart.
2. Drinking Laba Porridge
Xiaohan often falls close to the Laba Festival, which occurs on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Laba is both a Buddhist holiday and an important folk celebration. The central custom is drinking Laba porridge — a thick, fragrant congee made from a variety of grains, beans, and dried fruits, symbolizing abundance and good fortune. A bowl of Laba porridge is not merely a treat for the palate; it carries the people’s hopes for a life of plenty.
3. Preparing New Year Goods
As Xiaohan arrives, the festive atmosphere thickens, and people begin stocking up for the New Year. In the countryside, families slaughter pigs for the feast, cure meats, and stuff sausages. In towns and cities, people shop for spring couplets, New Year paintings, candies, sunflower seeds, and all the other essentials of celebration. Xiaohan is the overture to the Spring Festival — a time when the bustle of preparation fills the air with excitement and anticipation.
4. Seeking Plum Blossoms in the Snow
During Xiaohan, plum blossoms begin to bloom. The plum is the most iconic flower of winter, symbolizing resilience and noble character. In southern China, there is a refined tradition of venturing out to find plum blossoms in the snow — walking through frost-laden gardens, discovering blossoms among the branches, and savoring the quiet poetry that only winter can offer.
Conclusion
Xiaohan is a solar term of transition. It marks the deepening of cold, yet also signals the approach of spring. It is one of the harshest stretches of the year — and at the same time, a season when the festive spirit warms people’s hearts and draws them closer together.
On these cold days, a bowl of glutinous rice, a bowl of Laba porridge — these are more than food. They are rituals. In the coldest season, people use the warmest gestures they know to welcome the spring and the New Year that are on their way.
Xiaohan teaches us: the coldest moment is often the very moment when hope begins to stir. Just as the geese have already turned north, the magpies have already begun building, and the pheasants have already started calling — life never stops moving forward. And the simplest human feelings — reunion, anticipation, blessing — are the warmest force for crossing through any winter.
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