小雪初寒，冬意已至
The traditional Chinese solar calendar has 24 solar terms. Minor Snow (Xiao Xue) is the 20th one. During this term, snow begins to fall, mainly in northern China. At the same time, temperatures keep dropping across the whole country. There are some useful tips to follow during Minor Snow.
First, remember to wear hats and scarves. When Minor Snow comes, northeast winds blow often. According to an old Chinese saying, “the head is the place where all passages of the body gather”. So keeping our heads warm is very important.
Second, drink more hot soup. As the weather gets cold, indoor heating starts to work in northern China. This makes the air inside dry, which is bad for our noses and mouths. What’s worse, dry air can cause “inner heat” in the body. Drinking hot soups like cabbage and tofu soup, spinach (菠菜) and tofu soup, or mutton and radish soup can help.
Third, it’s a good time to make preserved (腌制) pork. Minor Snow brings sharp temperature drops and dry air. These conditions are perfect for making preserved pork, a traditional food for Spring Festival. In the past, people made it because food was hard to store. Now, it’s still popular — many people think it tastes better than fresh meat.