Top 5 taboos to avoid on Dongzhi, Winter Solstice ‘Ghost Festival’ in Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/12/22
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Today (Dec. 22) is the Dongzhi (冬至, extreme of winter) Festival or winter solstice, the peak of winter based on the lunisolar calendar, and though many consider it a festive time for family gatherings, it is also the longest night of the year when ghosts are also believed to be on the prowl, thus there are five major taboos that are to be avoided.

During the Dongzhi Festival in Taiwan, people traditionally make tangyuan (湯圓, soup dumplings), which are balls of glutinous rice boiled in a sweet soup, to symbolize reunion, completeness, and their consumption ensures a smooth and peaceful new year. However, few are aware that, in addition to the Ghost Festival observed during the 7th lunar month, Dongzhi is also known as “Ghost Festival,” and there are taboos that must be observed on this short day and long night.
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