Tang Chek (Dong Zhi festival / winter solstice festival) – 22 December

This ancient festival, called Tang Chek (Hokkien) or Dong Zhi (Mandarin) is the winter solstice festival which falls on 22 December.  Dong Zhi marks the turning point in the year when the night of the year is longest. After Dong Zhi, nights are increasingly shorter, and the days increasingly longer, symbolizing growing brightness and hope to farmers.

Dong Zhi is also said to originate from the Chinese belief in yin and yang, which represent balance and harmony in life - the yin qualities of darkness and cold are at their most powerful at this time, but turns at this time to give way to the light and warmth of the yang. It is a time where the Chinese families gather and also pay homage to their ancestors.

     Malaysians and Singaporeans of Hokkien origin usually prepare rice balls or ‘Tang Yuan’. Glutinous rice flour or rice dough is shaped into marble-sized balls (coloured with red, white or green food colouring) and cooked in a sweet syrup or savoury soup. 

Families make this at home to eat or buy ready cooked - to offer to their ancestors and gods. This festival is still celebrated by Buddhist and Taoist Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore.