Children learn to make dumplings from their teacher in celebration of the Winter Solstice or Dongzhi in their school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 20, 2021. Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, falls on Dec. 21 this year. In Chinese culture, it marks the beginning of deep winter. It is also a time for family gatherings. Northern China has maintained the tradition of eating dumplings on this day, while people in southern China eat tangyuan, or rice ball soup. (Xinhua/Sun Zhongzhe)