Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
“The Winter Solstice is greater than the New Year”—this saying is taken very seriously in Cantonese culture. On Winter Solstice, no matter how busy they are, family members gather for a meal together. And I, this old tea head, always brew a pot of red tea after the Winter Solstice dinner. Why red tea? Because red tea is warm, and warmth is what the Winter Solstice needs most.
The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and also one of the coldest. The ancients said, “After the Winter Solstice, one yang is born”—meaning that after the solstice, yang energy begins to rise and the days grow longer. But on the day of the solstice itself, the weather is still very cold, and people are prone to cold hands and feet. At such times, a cup of warm red tea is the finest gift.
This Winter Solstice I have prepared a 2023 Fengqing ancient tree Dian Hong (Yunnan red tea). It has been stored for over a year, and the honey-sweet potato aroma is now very prominent, with a bright red liquor. After the Winter Solstice dinner, the family sits in the living room, and I begin to brew. First, I warm the pot with boiling water, then add about six grams of Dian Hong. One rinse, and the second infusion pours out bright red and translucent. The first sip fills the mouth with honeyed sweet potato fragrance—sweet but not cloying, warm but not drying. An elder takes a sip and says, “So warming!” A child wants to try; I pour a small cup, and the child says, “It’s sweet!”
Drinking red tea on the Winter Solstice has a benefit: it warms and protects the stomach and spleen. The cold weather of the solstice can affect digestion, weakening the stomach’s function. The dinner is usually quite rich, and afterward the stomach may feel heavy. A cup of red tea helps—its polyphenols can assist in digesting fats, easing the stomach’s burden. And because red tea is warm in nature, it protects the stomach and spleen from the cold.
I remember when I was young, after the Winter Solstice dinner, my grandmother would brew a pot of red tea. I did not drink tea then, only cola. My grandmother would say, “Drink tea. Cold cola will give you a stomach ache.” I would not listen, and sure enough, I would have stomach problems. Later I learned better and started drinking my grandmother’s red tea. I did not think much of it at the time, but looking back now, I understand how much love was in that pot of tea.
The meaning of Winter Solstice reunion is not just about sitting together for a meal; it is an emotional connection. Modern life moves fast, and it is rare for the whole family to be together. On Winter Solstice, everyone puts aside what they are doing and returns home to gather with family. A pot of good tea makes this gathering even warmer.
From a traditional wellness perspective, Fengqing Dian Hong is rich in theaflavins and thearubigins, compounds traditionally valued for their antioxidant properties. In the cold solstice weather, when people are prone to catching cold, a cup of red tea not only warms the stomach but is also traditionally believed to support the body’s natural defenses. I drink a pot of red tea every Winter Solstice, and I have noticed I get fewer colds. This is not something I claim lightly; it is my personal experience over many years.
Tea has grades; all may enjoy it regardless of status.
By the fifth infusion, the sweetness of the Dian Hong becomes even more refined, honey and sweet potato notes blending together. Looking out the window, it is fully dark, and the streetlights are on. Family members begin to leave one by one—some for work, some to return to their own homes. But before leaving, everyone has one more cup. My mother says as she leaves, “This tea was wonderful. Brew it again next time.” I reply, “Of course, next Winter Solstice.”
Winter Solstice night, a pot of red tea, a family reunited. This is the most authentic happiness of the Winter Solstice. No need to spend a lot of money, no need to travel far—just a pot of good tea and the company of family. That is the meaning of Winter Solstice—reunion. And a pot of fine red tea can make this reunion even warmer.
Make friends through tea, please enjoy a cup.
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Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
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