In traditional Chinese culture, the "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" guide the agricultural rhythm of the year. Among these, the 22nd term, Dongzhi (Winter Solstice), holds a special place. Usually falling between December 21st and 23rd, it corresponds to the lunar month of November.
There is a famous Chinese saying: "Dongzhi is as significant as the New Year." In the era before the Han Dynasty—specifically during the Zhou and Qin periods—the eleventh lunar month was considered the first month of the year. The Winter Solstice marked the starting point of the annual cycle, a day known as Sui Shou (Head of the Year). Although the definition of the New Year shifted to the beginning of spring in later dynasties, the status of Dongzhi remained exalted.
Ancient Chinese philosophy viewed the Winter Solstice as a critical threshold. It is the moment when Yin energy reaches its peak and begins to decline, while Yang energy is born from the extreme of Yin. This transition is described as Yi Yang Lai Fu (the return of the one Yang) or "One Yang is born at the Winter Solstice." It signifies the emergence of the first breath of life and warmth between heaven and earth.
As the Book of Celestial Offices in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji Tianguan Shu) notes: "To divine the fortune of the year, one must observe the beginning. The beginning is the Winter Solstice, when the vital energy (Qi) begins to sprout."
Astronomically, the Winter Solstice marks the sun's southernmost point. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the day with the shortest daylight and the longest night. Yet, it is also the turning point: from this day forward, the nights slowly shorten, and the days gradually lengthen. It is the zero point of the solar cycle, representing the concept of "beginning again."
In the I Ching (Book of Changes), the Winter Solstice corresponds to the Fu (Return) Hexagram, characterized by "Earth above and Thunder below." The text describes this state as: "Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error... The path returns. In seven days comes the return... Advantageous to have somewhere to go."
The imagery suggests that after stripping away the old (the Bo Hexagram) to the extreme, the Yang line returns to the bottom, restarting the cycle. With Thunder hidden beneath the Earth, it symbolizes seeds stirring in the cold, dark depths—life beginning to germinate. To the ancient Chinese mind, the Winter Solstice was undeniably a pivotal point of renewal.
From Cyclical Time to Sacred Time
While the Chinese Winter Solstice and the Christian Christmas stem from different traditions, comparing them offers profound insight into how we understand time and light.
From a biblical perspective, Scripture acknowledges that "seasons and years cycle," but God established the lights in the sky to serve as signs for "sacred seasons" (Genesis 1:16-18). For the ancient Hebrews, the division of time was not merely a natural cycle but a call to pilgrimage.
By marking sacred festivals—such as the Sabbath, Passover, and the Feast of Tabernacles—the Israelites were reminded that their lives unfolded within God's redemptive story. These festivals were not simply markers of time's passage but invitations to pilgrimage. In worship, the community did not merely remember the past; it re-entered it.
By gathering on appointed days, believers recalled decisive moments of divine action. In doing so, abstract beliefs became lived reality. Each generation confessed that it, too, stood within the story of redemption.
Viewing Christmas through this lens of "sacred time" helps us understand why the church chose this specific date to celebrate the Incarnation.
Why December 25?
Protestant Christianity celebrates Christmas on December 25th, though this was not the historical date of Jesus' birth. The exact date is unknown. In fact, evidence suggests it was unlikely to be December; Luke's Gospel records shepherds watching their flocks at night (Luke 2:8-12), which would have been impossible during the freezing Palestinian winter.
Historical records show that the early church designated December 25th as Christmas around AD 336 (while the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates on January 6th). There are theological reasons for this choice.
One explanation draws from a rabbinic tradition that great men are born and die on the same day. Early Christians believed Jesus was crucified at Passover, calculated in the Western tradition as March 25. If Christ was conceived on the same date as His death, then His birth would occur exactly nine months later—on December 25. The Eastern church followed a similar logic, calculating the date of the Passion as April 6, according to their local Greek calendar, which led to a January 6 nativity.
A second factor lies in the cultural context of the Roman Empire. Around 10 BC, the Roman Empire began to popularize the worship of the Sun God, celebrating the "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun" (Sol Invictus) on December 25th. Romans believed the sun god died and was reborn daily, bringing light to the world.
The church's decision to place Christmas on this day was therefore deliberate and counter-cultural. Rather than accommodating pagan worship, early Christians proclaimed that Christ—not the sun—was the true Light of the world. This theological claim even shaped early Christian art, which sometimes depicted Christ with solar imagery, asserting that all true light finds its source in Him.
From Solstice to Incarnation
Just as the Winter Solstice marks the darkest day followed by increasing light, Scripture describes Jesus as the "Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2). His birth proclaims that the long night of the world's captivity to sin and death is ending and that a new dawn has begun—a new Exodus.
Yet here a decisive distinction emerges. Traditional Chinese and Roman cosmologies largely understood time as cyclical, a pattern of endless return. Christianity introduces a radical shift: while seasons repeat, history moves forward.
Time, in the Christian vision, is not simply renewed—it is redeemed. It flows toward a final fulfillment rather than circling endlessly back upon itself.
Notably, the Magi brought myrrh—an embalming spice—to the infant Jesus. This is the only context in the New Testament, other than Jesus' burial, where myrrh appears. It reminds us that Jesus was born to die and rise again. Therefore, while our bodies may age with the passing years, we live in the hope of resurrection. We are marching toward sacred redemption.
Ultimately, festivals are a form of identity confirmation. When Christians celebrate Christmas today, they are reshaping their collective memory. Faith becomes fresh rather than rigid. We cross time and space to participate personally in the "Christ Event," reminding ourselves that we are a redeemed people.
Christmas reminds us of our identity, not as a slogan or metaphysical thought, but as a life practice. This practice requires us to live out the sacrificial life of the Cross: accepting one another, encouraging one another, and comforting one another. It calls us to cross social barriers, show mercy to the vulnerable, and refuse to oppress others.
Originally published by the Gospel Times.
-Edited by Katherine Guo
