Heavy snow is the 21st of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar. According to “The Monthly Ordinances of Nature,” it means, “Snowfall becomes heavy from this point on.”

This indicates that after heavy snow, the weather gets colder, and strong winds and heavy snow become more frequent. Temperatures drop sharply, and those with weak constitutions are more susceptible to illness at this time. Therefore, it is a period that requires special attention to health care.

The period of heavy snow is divided into three phases: the first phase is when the hoopoe stops singing; the second phase is when tigers begin to mate; the third phase is when the lycoris shoots emerge.

This refers to the fact that due to the cold, the hoopoe no longer sings; this is also the period when yin energy is at its peak, but yang energy has begun to stir, as indicated by tigers starting to mate; “lycoris” is a type of orchid that senses the stirring of yang energy and sprouts new shoots.

Nourishing Practices for Heavy Snow Solar Term

1. Keep warm to protect yang energy.

2. Go to bed early and rise early.

3. Soak your feet and give massages.

4. Drink plenty of water.

5. Maintain good spirits.

6. Ventilate to keep the mind sharp.

7. Eat porridge for nourishment. Winter diets should avoid sticky, hard, or raw foods. Nutrition experts recommend hot porridge in the morning and moderate eating in the evening to nurture stomach qi.

Drinking Tea During Heavy Snow

The winter climate is dry and cold, with temperatures reaching their lowest levels of the year. Staying warm and protected from the cold is undoubtedly the most important task. At this time, tea enthusiasts will certainly have a cup of hot tea on their desks.

It's often said that drinking tea promotes health, but you must drink the right kind of tea to achieve this. Before drinking tea, it might be helpful to understand the properties of different types of tea.

After heavy snow, it is best to drink some warm and mild teas, such as Black Tea, ripe Pu'er, tangerine Pu'er (aged tangerine peel Pu'er), dark tea, traditionally processed Tieguanyin, rock tea, Dancong, other oolong teas, aged Tieguanyin without bitterness, raw Pu'er, aged white tea, etc., which are all suitable choices.

Black Tea Has a Warm Nature and Is Gentle

Black tea is a fully fermented tea with a sweet and warm nature that can nurture human yang energy; it contains rich proteins that generate heat and warm the abdomen, enhancing the body's resistance to cold and aiding digestion and reducing greasy feelings.

In some places in China, there is a habit of adding sugar, milk, and sesame seeds to black tea.

Additionally, due to its high fermentation degree and gentle nature, black tea is suitable for people with weak digestive systems or general frailty.

During winter, people enjoy grilled skewers and hot pot, which can lead to internal heat becoming a common health concern.

At this time, one can drink more green tea.

Green tea is an unfermented tea with a cold nature that can clear heat, quench thirst, and help digest food and eliminate phlegm.

It also has a role in accelerating the healing of mild gastric ulcers and can lower blood lipids and prevent arteriosclerosis.

Dark Tea Is Suitable for People with Cold Constitutions

Dark tea is a post-fermented tea where microorganisms cause a series of complex chemical reactions in the tea leaves, generating beneficial functional components.

Dark tea contains a rich variety of minerals and has the effects of lowering blood pressure, reducing blood lipids, fighting viruses, eliminating fat, and reducing weight.

Moreover, dark tea has a warm nature, which helps keep out the cold and is suitable for those with cold constitutions.

Oolong Tea Can Break Down Fat

Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea that lies between green and black tea, with a brownish-green color, hence its name “qingcha.”

In terms of taste, oolong tea combines the freshness of green tea with the full-bodied flavor of black tea, neither too cold nor too hot.

Additionally, oolong tea has a good effect on breaking down proteins and fats, preventing the accumulation of liver fat, and has certain weight-loss benefits.

Oolong tea includes rock tea, Tieguanyin, Phoenix Dancong, and other teas processed through semi-fermentation methods.

Yellow Tea Aids Digestion

Compared to green tea, yellow tea undergoes an additional “yellowing” process.

During the yellowing process, a large amount of digestive enzymes is produced, which is most beneficial for the spleen and stomach. It is suitable for those with poor digestion, poor appetite, and obesity who tend to be inactive.

White Tea Suppresses Bacteria and Resists Radiation

The processing method for white tea is relatively simple, and its chemical composition is generally similar to that of green tea.

According to some related literature reports, compared to other types of tea, white tea has better antibacterial effects and is suitable for times when virus outbreaks are more frequent.

Additionally, white tea has good radiation-resistant effects and is used in the development of facial skincare products in the United States and Europe. White tea has a cool nature and can reduce heat and calm the body.

Boiling Snow Water for Tea, the Elegance of the Ancients

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The tradition of boiling snow water for tea and cooking tea with snow water has a long history in China. It originated from the ancient emphasis on selecting the right water for tea tasting.

In “Compendium of Materia Medica,” there is an evaluation of snow water: “Wax snow is sweet, cold, and non-toxic, capable of neutralizing all toxins and treating epidemic diseases.”

Let's experience the elegance of ancient literati together.

The great Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi loved tea and had a particular fondness for snow water tea. In his poem “Reciting Poems About White Beards and Drinking Snow Water, Inscribing a Wall With Poems,” he describes: “Reciting poems about frosty beards, leisurely tasting snow water tea. The only place in the city to relax is the home of Yuan.”

The great Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo led a romantic life and wrote poems about snow water tea. One of the longest poems is titled “On the Twenty-Fifth Day of December, There Was Heavy Snow, and the Snow Cleared. Dreamed of Someone Cooking Small-Sized Tea With Snow Water, Making a Beauty Sing and Drink. In My Dream, I Composed a Palindrome Poem, Remembering One Line: ‘Spit Speckles the Green Robe.' The Idea Comes From the Story of Flying Swallow Spitting Flowers. Then Continued It, Composing Two Quatrains,” the poem reads: “Soft face, jade cup held daintily, spit speckles the green robe. Song of water and clouds condenses in the quiet courtyard, dream startled by pine and snow falling from the empty cliff