"Dongji" (冬至) is one of the two annual solstices along with the summer solstice. The winter solstice celebrates the longest night and the shortest day in the year, and usually falls on or around December 22 or 23 of the solar calendar. If the solar "Dongji" falls in early December of the lunar calendar, it is called "Aedongji," but if it falls in mid-December is it called "Jungdongji" (中冬至), and if falls in late December it is called "Nodongji" (老冬至). "Dongji" is also called "Ase" (亞歲), or "Jageun Seol," literally meaning "small Seol." This is due to the old custom of following the Roman calendar, wherein "Dongji" was celebrated as New Year's Day. This concept is evident in Korean sayings like "Past Dongji, you grow one year older" or "Eat red bean porridge on Dongji and you'll grow one year older."

동지 관련 자료

"Landscape of Dongji" by Lee Eok-yeong	Dongji Charye in Yecheon County, Gyeongsangbuk-do

As suggested by the e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n "Haseon Dongji" (夏扇冬曆), a calendar was made and handed out on the winter solstice. The custom is similar to the one in "Dano" in which fans are given away. According to the section on "Gwansanggam" (觀象監)" in Dongguk Sesigi (東國歲時記, A Record of Seasonal Customs in Korea), during this season "A new calendar is made and offered to the palace. This book, stamped with the royal seal ‘Dongmunjibo’ (同文之寶), is distributed to all government officials." In the same context, Koreans today maintain this custom of exchanging new calendars as a gift around this time.

동지 관련 자료

Throwing Red Bean Porridge in Yecheon County, Gyeongsangbuk-do

The representative food consumed around the winter solstice is red bean porridge. The porridge was sometimes splashed on the main gate or walls of a house to drive away evil spirits. But if it was "Aedongji," or if the winter solstice arrived before November 10 of the lunar calendar, red bean porridge was held to be bad for children, and thus was not prepared.