The traditional Chinese festival Dongzhi, or midwinter in English, falls on this Saturday. Chinese people normally eat dumplings to mark this occasion. The reason why they eat Dumplings is to protect their ears from getting frostbitten.

As the story goes, in ancient China there was once a kind doctor who helped local people free of charge. One winter he saw that some local people got frostbite on their ears. So he collected some traditional Chinese medicine, including mutton, pepper and other ingredients, and boiled them in water.

Then he made the boiled medicine into snacks, which took the shape of dumplings. He distributed the snacks to the local people together with a bowl of hot soup. They ate the medicine and were cured of frostbite. From then on eating dumplings on Dongzhi became a Chinese custom. So let's go and eat dumplings on Dongzhi in China.

Location: No. 179, Beitucheng Xilu, Haidian District Tel: 86-10-62352308
With 200 years of history, Laobian Dumplings Eatery is one of the few remaining national eateries. Recommended dumplings are sanxian (leek, fresh pork and dried small shrimps) dumplings, fennel dumplings and zucchini dumplings. Laobian also offers vegetarian dumplings. Steamed dumplings, compared to those typically boiled, are also worth a try.Apart from dumplings Laobian also features various fried dishes and its morning snacks of stuffed buns are popular among those in the nearby neighborhood.

Location: No. 36-3, Ganyu Hutong, Dongcheng District Tel: 86-10-65281960 .
Hiding in a lane off Wangfujing Street, Shunyifu Dumplings Eatery is a nice spot for those who shop around the area. There is a wide range of dumplings here, including shrimp, leek and eggs, western celery and water chestnut in addition to the commonly found pork and leek, pork and fennel as well as zucchini and eggs.Clay pot with meatballs here is also a nice dish. The soup is clear and it tastes pretty good though containing only a few meatballs. For cold dishes, mustard fungus tops the list, while spiced beef comes a close second. Shunyifu also features a traditional Chinese treatcalled labasuan, or preserved garlic which is often eaten with dumplings.

Location: No.19 Xinjiekou Waidajie, Xicheng District
Located near Beijing Normal University, Taiping Dumplings Eatery has becomes a hangout for many overseas students.The dumplings varieties here include leek and eggs, beef and carrots, and leek and pork. The foreigners' other favorite dishes here include gongbao jiding (spicy chicken cubes, peanuts and onion). Candy floss is a great dessert whileclay pot cabbage and beancurd is a nice treat during the cold winter.

Location: Jia 2 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang Tel: 010-84639300
Haidilao has five branches in Beijing, all which have good reputations among diners. Haidilao provides authentic Sichuan hot pot. All dishes are available in both full and half portions. But what makes dining at Haidilao a pleasant experience is its various free services which make queuing for the dishes a pleasure in itself. At Haidilao all diners are entitled to free ice water, fruit salad, melon seeds, nail care and shoe shining, and they may also play chess or cards while they wait. Another shining point is Haidilao's Lalamian (pulled noodles) performance which features a young boy pulling noodles while dancing.

Location : 218 Dongzhimen Neidajie, Chaoyang, Tel: 010-8404-4906
For spicy food lovers, this authentic Chongqing hot pot is sure to satisfy your palate. Don't forget to try their famous eel while tucking into a variety of fresh meats and vegetables in a lovely courtyard setting.