Ingredients for beef hot pot. [Photo/zgqxn.com]

As the country spent the winter solstice eating dumplings or noodles, people in Qianxinan chose to warm their stomachs by eating beef and mutton hot pot.

The winter solstice, which marks the shortest (and often coldest) day of the year in China, falls on Dec 22. It is one of the 24 solar terms and people usually gather to enjoy dinner on the day.

Mutton is an indispensable dish on the winter solstice in Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, Guizhou province. And hot pot is the top choice for people to chase away the cold in cold winter.

Beef is also very popular in Qianxinan. Different parts of the cow are cooked in different ways and the common dishes include stewed, steamed, and fried beef and beef soups.

On the cold night of the winter solstice, people in Qianxinan like to sit around the hot pot table and enjoy the warmth of home with their families.