Twenty-Four Solar Terms - Xiaoman

When the wheat comes to Xiaoman, it turns yellow day and night, and the garden is green all year round.

Festival Meaning

Xiaoman, one of the "Twenty-Four Solar Terms", is the second solar term in summer. Xiaoman, Du Nail, the sun reaches 60° of ecliptic longitude, and it is celebrated every year on May 20-22 of the Gregorian calendar. The climate characteristic of the Xiaoman solar term is frequent precipitation, and continuous and large-scale heavy precipitation often occurs. After the Xiaoman solar term, the rain in the south becomes more abundant, just as the folk proverb goes, "When Xiaoman comes, the rivers gradually fill up." Xiaoman reflects the abundance of rain. Another explanation is that the grains of summer-ripening crops such as wheat in the north have begun to fill, but they are just beginning to fill, not yet completely full.

Climate Change

During the Xiaoman solar term, southern my country generally experiences heavy rainfall; the warm and moist airflow from the southern ocean is active and intersects with the cold air from the north. This At that time, southern China often experiences continuous and large-scale heavy rainfall, resulting in heavy rains or extremely heavy rains; rivers and lakes are often full in the Jiangnan area. If there is less rain at this stage, it may be that the subtropical high pressure in the Pacific Ocean is weak and is located farther south, which means that It's the yellow plum season.

In the north, there is little or no rainfall during the Xiaoman solar term. During this period, the temperature rises rapidly, and the temperature difference with the south further narrows.

The Phenomenon of Things

Some ancient Chinese writings divide Xiaoman into three seasons: "The first period is when bitter vegetables show up, the second period is when weeds die, and the third period is when wheat comes in autumn."

Yihou: In ancient times, during the Xiaoman season, the stored grains had been eaten up, and the bitter herbs had flourished, solving people's food shortage problem.

Er Hou: Afterwards, some grasses with thin branches that like shade began to die under the strong sunlight.

Sanhou: In the last period of Xiaoman, the wheat begins to mature. Autumn here does not mean autumn, but refers to the wheat turning from green to yellow and beginning to mature.

Festival Customs

Sacrificing the Car God

Sacrificing the Car God is an ancient Xiaoman custom in some rural areas. In the old days, water drainage and irrigation by waterwheels was a major event in rural areas, and waterwheels were started as usual.

Silkworm Praying Festival

According to legend, Xiaoman is the birthday of the Silkworm God, so there is a Silkworm Praying Festival in Jiangsu and Zhejiang during the Xiaoman solar term.

Eat bitter herbs

The spring breeze blows, the bitter herbs grow, and the wasteland is a granary. Bitter vegetables are one of the earliest wild vegetables eaten by Chinese people.

Grab for water

Dry weather is prone to occur during the Xiaoman season, which is very detrimental to crops. In the old days, farmers would use water trucks for irrigation and drainage to alleviate drought.

Proverb

Barley is no more than a small man, and wheat is no more than an awn seed.

After ten days of planting, if you don’t plant for ten days, it will be in vain.

When the wheat reaches its full size, it will break if it is not cut.

Xiaoman was dissatisfied, but Takata didn't care.

Xiao Man is dissatisfied, but Huang Mei doesn’t care.

The little man is dissatisfied, and the awns are blooming.

Xiaoman was dissatisfied and had no water to wash the dishes.

There is no less rain, but less yellow plum rain.

Xiaoman doesn’t plant flowers, and he doesn’t go home after planting flowers.

Xiaoman eats water, and Daman eats rice.

Xiaoman lights the fire and plants the fields at night, and plants the grass seeds in the upper and lower fields.

Xiao Man drove three cars and was so busy that he didn’t even know him. (Water truck, oil truck and silk truck)

Xiaoman is insect-proof and fully equipped with pesticides.

You can’t cut the small man, you can’t cut the awn.

The small ditch is full of dissatisfaction, and the water for the rice seedlings is short.

The little valley is full, and the house is full.

Xiaoman meets three new things.

The small ones are all along the edge, and the awns are in charge for half a year.

Little Man is warm and warm, hoeing wheat and other miscellaneous grains.

Before and after Xiaoman, he planted melons and beans.