The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (24节气). Grain Buds (小满), the 8th solar term of a year, begins on May 21 this year, and ends on June 5. It means that the seeds from the grain (谷物) are becoming full but are not ripe (成熟).
In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural (农业) production. But the solar term culture is still useful today. It guides people’s lives through special foods, cultural ceremonies, gardening and even healthy living tips that matched with each solar term. Let’s see what we can do during the “Grain Buds” period.
During the Grain Buds period, summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, “A heavy rainfall makes the river full.” Because of the great increase in rainfall, rivers are full of water, which gives rise to great tasting fish and shrimps (虾). This is a good time to enjoy them. It is also a harvest season for fishermen.
High temperatures are common during the Grain Buds period. The increase in temperature over this season may also give rise to some skin diseases. So it is important to exercise to keep healthy during the hot summer days. Walking, jogging and practicing tai chi are popular.
This time is a good period of the quick growth of flowers, which makes caring for your garden even more important. Flower clipping (修剪) is necessary. Flowers need a lot of water and care to stay healthy. Weeding (除杂草) should be done as they grow quickly and have to be cleared out in order to keep the soil loose (疏松) and from competing with the flowers for nutrients.
【小题1】Grain Buds begins on _______ this year.| A．May 24 | B．May 8 | C．May 21 | D．June 5 |
| A．The solar term culture is still useful today. |
| B．There is less rain during the Grain Buds period. |
| C．Walking and practicing tai chi are good exercise during this time. |
| D．It’s necessary to clip the flowers in the garden. |
| A．养分 | B．空间 | C．原材料 | D．水分 |
| A．Health | B．Culture | C．Sports | D．Invention |
