From the moment Monk Lezun saw the vast Buddha’s light at Sanwei Mountain, Dunhuang’s spring, summer, autumn and winter had quietly begun.
Dunhuang, a piece of history in the endless desert that cannot be forgotten, a story told in the long years. Everything about this place fascinates countless people. Opening "Dunhuang Seasons" and traveling through thousands of years, the four seasons of the year that belong here begin.
The beginning of spring - the beginning of the year, to eliminate disasters and pray for blessings
The plan for the year lies in spring. Yanghe generates warmth and all things grow.
Spring carries people’s good wishes for the whole year. As the first solar term, the Beginning of Spring has been a grand festival that people attach great importance to more than 3,000 years ago.
Since the Zhou Dynasty, the emperor has welcomed spring in the eastern suburbs.
Gathering the "Five Blessings" is a traditional concept that has existed for thousands of years. The "Spring Flags and Spring Victory" in Su Shi's poems are an indispensable custom at the beginning of spring.
People begin to work and sow seeds on this day, and the seeds of hope take root and sprout. They wish for good weather and good harvests throughout the coming year.
Grain Rain - nourishing the ideal of life
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After the early spring, Grain Rain is ushered in. The spring rain moistens things silently, and during the Grain Rain season, it nourishes all the grains to nourish the world. Since ancient times, people have relied on food. When the rain falls in mid-spring, cultivators are grateful for the gifts of nature and live a solid and determined life.
Legend has it that when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, bathing in them can ward off disasters and avoid disasters. It can also be used for beauty and skin care, and has many benefits. In addition to peach blossoms, it is also worth mentioning the new tea of ??Guyu. There has long been a proverb among the people: "It rains when picking tea." At this time, the tea tastes mellow and has a long aftertaste.
Looking at the green water and green mountains, bathing and sipping tea, and getting rid of fatigue, why not talk about life and ideals.
Great Heat - A Practical Guide to Spending Summer
The combination of Slight Heat and Great Heat means heat with a capital letter. There are no air-conditioned rooms and ice cream. The ancients had their own tricks, which can be traced in the murals of the Tang Dynasty. . In Cave 159 of Mogao Grottoes, the princes and nobles wear silk shirts and use glass vessels to serve flowers. The colors are bright, fresh and pleasant.
Going into the mountains to escape from the world and copying scriptures at your desk is also a good way to escape the summer heat. A calm mind will naturally cool you down.
After a long business trip to the mountains, green mountains and green waters are everywhere. With a cup of clear spring, you will temporarily forget about the solitary smoke in the desert.
Double Ninth Festival - Ancient Dunhuang Health Preservation Method
On September 9th, the sun and moon coincide with Yang. Meng Haoran wrote a poem: "On the Double Ninth Festival, I will still come to see the chrysanthemums." Autumn is getting stronger. Climb high to admire the chrysanthemums. "Jiujiu" is the same as "Jiujiu", which means health and longevity. The weather is getting colder, and autumn supplements and health care are also on the agenda.
The Dunhuang document "Dietary Materia Medica" records many good health recipes, such as winter melon for weight loss, walnuts to prevent hair loss... There is also a "fairy porridge" in the document that is good at replenishing deficiency and has miraculous effects.
Winter Solstice - once also a "year"
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From this day on, the cathode reaches its peak and the yang energy begins to arrive. As the saying goes, "Winter Solstice is as big as the New Year." In ancient times, Winter Solstice was more than just eating dumplings.
It was the "first month" of the Yin, Shang, Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn Periods and the Warring States Period. It was the first month of the Zhou Dynasty, and later generations called it the "Zhou Zheng Festival".
Since ancient times, the winter solstice has been regarded as an auspicious day. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, this festival was the most important in the capital. Starting from this day, various places celebrated the seven-day holiday. It is a rule for the court officials to pay homage to each other and express their feelings by giving each other gifts. It is the most leisurely time of the year to get together with the family, talk and laugh with scholars, have fun over wine, and drink a few glasses of home-made wine.
According to the Dunhuang document "Nayouli", the winter solstice is also an important day in the temple of the year. Devout believers are busy making delicious food, paying homage to the festival in the morning, and celebrating the festival.
Although winter is bleak, people in Dunhuang do not feel depressed. Winter is the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. With gratitude for the past and expectations for the future, Dunhuang will usher in A brand new year...
After reading this beautifully bound book "Dunhuang Seasons", I feel like I have been in Dunhuang for a year. As time goes by, everything is changing, but it seems that it has never changed. Seeing those vivid Dunhuang murals, I seemed to suddenly understand that the bright light of Dunhuang will never be covered up by the wind and sand of the desert. I also seemed to suddenly understand the reasons why Mr. Chang Shuhong, Mr. Fan Jinshi and generations of people chose to protect this place with their whole lives. I sincerely Thank them. Dunhuang culture is not only of historical value, it also has inheritance, humanity, poetry, and of course life.
The stories on the Dunhuang murals have not yet been told. The four seasons in Dunhuang are still going on, year after year, endlessly.
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