Xiaoman Festival is very beautiful. Xiaoman is one of the twenty-four solar terms and the second solar term in summer. During May 20-22 every year, the seeds of summer sowing crops such as wheat in northern China have begun to be full, but they are not yet mature, so they are called Xiaoman. Let's take a look at the beautiful text of Xiaoman Festival.
On my way to work this morning, I overheard the radio say, "Today is the eighth of the 24 solar terms-Xiaoman". How fast! I feel that "Long Summer" will arrive soon.
"Xiaoman", when you hear these two words, you will feel fresh and poetic.
Modern people's hurried and fast-paced life has been passed down for thousands of years, which will be ignored to some extent. The way of life that works at sunrise and stops at sunset has long since disappeared, becoming an outdated past history.
Recently, after reading Yu Shicun's Book of Time, Yu Shicun talked about the 24 solar terms, and got a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the 24 solar terms, so he couldn't help admiring the great beauty of ancient people getting along with nature.
Twenty-four solar terms, the crystallization of ancient people's wisdom, spring, long summer, autumn harvest and winter storage, the four seasons are endless and prosperous.
Twenty-four solar terms have been officially included in the intangible cultural heritage of the world, and are known as "the fifth invention of China".
Every solar term in Yu Shichun's Book of Time is accompanied by an elegant poem, and Xiaoman is no exception.
There is no green wheat in front of the door.
There are birds wandering in the wind,
This heart is far away,
Pomegranate flowers on the wall
Isn't it beautiful?
Every year from May 20th to 22nd, when the sun reaches the longitude of 60 degrees, the solar phenology in the northern hemisphere changes again. Twenty-four solar terms: "In mid-April, things are small and full."
Xiaoman, as the name implies, is that the seeds of summer crops are full, but not yet mature, just small and not yet full.
Small profits are not full, and there is much to be done.
It's interesting to think about it. After the heavy snow, there is light snow, after the slight cold, there is a great cold, and it is just a little full. So far, it is not full.
Don't be too full, leave room, what you think and get can develop in more space, so from the perspective of modern people, imperfection is the true meaning of life.
Xiaoman solar terms are related to rain, farming and growth. Since the beginning of solar terms, China has gradually entered the summer, the temperature difference between north and south has further narrowed, and precipitation has further increased.
The significance of solar terms in Xiao Man to life is highlighted at this time, which enables people to grasp their daily diet more deeply. The sage said, "The cloud is above the sky and needs it. Gentlemen feast and eat. " Clouds ascend to heaven, which is a time and space. When the time is not yet ripe, a gentleman needs to wait and save energy.
Xiao Man after the long summer, if we understand the attribute of time with the senses of sound, taste and touch, the taste of summer is bitter. Zhou Shu: "Little Full Day Bitter Vegetable Show". The Book of Songs: "Bitter comes sweet, under the sun". Li Shizhen called it "Tianxiangcao", which has the advantages of long-term administration, peace of mind, benefiting qi, intelligence and fitness, and anti-aging.
Deep down, I think "bitter" taste is not an indispensable medicine for the road of life.
Remembering a Zen dialogue I saw a long time ago, the little disciple asked the master, "Master, what does the solar term Xiaoman inspire our life or practice?"
Master said, "Although the word Xiaoman is a solar term, it is also a clever metaphor for people." "Caigen Tan" says: Half-blooming flowers make the wine slightly drunk. This is very interesting. If people are complacent, it is difficult to make progress, and if they are dissatisfied, it is difficult to meet their needs. When the water is full, it overflows, and when the moon is full, it loses. This is the way of nature and practice.
Not full, it turned out to be the best state of life; Only when you are satisfied can you feel the taste of happiness.
In the latitude and longitude of time, Xiaoman is only one of the solar terms, and the beauty of each solar term is worth stopping to understand. Don't worry, spring, summer, autumn and winter, the four seasons overlap, and the infinite rich connotation of seasonal development makes people cherish the harmony with nature.
Finally, I would like to share two of my favorite passages in this book:
"Young man, your duty is to level the land, not to worry about time. What you do in March and April will have your own answer in August and September. "
I am in an uninhabited valley, unpolluted, listening to a bird's instructions, picking flowers and making honey as my poem. Good rations and spiritual sacrifices, like some free wildflowers, grow and wither alone.
Well, may your life be full and bright.
The beauty of Xiaoman Festival Part II Xiaoman is the second solar term in summer among the 24 solar terms. Entering the Xiaoman solar term means entering the rainy season of heavy precipitation, and the rain begins to increase, and there will often be continuous and large-scale heavy precipitation.
During the harvest season, most parts of China have entered the summer, the temperature difference between north and south is further reduced, the precipitation is further increased, the rainfall is sufficient and timely, cereal crops can thrive, and natural plants are full and lush. China has a large geographical span from north to south, with obvious differences in climate, agricultural production, main crop varieties and their growth conditions.
Xiaoman is a busy farming season. There is a saying in Jiangnan that "Xiao Man moves three cars, but he is too busy to know him". The three cars here refer to the waterwheel, the oil truck and the silk truck. At this time, crops in the farmland need a lot of water, so farmers are busy turning water on the waterwheel.
In many places, there is a custom of boiling herbs in Xiaoman day, because Xiaoman solar terms are prone to wet skin diseases. Therefore, the diet should be light vegetarian, and you can often eat food that clears away heat and dampness. Bitter vegetables, bitter vegetables.
Bitter with astringency, astringent with sweetness, fresh and refreshing, cool and tender, rich in nutrition, containing a variety of vitamins, minerals, choline, sugar, riboflavin and mannitol needed by human body, with the functions of clearing heat, cooling blood and detoxifying. In addition, bitter gourd is also a good food with rich nutrition. Bitter gourd mainly contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and other nutrients. It also has the functions of promoting food, helping digestion, clearing away heat and pathogenic factors, eliminating fatigue, clearing away heart fire and improving eyesight.
Xiaoman Festival Beauty Chapter 3 "In mid-April, when you are full, things will be full." Xiaoman is one of the twenty-four solar terms and the second solar term in summer. During May 20-22 every year, the seeds of summer sowing crops such as wheat in northern China have begun to be full, but they are not yet mature, so they are called Xiaoman.
How much does Xiao Man know?
Know wheat
There is another saying in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River: "Xiaoman is dissatisfied, and wheat is risky." This "one risk" means that wheat has just entered the stage of milk ripening at this time, and it is very vulnerable to dry and hot winds, which leads to insufficient grain filling, grain shrinkage and reduced yield.
Grab water
In the past, irrigation and drainage with waterwheels was an important event in rural areas. As the saying goes, "a small truck moves three cars (three cars refer to silk cars, oil cars and water wheels)." Start the waterwheel when it is full. Previously, farmers held a ceremony of "grabbing water" with the village fair as the unit, which was intended to drill in Haining area.
Most senior deacons gather families, set dates and arrange preparations. At dawn, they set out in groups, lit torches and ate wheat cakes, wheat cakes and wheat balls on the waterwheel. Deacons took drums and gongs as the number, and the party set foot on the waterwheel installed on Xiaohehan in advance, and dozens of cars stepped together to pull the river into the field until the river was full of water.
Sacrifice to the three gods
Xiaoman has a custom in the history of our country called offering sacrifices to three carts, which are called waterwheels, ox carts and silk carts.
No matter what the name of the Water Car God is, it is said that the "Water Car God" is the White Dragon. Farmers put fish and incense sticks on the bottom seat of the car and offer them in front of the water. What is special is that there is a cup of white water in the sacrifice, which is poured into the field during the sacrifice, which means wishing the water source flourish. The above old customs show that farmers attach importance to water conservancy irrigation and drainage.
Silkworm god's birthday
Xiaoman Festival is said to be the birthday of the silkworm god, so on this day, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, which are famous for raising silkworms in China, are also very lively. Xiaoman Festival is in early summer, when the cocoon takes shape, it is just waiting for reeling. Planting mulberry and sericulture is a traditional sideline in rural areas in the south of the Yangtze River. Silkworm is a treasure and a food source for villagers, and people are full of expectation and gratitude for it. So this festival is full of rich silk folk customs.
Dietary customs
"Spring breeze blows, bitter vegetables grow, and wasteland is a granary". It is also the season of bitter vegetables around Xiaoman, which is one of the earliest edible wild vegetables in China.
1, blood tonic and health care
Bitter vegetables have the function of enriching blood and protecting health. Sowthistle is very nutritious and contains a lot of vitamins and trace elements, which are all needed by human body. Eating bitter vegetables often can supplement the nutrition of the body and enhance the immunity of the body. Anemia or weak people can often eat bitter vegetables, which can play a role in enriching blood and benefiting qi.
Step 2 clear away heat and toxic materials
Bitter vegetables have the function of clearing away heat and toxic materials. Bitter vegetables contain a nutrient called choline, which can eliminate harmful substances in the body after being absorbed by the human body, and has the functions of sterilization and anti-inflammation. Bitter vegetables have a certain therapeutic effect on inflammation such as right laryngitis and tonsillitis.