Things you may not know about Grain Buds

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Buds (小满, xiǎo mǎn), the 8th solar term of a year, begins on May 20 this year, and ends on June 5. It means that the seeds from the grain are becoming full but are not ripe.

中国传统农历将一年分为24个节气。小满，一年里的第8个节气，从今年的5月20日开始直至6月5日。其含义是夏收作物的谷粒渐满，但还未成熟，只是小满，还未大满。

In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. But the solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives through special foods, cultural ceremonies, gardening and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term. During the "Grain Buds" period, all things flourish and grow quickly, and the physiological activities of the human body enter the most vigorous period, resulting in the most consumption of nutrients in the year. How can we lead a better life in accordance with the features of Grain Buds?

中国的24节气是几千年前创造的，用于指导农业生产。在现如今人们的生活中，节气文化仍起到一定的作用，诸如针对每个节气，在时令特色食物、文化庆典、园艺，甚至健康生活等方面提供相应的建议。小满时节，万物繁茂，生长最为旺盛，人体的生理活动也处于最旺盛的时期，消耗的营养物质为四季二十四节气中最多，那么我们该如何根据小满的节气特点更好地安排生活呢?

A good season for eating fish

吃鱼的好时节 

During the Grain Buds period, the summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, "A heavy rainfallmakes the river full." Because of the great increase in rainfall,rivers are full of water, which makes fish and shrimp big and fat. This is agood time to eat fish and shrimp. It is also harvest season for fishermen.

在小满期间，夏收即将开始。有句俗语是这么描述这期间的雨水情况的，"雨水充沛，江河涨满"。降雨量大增使得江河蓄满了水，鱼虾就会长大、变得肥美。这可是享用鱼虾的好时节！因此，也是渔民的丰收季。

A good season for eating mulberries

采食桑葚的季节

A Chinese farmer proverb says, "Mulberries become black during the Grain Buds period." It tells people that mulberries are ripe to be eaten during the season. It can help to improve eyesight, delay senescence, enhance the immunity and protect the cardiovascular function by eating more mulberries

中国有一句农谚，"小满桑葚黑"，是告诉人们，采食桑葚的季节到了。常食桑葚，可起到明目、延缓衰老的功效，还能提高机体免疫力，保护心血管功能。

A good season for eating cucumber, cherries and garlic shoots

食用黄瓜、樱桃和蒜薹的佳季

There is another proverb that says, "Three fresh plants come into the market: cucumber, cherries and garlic shoots." Cherries, in particular, can not only nourish skin and resist cancers, but also promote the growth of children and prevent respiratory tract infection and diarrhea.

另有一则谚语是这么说的，"小满见三鲜：黄瓜、樱桃和蒜薹"。特别是樱桃，不仅能滋养肌肤, 防癌抗癌，还能促进儿童生长发育并预防呼吸道感染和腹泻。

Eating herb of common sow thistle

吃苦菜

Grain Buds is a season for eating the herb of the common sow thistle, which is one of the earliest edible potherbs in China.

苦菜是中国最早可食用的野菜之一，适宜在小满期间食用。

It tastes a little bitter and tart, but also sweet. It has the function of cooling the blood and detoxifying the body. It can be made intodifferent types of dishes. People in Ningxia like to eat it blended with salt, vinegar, peppers or garlic. It tastes savory and helps peoplefeel refreshed. Some people boil the herb with water and then squeeze out the juice, which can be used to make soup.

苦菜吃起来微苦、发酸，还有点甘甜，具有凉血排毒之功效，可做成各种菜肴。宁夏人喜欢加盐、醋、辣椒或大蒜拌着吃，可开胃提神。有些人则会将菜叶焯熟，挤出菜汁，用来做汤。

Tips on health preserving in Grain Buds

小满养生小贴士

High temperatures and humidity are common during the Grain Buds period. The increase in temperature over this season may alsogive rise to nettle rash, rheumatism, sweat spots, eczema and other skin diseases.

小满期间，气温高、湿度大。而气温的升高容易引发荨麻疹、风湿、汗液斑、湿疹以及其它皮肤疾病。

It is also important to exercise to keep healthy during the hot summer days. Walking, jogging or practicing tai chi is popular.

炎热的夏季，应多运动来保持健康。较为流行的健身活动有散步、慢跑或是打太极。

Key period for flower management

花卉养植管理的关键期

This time is a good period of the quick growth of flowers. It is also a season when plant diseases and pests are at an all-time high, which makes growing flowers even more critical.

这期间是花卉快速生长的好时机，同时也是植物病害和虫害的高发季，因此生长中的花卉就显得更为脆弱敏感了。

Flower trimming and clipping is important. And a systematic fertilized water system should be carried out. Flowers need a lot of waterand extra care to ensure the plants remain healthy. Weeding should be done as they grow quickly and have to be extirpated in order tokeep the soil loose and from competing with the flowers for nutrients.

花卉应进行修剪，并且要施行系统化的肥水灌溉。花卉需要充足的水分及额外的细心照料，以确保植物的健康。花卉快速生长时要进行除草工作，并且要连根拔起，避免和花卉抢夺养分，这样土壤也会更蓬松。

Celebrating silkworm deity birthday

举行蚕神庆典

Silkworm rearing is a traditional byproduct for people in regions south of the Yangtze River. During the Grain Buds season, silkworm shave cocooned. People begin to cook cocoons and prepare the spinning wheel for reeling silk.

养蚕是南方人传统的副业。在小满时节，桑蚕剥茧，人们开始煮桑茧，准备纺蚕丝。

People in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces regard this season as the birthday of the silkworm deity. Those who engage in the silkindustry thank the deity by offering sacrifices and staging performances. They pray to the deity for blessings and a boom season for the silk business.

这一时节在江苏和浙江一带被奉为蚕神节。那些从事丝织行业的人们通过供奉祭品和登台表演的方式向蚕神以示感恩。他们祈祷神明保佑，希望丝绸生意红红火火。

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