Today marks Grain Rain, the final solar term of spring. As its name suggests, Grain Rain signifies the sowing of grains and the arrival of rain.
Ancient texts divided Grain Rain into three periods: "First period: duckweed begins to sprout; second period: turtledoves preen their feathers;third period: Hoopoes begin to appear on mulberry trees." This signifies that after Grain Rain, rainfall increases, duckweed begins to grow, cuckoos start calling to remind people to sow seeds, and hoopoes appear on mulberry trees.
"Qingming ends the snow, Grain Rain ends the frost." The arrival of Grain Rain signals the end of cold snaps, accelerated temperature rises, and greatly benefits the growth of grain crops.
Before the rains, tender toon leaves are as delicate as silk. A plate of stir-fried toon with eggs offers a rich, refreshing flavor. In the south, there's a custom of picking tea leaves during Grain Rain—pre-rain tea boasts a vibrant taste and delightful aroma. As spring warms the seas, fish and shrimp abound, delicious whether boiled, braised in oil, stir-fried, or blanched.
There's also the saying, "Three days after Grain Rain, view the peonies": the majestic peonies awaken in the gentle rain, radiating unparalleled elegance and splendor.
April days on earth—let us not waste spring's splendor.
Spring rain startles spring, Grain Rain clears the sky; Summer full, Grain in Ear, summer heat connects;
Autumn dwells, Dew, autumn cold, Frost's descent; Winter snow, Snow, winter's minor and major cold.
——The Song of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms
Farmers' Proverbs
Grains are sown in Grain Rain's season,< >Cotton plants on southern slopes and northern hollows;< >Rice seedlings take root at just the right time,< >Melons, beans, and potatoes are planted in their place.
Plant corn and peanuts early, transplant sweet potatoes slightly ahead of schedule;
Fill fallow fields with sesame and millet, plant eggplants deep and tobacco shallow.