On May 20, 2020, April 28 in the gengzi lunar year. Today is Grain Full, one of the 24 solar terms. In the northern region, grains of summer crops such as wheat have begun to be full, but they have not yet matured, which is about the late stage of milk ripening, so they are called " Grain Full ".

Grain Full has three performances: first, bitter vegetables are flourishing, second, sweeping grass is dead, and third, wheat autumn is coming. It means that after Grain Full, the bitter vegetable has flourished. After that, some grass with thin branches began to die in the strong sunlight. In Grain Full 's last period, the wheat began to mature.

In the southern folk proverb, "full" has another explanation. During the period of Grain Full solar term, the area south of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is usually full of water. If the water level of the rivers does not rise, it must be a year of drought and little rain. As the folk saying goes: " Grain Full is short of water, and there is no water to wash dishes", " Grain Full has little rain, and the plow and rake are high.". The word "full" here does not mean that the grains of crops are full, but that there is much rain.

Before and after Grain Full came, it was a busy time for farming. There is another saying in Jiangnan area that " Grain Full is too busy to know when he drives three cars.". The three cars here refer to the water truck, the oil truck and the silk truck. At this time, the crops in the farmland need plenty of water, so the farmers are busy treading on the water cart to turn over the water; the harvested rapeseed is also waiting for the farmers to pound and make it into fragrant rapeseed oil; the silkworms produce beautiful cocoons, and the silk truck are busy.

Sacrifice to the God of chariots is an ancient custom of Grain Full in some rural areas. In the old days, water drainage and irrigation by waterwheel was a major event in the countryside, and the waterwheel was started in Grain Full season as usual. The farmer places fish and incense candles on the car base before the car water. The special thing is that there is a cup of white water in the sacrifice, which is poured into the field during the sacrifice, meaning to wish the water source prosperous. The sacrifice to the God of chariots shows that farmers attach great importance to water conservancy, drainage and irrigation.

Bitter vegetable is one of the earliest wild vegetables eaten by Chinese people. Bitter vegetables are bitter with astringency, refreshing, rich in nutrition. Grain Full season, bitter vegetables with luxuriant branches and leaves is suitable for people to pick and eat to satisfy hunger. This kind of seasonal behavior, which is restricted by the law of crop growth cycle and the level of agricultural productivity, has been preserved by the people across the long river of history. It has become a custom for every family to pick and eat bitter vegetables in the field in Grain Full season.

Time: May 20, 2020

Source: China Net