Guyu Solar term - Grain Rain

Spring field work is in full swing. Nature itself took care to provide the most favorable conditions for the growth of crops - fairly warm weather combined with spring rains. The abundance of solar heat and rain moisture lays a good basis for the autumn harvest. All living things enjoy the spring warmth, fresh and clean air. Bright green, absolutely amazing colour of grass and blooming leaves, spring flowers, and butterflies fluttering delight the eye. The singing of birds building their nests delights the ears.

Guyu Solar term (translated as “Grain Rains” or “Grain Rains”) is the sixth of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar, which occurs annually on April 19-21 and coincides with the second half of the Dragon month. This is the last spring season, next is the long-awaited summer! There is a popular saying: “In the Qingming season, the snow stops, in the Guyu season, the frost disappears (blocks the path of frost).” The Guyu season lasts until about May 5, giving way at this time to the Lixia season - Beginning of Summer..

CLIMATE

The onset of the sixth minor season of the Chinese agricultural calendar marks the end of mostly cold weather, with increased precipitation expected. The rise in air temperature is accelerating. Guyu is getting warmer day by day. However, there are sharp temperature changes throughout the day. Guyu is a rainy season characterized by high air humidity.

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Spring field work is in full swing. Nature itself took care to provide the most favorable conditions for the growth of crops - fairly warm weather combined with spring rains. Abundant sunshine and rain moisture lays a good foundation for the fall harvest. The rains are heavy and prolonged; it is during this season that heavy downpours begin. The arrival of the Guyu solar term means that in the next fifteen days the cold will almost end, the temperature will rise, and nature will be ready to welcome summer.

TRADITION

During this period, all living things enjoy the spring warmth, fresh and clean air. The bright green, absolutely amazing color of the grass and blossoming leaves, spring flowers, and the fluttering of butterflies is pleasing to the eye. The singing of birds building their nests delights the ear.

Traditionally, Chinese residents spend their free time admiring the blossoming of fruit trees - peach, plum, apricot, pear and cherry. All this splendor seems to have been given to us to achieve spiritual harmony, love, forgiveness and healing.

During the Guyu solar term, the tree peony blooms in most parts of China - the “king” of flowers, the flower symbol of the Tianxia Empire. Peony is the only flower that proudly bears the name of the small season: “Guyui flower”. Admiring peonies has become one of the important recreational activities during this solar term.

In the Middle Kingdom, this period is considered “bath season.” When it arrives, both young and old go to hot springs or Chinese baths to perform the ritual of ablution. This tradition is already 3000 years old. According to legends, bathing on Guyu allows you to cleanse yourself of the evil eye and defilement.

Guyu solar term is a good time to start fishing. In order to safely go out to sea and return home with full hands, on this day fishermen pray to the patron goddess of the seas, Haishen Niannian, and make a sacrifice to the God of the Sea, asking for his blessing so that going out to sea is safe and the holds are full of fish.

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Another tradition, called “Walk to Guyu,” implies that young childless women should not be alone on this day; it is better for them to spend the day in the company of friends or relatives, or just take a walk in nature.

In southern China, on the first day of the Guyu solar term, tea was picked and drunk from the new spring harvest, welcoming the season with tea ceremonies. This tea is often called Guyu tea or pre-rain tea. During this period, tea bushes produce their first fresh shoots, rich in vitamins and antioxidants. They make a wonderful aromatic drink, which is considered extremely useful for restoring the body after winter.

HEALT

In the off-season, it is important not to overwork yourself physically and mentally, but it is advisable to walk a lot, which contributes to the health of the spleen.

DIET

Each small season that ends a quarter of the year is an off-season, a period of the Earth. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Earth element is the stomach and pancreas, spleen, cells and muscles. From the point of view of traditional Chinese medicine, the off-season is given great importance, since the spleen is responsible for immunity.

The spleen is weakened by a lot of “raw” (meaning uncooked) food, raw vegetables and fruits. During this period, it is advisable to eat fruits not in large quantities and chew them thoroughly or cut them into small pieces. Drinking large amounts of cold water hurts the spleen and cools it. As a result, it cannot transmit enough qi to the lungs (and the spleen is the “mother” of the lungs), hence the frequent diseases of the upper respiratory tract at this time of year.

Foods with a sweet taste support the spleen, so in the off-season the main thing is sweet taste, which activates the spleen, stomach and pancreas. However, the sweet taste is not found in foods with sugar, but mostly in most grains, legumes, starchy vegetables and meats, eaten naturally but cooked.

Bitter is considered a complementary taste in the off-season. The bitter taste dries up moisture, relieves heat, tones, removes toxins, soothes the spirit, shortness of breath, and cough. Bitter-tasting foods include lamb, millet, dried fruits, spinach, arugula, etc.