“Grainrain”(Guyu)fallsthisyearonapril20.ItsnamecomesfromanoldChinesesaying:“rainaidsthegrowthofcountlessgrain.”Thisillustratestheimportanceofrainforcropsatthistimeofyear.“Grainrain”isthelastspringsolarterm,afterwhichtemperaturesriseandthereisamarkedincreaseinrainfall,makingitaprimetimeforgrowinggrain.
“Grainrain”isthebesttimetosowbeanandmelonseeds.Farmersalsobusythemselvessowingcorn,soybean,potatoandpeanuts.Theseedsareusuallycoveredwithaplasticsheettokeepthemwarmenoughtogerminate.
InsouthernChinacustomdictatesthatpeopleshoulddrinkteaon“Grainrain”day.Thespringteatakenduring“Grainrain”isrichinantioxidants,whichcanhelpreduceheatinthebody,andisalsosaidtobegoodfortheeyesight.somepeoplebelievethatdrinkingteaonthisdaypreventsbadluck.
Goingouttoviewthewonderfulsightofpeoniesinbloomthreedaysafter“GrainRain”hasbecomeatraditioninnorthernChina.Thefloweringofthepeoniescoincideswith“GrainRain”soithasalsoknownasthe“FloweroftheGrainRain.”ThepeonyisnativetoChinaandhasbeencultivatedhereforover1,500years.Itsflowersarelargeandbright,withmanylayersofcoloredpetals.TheflowerrepresentsgraceanddignityinChineseculture.Chinesepeoplealsoassociatepeonieswithwealthandrank.PeoniesareafrequentsightintraditionalChinesepainting.
Xiangchun(orChinesetoon)arethetenderleavesoftheChineseMahoganytree.Chinesepeoplevaluethisvegetablehighly.Theypicktheleavestomakestuffingfordumplingsandsteamedbuns,andalsoserveitinvariouscolddishes.Itissaidtobenutritiousandhavemedicinalproperties.
TheGrainRainFestivaliscelebratedinfishingvillagesalongthenortheastcoastofChina.“GrainRain”marksthestartoftheyear’sfishingseason.Thecustomdatesbackover2,000years,toatimewhenpeoplebelievedtheyowedagoodharvesttothegodwhoprotectedthemfromstormsatsea.PeopleworshippedthegodoftheseaandperformedasacrificialriteduringtheGrainRainFestivaltoensureabountifulharvestandpraythattheirlovedoneswouldbesafewhenatsea.