A painting of Grain Buds from Li Xiaolin.  [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Grain Buds is the eighth of the 24 solar terms and the second solar term of summer, succeeding the Start of Summer. This year, it falls on May 21. The meaning of Grain Buds in Chinese (Xiao Man) is that at this time, wheat and other summer crops in the northern area of China have started to grow.

In terms of climate, during the Grain Buds period, summer falls throughout the whole country. The temperature difference between northern and southern areas narrows further, while precipitation increases. Overall, the climate is hot, humid and rainy.

Traditions

Waterwheel God worship

This is an old custom in some rural areas. According to legend, the Waterwheel God is a white dragon. During the Grain Buds season, people place offerings such as fish and incense on the waterwheel. There will be a cup of water in all sacrifices, which will be poured into the field, wishing the plentitude of irrigation water.

Celebrating the birthday of the silkworm deity

Legend has it that the day of Grain Buds is also the birthday of the silkworm deity, so people hold a Silkworm Preying Festival in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Throughout history, China's farming culture has had particular customs, primarily "men plowed the fields and women wove cloth". In the south, people mainly weave silk, which is produced by silkworms. Therefore, silkworm rearing is a prosperous industry in rural areas of southern China, especially in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Diet

Common sow-thistle

As written in the Book of Zhou more than 1,000 years ago: the day of Grain Buds is the day of the common sow-thistle. Fresh and nutritious, common sow-thistle has the function of clearing heat, cooling the blood and detoxifying the body. Some people boil it and leave it to cool to make a cold dish. Some pickle it with yellow rice soup for a fresh tasting dish. Others squeeze its bitter juice after boiling it to make soups, stuffing or noodles.

Sponge gourd

During the Grain Buds season, sponge gourds have absorbed enough rainwater and are full of juice, so it is the best time for them to be eaten. When frying it together with green soybean, the dish will be bright green in color, while clear and crisp in flavor. The softness of green soybean and the mildness of sponge gourd is a perfect combination. 

Three delicacies in Grain Buds

An old saying has it that there are "three delicacies seen in Grain Buds". The three fresh delicacies are cucumber, garlic shoots and cherries. A famous ancient Chinese poet Su Shi once wrote a poem to describe the feeling of seeing cucumbers on the country road in Grain Buds season. The temperature will rise after Grain Buds, and juicy cucumbers can help relieve heat and quench thirst. Pick up fresh cucumbers and cook some seasonal dishes to enjoy this summer.