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Grain Buds
Mulberry and hemp flourish; the breeze carries the scent of ripening wheat.
Solar term date
Dates follow the Hong Kong Observatory’s calendar. They are civil dates, rather than precise astronomical times.
About this solar term
Grain Buds begins at solar longitude 60°. Its name refers to grain beginning to fill before it is fully ripe.
Traditional seasonal signs include flourishing bitter herbs and the approach of the wheat harvest. Rainfall and crop development differ across China.
The term is associated with farming, water management and silk production in some regions. It celebrates growth still in progress, rather than a harvest already complete.
Seasonal signs
Bitter herbs flourish, tender grasses wither, and wheat approaches harvest.
Traditional seasonal signs combine observation with historical imagination. Weather and wildlife vary by region and year.
A reading of the poem
As Grain Buds arrives in full, why do the tender grasses fade? Farmers tend their grain while officials ask about silk. With apricots and wheat ripening, tools are sharpened and thorn fences raised. Bitter herbs alone stand flourishing, prompting the poet's wondering question.
Tang dynasty · Traditionally attributed to Yuan Zhen
咏廿四气诗·小满四月中
Poem source