Grain Buds is the second solar term in summer. “In mid April, crops start to ripe.” Summer ripe grains such as wheat in northern China start to fill, yet to ripe; such a period equivalent to late milky ripeness stage is therefore called Grain Buds. Let’s see what we can do during the Grain Buds period.

小满是夏季的第二个节气。“四月中，小满者，物致于此小得盈满。”这时全国北方地区麦类等夏熟作物籽粒已开始灌浆饱满，但还没有成熟，约相当乳熟后期，所以叫小满。让我们看看在小满期间我们能做些什么。

A good season for eating mulberries

A Chinese farmer proverb says, “Mulberries become black during the Grain Buds period.” Thus it is a good season to eat mulberries.

中国农民有句谚语说，桑葚在小满的时候变黑了。因此，这是一个吃桑葚的好季节。

A good season for eating fish

During the Grain Buds period, the summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, “A heavy rainfall makes the river full.” Because of the great increase in rainfall, rivers are full of water, which makes fish and shrimp big and fat. This is a good time to eat fish and shrimp. It is also harvest season for fishermen.

在小满期间，夏收即将开始。在这段时间有一个说法，大雨让河流住满了水。由于降雨量的增加，河流中充满了水，使得鱼和虾变得又大又肥。现在是吃鱼和虾的好时候。对渔民来说，这也是收获季节。

Tips on health preserving in Grain Buds

High temperatures and humidity are common during the Grain Buds period. The increase in temperature over this season may also give rise to sweat spots, and other skin diseases. 

高温和潮湿在小满期间期是很常见的。这个季节的温度升高也会引起汗斑和其他皮肤病。

It is also important to exercise to keep healthy during the hot summer days. Walking, jogging and practicing tai chi is popular.

在炎热的夏天，锻炼保持健康也很重要。散步、慢跑和练习太极是很受欢迎的。

Although the temperature is remarkably rising and the rainfall is increasing, the temperature difference between dawn and evening is still big, especially when the temperature drops after rainfall, therefore, proper dressing is important; keeping warm for night sleep is essential to prevent catching a cold. 

小满后气温明显升高，雨量增多，但早晚仍会较凉，气温日差仍较大，尤其是降雨后气温下降更明显，因此要注意适时添加衣服，尤其是晚上睡觉时，要注意保暖，避免着凉受风而患感冒。

In the meanwhile, complying with the rule of Yang decreasing and Yin increasing in summer, it is suggested to sleep late and get up early but ensure enough of rest to stay energetic and active. 

同时也应当顺应夏季阳消阴长的则律，早起晚睡，但要保证睡眠时间，以保持精力充沛。

Celebrating silkworm deity birthday

Tradition has it that Grain Buds is the birthday of Silkworm Goddess, therefore there is a festival praying for silkworms during Grain Buds in the region of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Our farming culture is featured with farm work by men and weaving by women. The north mainly uses cotton and the south mainly uses silk in weaving.

相传小满为蚕神诞辰，因此江浙一带在小满节气期间有一个祈蚕节。我国农耕文化以"男耕女织"为典型。女织的原料北方以棉花为主，南方以蚕丝为主。蚕丝需靠养蚕结茧抽丝而得，所以中国南方农村养蚕极为兴盛，尤其是江浙一带。 

Silk is reeled off from cocoons so the southern China is the area where silkworm breeding is extremely prosperous, especially the region of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. During the Grain Buds season, silkworms have cocooned. People begin to cook cocoons and prepare the spinning wheel for reeling silk.

蚕丝需靠养蚕结茧抽丝而得，所以中国南方农村养蚕极为兴盛，尤其是江浙一带。在小满阶段，桑蚕已经被蚕茧包裹起来。人们开始煮蚕茧，准备好纺车。

小满诗词

Poems About the Grain Buds

《乡村四月 》

翁卷

绿遍山原白满川，

子规声里雨如烟。

乡村四月闲人少，

才了蚕桑又插田。  

A Rural Scene

Weng Juan

The streams are foaming white; fields bright with green, 

Amid misty rain the nighthawk’s cry is keen.

Among farms in May no leisure hands are found,

When silk time ends, then planting rice comes around.

蔡廷干（华人世界中系统性将唐诗翻译成英文的第一人）  译