Do you know about Grain in Ear? It is one of the 24 Solar Terms. When the weather gets (
A
), the rain starts to fall and grain gets ripe, we know Grain in Ear is just around the corner. This year, it (
B
) on June 5.
The arrival of Grain in Ear means (
A
) time is coming. Wheat becomes ripe, and so do plums (梅子). (
B
) the day of Grain in Ear, people will boil and eat green plums. It is said that this tradition started (
D
) two famous people—Cao Cao and Liu Bei. There is a famous story. Cao and Liu (
C
) the heroes of their time while boiling and eating green plums with warm wine.
When the plums are ripe, the plum rains come. After Grain in Ear, the (
A
) in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will enter the plum rain season. The long period of (
D
) and cloudy weather will last (
B
) June and July.
The plum rain season is a good time for (
C
) rice, vegetables and fruit, but it also means the falling of (
C
). During Grain in Ear, people have ceremonies to say (
D
) to the Flower Goddess.
Today we seldom see this tradition in most parts of China. (
C
) people can feel the excitement of the ceremony in the famous (
A
) A Dream of Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin. The girls of the Jia family usually make flowers and willow branches into small toys. They also put silk on trees with (
B
) threads.
With its busy harvests and natural beauty, Grain in Ear is really a great time of the year.
