"Good rain knows the season, when spring is happening", spring rain brings sufficient moisture to the growth of crops, but also brings hope to people, today we will introduce you to a rain-related solar terms, valley rain.
Gu Rain is the sixth of the twenty-four solar terms between April 19 and April 21 of each year.
Valley rain
As the saying goes, "Qingming cuts off snow, valley rain breaks frost", the arrival of valley rain means that we temporarily bid farewell to the cold weather, peach blossoms and apricot blossoms in the northern region have bloomed, and Yang Shu and willow silk are also flying around.
At this time in the southern region, "poplar flowers fall to the end of the rules of crying", rhododendron night cry, peony spit, cherry red ripe.
In ancient times, Gu Yu was divided into three waiting: one wait, Ping Shi Sheng; second wait, whimpering its feathers; and three waiting, Dai Ren descended to Sang.
After the valley rain, the rain begins to increase, and the duckweed begins to grow; the cuckoo cries to remind people that it is time to sow seeds in the field; and the daisheng bird falls on the mulberry tree, indicating that the silkworm baby has begun to grow.
Gu Yu means "rain born of a hundred valleys".
However, there is also a very interesting legend about the origin of Gu Yu.
Legend has it that Cangjie made a great contribution to mankind, and the heavens wanted to reward him well, but Cangjie refused the reward and only asked the heavens to bless the earth with abundant grain, so the heavens sent a rain of grain to the human world.
Customs and activities
There are many folk customs and activities on this day of Gu Rain.
On this day, there is a "sea sacrifice" activity along the coast of Shandong, where fishermen will carry the sacrifices to the seashore, beat gongs and drums, set off firecrackers, and pray for the sea goddess to bless themselves with a safe sea and a good harvest of fish and shrimp.
In the southern region, there is a custom of "picking tea in the valley rain", and Xu Cishu of the Ming Dynasty said in the "Tea Shu": "The Qingming Dynasty is too early, the summer is too late, and before and after the valley rain, the timing is moderate." ”
This is to say that the tea picked by Qingming is some early, the smell is insufficient, the tea picked in Lixia is some late, the taste is not very good, and the tea picked by Gu Yu is just in time. At this time, the tea leaves are emerald green in color and soft in leaf quality, known as "tea before the rain", it is said that the tea picked by Gu Yu on this day can clear the fire, ward off evil spirits, and be blind.
According to the records of court life in the imperial dining room, the ancients had the custom of eating toon on the day of GuYu, also known as "eating spring".
There is an old saying in Beijing that "before the rain Tsubaki buds are tender, after the rain Tsubaki buds are woody", which means that before and after the valley rain is the best time to eat toon, and then the toon is old and not delicious, so everyone may wish to make a toon dish during the valley rainy season, go and taste it!
Health care
In terms of health, when the rain in the valley rain increases, the air humidity becomes larger, the moisture invades the body, which is the onset of neuralgia, at this time we can massage the body's Yinling Spring acupoint, this acupuncture point is located in the depression of the inside of the tibia below our knees, each massage 60 times, morning and evening, feel sore until the swelling, which can be very effective in removing the moisture in our body.
In addition, gu rain this season in the air pollen, willow more, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma friends should pay attention to, must stay away from allergens, and reduce the intake of high-protein, high-calorie food in the diet.
Gu Yu is also the time when mosquitoes are flooded, at this time, the little friends try to wear long clothes, long pants, spray mosquito repellent to avoid being bitten.
Valley rain is the last festival of spring, valley rain will come to summer as soon as it passes, let us walk hand in hand through the last festival of spring!
⊙ reprint matters: indicate the original article, please indicate the source or contact customer service
⊙ solemn statement: the picture comes from the Internet, and the copyright belongs to the author
Xueguoxue Network focuses on the education and dissemination of excellent traditional culture