【24节气英语说】小满 Grain Buds

欢迎订阅主播“中国日报网”在喜马拉雅上的【China Daily 英语新闻】和【24节气英语说】两个专辑，通过我们的节目，不错过世界上发生的趣事！（未经授权，切勿转载）

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Buds, the eighth solar term of a year, begins on May 20 this year, and ends on June 5. It means that the seeds from grain are becoming full but are not ripe.

中国传统农历将一年分为24个节气，小满是第8个节气，今年始于5月20日,止于6月5日。它的意思是谷粒里的种子正变得饱满，但还没有成熟。

The 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. But the solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives through special foods, cultural ceremonies, gardening and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.

24节气是数千年前为了指导农业生产而创造的。但节气里蕴含的文化在今天仍然很适用，通过特殊的食物、文化仪式、园艺，甚至是与每个节气相对应的健康生活贴士来指导人们的生活。

Let's see what we can do during the "Grain Buds" period！

让我们看看在小满节气我们能做些什么！

1、Good season for eating fish

吃鱼的好季节

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，夏收即将开始。有句关于这段时节的雨的俗语 “小满大满江河满”，由于降雨量的大量增加，河流充满了水，这使得鱼和虾又大又肥。这是吃鱼虾的好季节。同样也是渔民的收获季节。

2、Good season for eating mulberries

吃桑葚的好季节

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:“小满桑葚黑”。因此，这是一个吃桑葚的好季节。

3、Tips on health

健康小建议

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

高温高湿是小满时节常见的现象。这个季节温度的升高也可能导致荨麻疹、风湿、汗斑、湿疹和其他皮肤病高发。

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

虽然夏天炎热，但锻炼身体以保持健康也很重要。散步、慢跑和打太极都很是不错的选择。

4、Key period for flower management

花卉管理的关键时期

This time is a good period for the quick growth of flowers. It is also a season when plant diseases and pests are at an all-time high.

这段时间是花卉快速生长的好时期。在这个季节，植物的病虫害也达到了历史最高水平。

Flower trimming and clipping is important. And a systematic fertilized water system should be carried out. Flowers need a lot of water and extra care to ensure plants remain healthy. Weeding should be done as they grow quickly and have to beeradicated to keep the soil loose and from competing with flowers for nutrients.

修剪花卉很重要的，最好要建立系统化的施肥水系统。花需要大量的浇灌和额外的照顾，以确保植物保持健康。除草，应该在它们长得快的时候进行，以保持土壤疏松，为了避免与花朵争夺养分，必须将它们清除。

5、Celebrating the silkworm deity's birthday

祈蚕节

Silkworm rearing is a traditional byproduct for people in regions south of the Yangtze River. During the Grain Buds season, silkworms have cocooned. People begin to cook cocoons and prepare the spinning wheel for reeling silk.

对于长江以南地区的人们来说，养蚕是一种传统的副产品。在小满节气，蚕结茧，人们开始煮茧并准备纺车纺丝。

People in East China's Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces regard this season as the birthday of the silkworm deity. Those who engage in the silk industry thank the deity by offering sacrifices and staging performances. They pray to the deity for blessings and a boom season for the silk business.

江浙一带的人们把这个季节看作是蚕神的诞辰。从事丝绸行业的人们，通过献祭和表演来感谢蚕神。他们向神祈福，以祈求保佑丝绸生意兴旺。