Introduction to the origin of today’s Grain Rain

1. The origin of Grain Rain: From a meteorological point of view, Grain Rain occurs when the sun reaches 30° of ecliptic longitude every year, usually around April 19th to 21st every year. "Collection of the Seventy-Two Hours of the Moon Order" says, "In the middle of March, after the rain, the soil paste pulsed, and now it rains the grain on the water? Cover the grain and sow the seeds at this time, from bottom to top." It was born from the rain, hence its name. It is said that Guyu originated from Cangjie's coinage of Chinese characters. Cangjie prayed in his dream, "I want a good harvest so that all the people in the world have food to eat." As a result, the next day grains filled the sky and rained down on the earth. The Yellow Emperor designated this day as Grain Rain Festival.

2. Grain Rain climate: The obvious climate characteristic of the Grain Rain season is that precipitation increases significantly. During the Grain Rain season, the grains are born from the rain, and the demand for precipitation is greater, but it varies by region. The proverb goes: " During the Qingming Festival, there is often a shortage of rain during the Grain Rain. In this rainy solar term, spring rains decrease sharply from the Qinling Mountains and the Huaihe River to the north. At this time, the north is usually accompanied by sand and dust weather. Historically, there have been many strong sand and dust storms in the north during the Grain Rain period. , especially terrifying. The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Jiangnan area are obviously rainy, or accompanied by local heavy rains or heavy rains.

3. Grain Rain customs:

(1) Offer sacrifices to Cangjie. Worshiping the Yellow Emperor during the Qingming Festival and worshiping Cangjie during the Grain Rain Festival are folk traditions that have been passed down for thousands of years since the Han Dynasty. According to "Huainanzi" records, the Yellow Emperor issued an edict in late spring and early summer, announcing that Cangjie's creation of characters was successful, and there was a rain of millet that day. After Cangjie's death, people buried him in his hometown - the north of Shiguan Town, Baishui County. A couplet was engraved on the door of the tomb: "The raindrops were grateful to the Emperor of Heaven, and the same text will be paired with the bridge mausoleum forever." Every year during Grain Rain, "Cangjie Temple Fair" It will be held as scheduled in Baishui County, Shaanxi Province.

"Eat spring". Before and after Grain Rain, the toona is mellow, refreshing and has high nutritional value, so there is a saying that "the toona is as tender as silk before the rain". People call picking and eating Chinese toon in spring "eating spring". Toon is generally divided into purple toon buds and green toon buds, with purple toon buds being the best. Fresh toon buds are rich in protein, carotene and a large amount of vitamin C. Its leaves, buds, roots, skin and fruits can be used as medicine and have many functions such as strengthening the stomach, regulating qi, stopping diarrhea and moisturizing the skin.

(2) Appreciate peonies. "Looking at peonies during the three dynasties of Grain Rain", peonies are known as the Flower of Grain Rain and the flower of wealth. Appreciating peonies during Grain Rain has lasted for thousands of years. "Qing Jia Lu" written by Gulu of the Qing Dynasty said: "Businessmen who built temple annexes looked at the flowers in the Grain Rain season. If you don't believe that there is no national beauty when you meet, the brocade shed only protects the spring of the jade house." So far, Heze, Shandong and Luoyang, Henan will celebrate the Grain Rain season. A peony party is held for people to enjoy and enjoy.

(3) Drink Guyu tea. Tea farmers in Fujian say that the real Guyu tea is made from fresh tea leaves picked on the day of Guyu, and must be picked in the morning. Guyu tea is emerald green in color, soft in texture, rich in vitamins and amino acids, and has a pleasant aroma. It is said that drinking tea on the day of Guyu will clear fire, ward off evil spirits, improve eyesight, etc. So no matter what the weather is like on Guyu day, people will go to the tea mountains to pick some new tea and come back to drink it.

Sacrifice to the sea. Guyu Festival is also called the "Zhuangxing Festival" when fishermen go fishing. In the coastal areas of northern China, fishermen have celebrated the Guyu Festival for more than 2,000 years. When the sea sacrifice time comes, fishermen will carry their offerings to the Tanah Lot Temple and the Empress Temple to offer sacrifices. Some will carry the offerings to the seaside, beat gongs and drums, set off firecrackers, and worship in front of the sea. The scene is very grand. This custom It is still popular in Rongcheng, Jiaodong today.

(4) Walking in Guyu. In ancient times, there was a custom of "walking during Guyu". On Guyu day, young women would go to villages to visit relatives, and some would go for a walk in the wild and then come back. It means integrating with nature and strengthening the body.

(5) Guyu stickers. Grain Rain stickers prohibit the killing of five poisons. After Grain Rain, the temperature rises, and pests and diseases enter a period of high reproduction. In order to reduce the damage caused by pests and diseases to crops and people, farmers put up Grain Rain stickers while entering the fields to eliminate pests, and pray to drive away evil spirits. This custom is very popular in Shandong, Shanxi and Shaanxi. In the old days, in Linfen, Shanxi, people painted Zhang Tianshi's talisman on the Grain Rain day and pasted it on the door, which was called "Forbidden Scorpion". The scorpion-forbidden charms in Fengxiang, Shaanxi are printed with woodcuts, which shows that the demand is very high. Printed on it is: "In the middle of the third month of Grain Rain, scorpions show off their majesty. When the sacred chicken takes a bite, poisonous insects turn into water?" In the center of the picture, a rooster holds an insect, and there is a big scorpion under its claws. There are charms printed on the painting. The saying that roosters cure scorpions has been circulating among the people for a long time. Scorpions are also forbidden in Shandong folk customs. The "Xiajin County Chronicle" written in the sixth year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty recorded: "In the Grain Rain, cinnabar inscriptions ban scorpions." The folk custom of "forbidden scorpions" reflects people's desire to drive away pests and long for a safe harvest. Grain Rain stickers are a type of New Year pictures. They are engraved with images of divine chickens catching scorpions, heavenly masters removing five poisons, or Taoist talismans. Some of them are also accompanied by words such as "Tai Shang Laojun is like a law. In the third month of Grain Rain, snakes and scorpions will never die." "Sheng", "In the middle of March during Grain Rain, Laojun descended from the sky, holding a seven-star sword, and single-handedly killed the scorpion spirit" and other text descriptions, which place people's psychology of checking pests, hoping for a good harvest and peace.