The Great Cold steps in...Spring

Like the effect of global warming, there is hardly a place left standing alone in the world. Even an alleyway in a small western town may be decorated with something interesting from remote eastern countries. Every day, the sun and the moon emerge in the sky alternatively, so do day and night. As many people know, the Lunar New Year for many eastern countries is as significant as Christmas for numerous western countries. But how about the solar terms?

The theory of Solar Terms still matters to farming, gardening, or even biology today, as the inherited lore of American farmers. In fact, there are 24 solar terms, which divide an entire lunar year into distinctive pieces.

In spring：

1. Lichun, or The Beginning of Spring， which is well known as The Spring Festival

2. Yushui, or The Rain Water

3. Jingzhe, or The Waking of Insects

4. Chunfen, or The Spring Equinox

5. Qingming, or the Tomb Sweeping Day

6. Guyu, or The Grain Rain

In summer:

7. Lixia, or The Beginning of Summer

8. Xiaoman, or The Grain Full

9. Mangzhong, or The Grain in Ear

10. Xiazhi, or The Summer Solstice

11. Xiaoshu, or The Slight Heat

12. Dashu, or The Great Heat

In Autumn:

13. Liqiu, or The Beginning of Autumn

14. Chushu, or The End of Heat

15. Bailu, or The White Dew

16. Qiufen, or The Autumn Equinox

17. Hanlu, or The Cold Dew

18. Shuangjiang, or The First Frost

In Winter:

19. Lidong, or The Beginning of Winter

20. Xiaoxue, or The Light Snow

21. Daxue, or The Great Snow

22. Dongzhi, or The Winter Solstice

23. Xiaohan, or The Slight Cold

24. Dahan, or The Great Cold

This originated in China, and has since propagated to many other Asian countries. Many farming activities have been guided and promoted by following the rules. On the 20th day of January this year comes the Great Cold, which implies the coldest time of the lunar year for some Asian areas. 

 

Dahan, the Great Cold, is the last solar term and means not only the cold weather, but also the upcoming big celebration, the Spring Festival. And certainly, all kinds of hymns have been created by various celebrities throughout the ages, like Tungpo Su, Juyi Bai, etc. Sometimes, no matter how far apart the poets were geographically, they were inspired by the same source.

 

"Endeavour without blaming Heaven, under which we are living.

 Walk with the sight of lively flowers and trees, sharing the boundless spring. "

As an extraordinary poet in China, Tungpo Su, who lived in the Song dynasty, had an aptitude for presenting his emotions and viewpoints through vivid depictions of the scenes. In the poem "The Great Cold Steps In," he described the ordinary people's great cold day, accompanied by the scenery of the warm and hopeful spring, which was not only optimistic but also a wish for the upcoming new year.

 

"Be through my lips to unawaken'd earth.

 The trumpet of a prophecy! Oh, Wind,

 If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?" 

What a coincidence! The rhesis written by Shelley in "Ode to the West Wind" reveals the same perspective. Although he died short later, his will has finally come true. He was a poet, and a fighter, who never succumbed to any threat, even death! 

Yes, as we all know, there is always a Spring following the Great Cold.