"小满者，物致于此小得盈满。"《月令七十二候集解》这时全国北方地区麦类等夏熟作物籽粒已开始饱满，但还没有成熟，所以叫小满。南方地区的农谚赋予小满以新的寓意:"小满不满，干断田坎";"小满不满，芒种不管"。将"满"用来形容雨水的盈缺，指出小满时田里如果蓄不满水，就可能造成田坎干裂，甚至芒种时也无法栽种水稻。
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 Chinese traditional 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.
中国传统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能做些什么呢？
1
Good season for eating fish
吃鱼虾蟹蚌
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.
在小满期间，夏收即将开始，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，这使得鱼虾蟹蚌又大又肥美！这是吃鱼虾的好季节，也是渔民们丰收的季节。
2
Good season for eating mulberries
吃桑葚
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
Celebrating silkworm deity birthday
祭蚕神
小满自古有食野菜、祭三神、祈蚕等习俗，反映了古代社会人们对农业生产的重视。其中，“祭三神”是由于古人信仰万物有灵，“三神”对应农业生产中的“三车”，即为水车车神、油车车神和丝车车神。
Since ancient times, during the Grain Buds, people has the customs of eating wild vegetables, offering three gods and praying for silkworm, which has reflected the ancient society of people's great emphasis on agricultural production. Among them, the "sacrifice of the three gods" is concerned with the ancient belief in animism, the Three Gods corresponding to the Three Vehicles in agricultural production, namely the god of waterwheel, the god of rapeseedl oil tanker and the godl of silk spinning wheel.
旧时水车灌溉是农业生产活动的大事，依照自古习俗，水车会在小满启动。小满还是油菜籽成熟的时节，“动油车”是指人们将油菜籽收割并送至油坊，启动油车榨油。而“动丝车”是指小满前后，蚕开始结茧，养蚕人家要忙着摇动丝车缫丝。
In the old days, water wheel irrigation was a major event of agricultural production activities. According to ancient customs, the water wheel will be started during Grain Buds. For it's the ripe season time for rapeseed, and getting the rapeseedl oil tanker started means that people harvest rapeseed and send to the oil workshop, start the oil tanker to press oil. And spinning wheel being started refers to that before and after Grain Buds, silkworm began to cocoon, and silkworm breeders have been very busy with silk worm reeling.
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.
养蚕是长江以南地区人们的传统行业。在小满阶段，桑蚕已经被蚕茧包裹起来。人们开始煮蚕茧，准备好纺车缫丝。
People in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces regard this season as the birthday of the silkworm deity.
江苏、浙江两地人们认为小满是蚕神的诞辰日。
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.
丝绸产业的人们为感谢蚕神，会为其提供祭品、组织祭祀表演，人们会祈求蚕神保佑丝绸生意繁荣发展兴旺。
4
Eating herb of common sow thistle
食苦菜
Grain Buds is a season for eating the herb of the common sow thistle, which is one of the earliest edible potherbs in China.
小满吃苦菜，这是中国最早的可食用菜之一。
It tastes a little bitter and tart, but also sweet. It has the function of cooling the blood and detoxifying the body. It can be made into different types of dishes.
苦菜尝起来有些苦、略带酸甜味，具有清热解毒的功效，可做成各种不同的菜肴。
People in Ningxia in northern China like to eat it blended with salt, vinegar, peppers or garlic. It tastes savory and helps people feel refreshed. Some people boil the herb with water and then squeeze out the juice, which can be used to make soup.
中国北方宁夏人喜爱凉拌苦菜，佐以盐、醋、辣椒和大蒜，尝起来口感清新、令人神清气爽；有人则喜爱将苦菜淖水、榨出汁液，然后用来做成汤。
5
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，必须将它们清除干净。
6
Tips on health
健康建议
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、慢跑都是不错的选择。
7
习语
Useful Expressions
solar term 节气celestial longitude 黄经silkworm rearing 养蚕detoxify 解毒a boom season 丰收季eczema 湿疹aftertaste 回味the silkworm deity 蚕神 （在我国江浙一带每逢节气小满人们会举行祈蚕节，供奉蚕神以求得丰年）
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