As spring draws to a close, East Asian countries welcome the sixth Chinese solar term: Guyu, or Grain Rain, on April 20 this year. That means no more abrupt temperature drops. Instead, warm breezes and rising temperatures will herald the summer.

Guyu originates from the old Chinese saying, "Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains." The solar term reflects the wisdom of the ancient Chinese, who observed and concluded that when Guyu comes, warm weather and rain provide the best conditions for growing crops. Farmers seize the opportunity to plant, hence the name of this solar term.

According to the ancient Chinese, each solar term can be divided into three pentads, covering five days each. 

The pentads usually reflect climatological and phenological changes during the solar term, with some indicating the activities of animals.

Two animals appear in the saying of Guyu's pentads: cuckoo and hoopoe.

Cuckoo is called "Bugu" in Chinese for its chirp. The name also means "spread the seeds of crops," so the ancient Chinese considered the bird a messenger of nature to prompt farmers to sow.

Hoopoe is beloved by the Chinese for its colorful feathers and distinctive "crown." Ancient Chinese noticed that during Guyu, hoopoes were more frequently seen in the mulberry trees, leading them to record the phenomenon as an activity of the bird. 

In fact, the reason was somewhat related to human activities in ancient China. China has been famous for sericulture for centuries; therefore mulberry cultivation was common. During Guyu, hoopoes in breeding season had to find suitable trees for nesting, and abundant mulberry trees became good choices, hence the records in pentads.

For more:

Animals and solar terms: Qingming

Animals in solar terms: Jingzhe

Animals in solar terms: Yushui

Animals in solar terms: Chunfen

(Video provided by Zhongshan Broadcasting & Television Station, and main artwork by Wei Xiao, the National First Class Artist, member of China Artists Association, vice president of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Artists Alliance)

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