As one the 24 solar terms in Chinese lunar calendar, Grain Buds (Xiao Man) is the second one in summer, which means that the kernels of summer crops are in the milk but not yet ripe. In 2018, Grain Buds falls on May 21.

Customs

Offering Sacrifice to the God of Silkworm

Tradition has it that the Grain Buds is the birthday of the God of Silkworm. So in regions around Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province, a festival is observed to offer sacrifice to the God of Silkworm. Silkworms are very delicate and raising them entails elaborate efforts. The air, humidity, and coolness, ripeness, and dryness are all crucial to the survival of silkworms. Due to the hardship of silkworm raising, ancient people called them as "sacred creature". For the benevolence of "sacred creature" and a good harvest of silkworm raising, ancient people offered sacrifice to the God of Silkworm.

Eating Bitter Herbs

People are susceptible to wet skin diseases in days around the Grain Buds. So it is better to eat fresh vegetables and food that can eliminate dampness and heat, such as rice bean, mung bean, white gourd, cucumber, day lily, water fennel, black fungus, carrot, tomato, and bitter herbs. Growing all over the country, bitter herb is bitter, sweet, tasty and refreshing, cool and fragrant, and can clear heat, and cool blood. It was even used by ancient people to dispel the effects of alcohol.

In Ningxia, an autonomous region in Northwestern China, people treat bitter herb with hot water, cool it and dress it with salt, vinegar, pepper oil or mashed garlic. The dish tastes cool, spicy, and savory, and is very appetizing while matched with steamed bun or rice. Some people treat bitter herb into yellow with millet soup. It tastes sour, sweet, tender, crisp, and refreshing. There are also people who treat bitter herb with hot water, which helps getting rid of bitter taste. Then the bitter herb is used to make soup, stuff, to fry, or to cook noodles.

Offering Sacrifice to Three Gods

It is said that "three kinds of 'che'(cart) are used" in Grain Buds, namely, waterwheel, ox cart and silk cart. Offering sacrifice to three Gods means that in Grain Buds, people make sacrifice to three Gods taking charge of waterwheel, ox cart and silk cart for good weather and sound harvest. According to legend, “the God of 'che'” is a white dragon. Farmers would hold a sacrificial ceremony in front of these carts and water. They would put fish, meat and incense sticks on the base of carts, as well as a cup of water. The water would be poured to crop field in expectation of abundant water source.

A Good Season for Eating Fish

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.