Valley rain is the sixth of the twenty-four solar terms and the last solar term in spring. From April 4 to 19 every year, when the sun reaches the ecliptic longitude of 21°, it is a valley rain.
During the rainy season, the rain increases, the temperature gradually rises, and many folk events with local colors appear in various places. What are the traditional folk customs in Taiwan?
During the rainy season, Taiwan's Taichung has a long drought and Ganlin. Image source: United News Network
Gu Yu makes up for the old mother. Taiwanese folk tradition has the saying of "Gu Yu makes up for the old mother", in order to sympathize with the mother's nurturing and caring grace, children should prepare pig's foot noodles on Gu Yu to help their mother make up for it, especially in Neipu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan, this custom has been around since ancient times, so Gu Yu is called Taiwan's Mother's Day. However, with the popularity of Mother's Day in the West recently, more and more people have ignored this traditional folk custom.
Changhua Puyan has a community "Valley rain to make up for the old mother" activity. Image source: Taiwan media
Welcome Mazu. In Taiwanese folk beliefs, Mazu is one of the most important deities. Every year from the beginning of the second lunar month to the twenty-third day of March, after Mazu's birthday, Taiwan from south to north begins an endless stream of Mazu detours, greeting gods and incense and other celebrations. And because the valley rain season is in it, the people will also pray for smooth wind and rain, and welcoming Mazu has also become a traditional folk activity in the valley rain.
Taichung Dajia Mazu circumnavigation activities. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Xiaoyuan
Fisherman sacrifice to the sea. The Valley Rain Festival and Sea Prayer is a local traditional folk cultural activity in the coastal areas of China. As the saying goes, "riding the valley rain on the net", when the sea warms up, the hundred fish travel to the shallow sea, which is a good day to go fishing in the sea. In order to be able to go out to sea safely and return with a full load, the fishermen of Gu Yu held a sea festival on this day to pray for the blessing of the sea god.
Shandong fishermen used intangible cultural heritage performances to welcome the rainy season. Photo by Li Xinjun
In addition to the above-mentioned folk activities with local characteristics, the same folk traditions are common in Taiwan as in many places in the southern part of the mainland.
Drink Gu Yu tea. The Shennong Materia Medica-Sutra describes the tea before the rain: "Long service and peace of mind and qi... Light and not old". During the rainy season, tea leaves are green in color and full of fat and juicy, which has the health effect of removing body moisture and clearing the eyes and fire, and tea farmers will pick new shoots before and after the rain to make spring tea. Many areas in the south also have the custom of picking tea on the day of the valley rain, no matter what the weather, people will go to the tea mountain to pick some new tea and drink it back to pray for health.
Paste "Valley Rain Sticker". In order to reduce the damage to crops and people, farmers put up valley rain stickers while going into the fields to eliminate insects after the rains. Gu Yu pasted pictures or symbols that generally depicted the divine chicken catching scorpions, Zhong Kui Tianshi removing the five poisons, so as to drive away Najib.
Walk the valley rain. In ancient times, many people would go outdoors on the day of the valley rain, go to the village to visit relatives, grasp the last solar term of spring, commonly known as "walking valley rain", which means to integrate with nature and strengthen the body, this folk custom has also been handed down in many places in Taiwan.
Valley rain to enjoy the flowers. "Gu Yu looks at peonies three times". Before and after the valley rain is an important time for peony flowers to bloom, therefore, peony flowers are also known as "valley rain flowers", although peonies are planted in Henan, Shandong and other places, but this folk custom gradually spread, becoming an important entertainment for people. Flower viewing has gradually become an important guyu folk custom for the people in Taiwan.
Taiwan valley rain related proverbs
In addition to these proverbs, there are many folk sayings in Taiwan about the valley rain solar term, which reflect the people's wishes and expectations for a better life.
There is no tea for three days before the valley rain, and three days after the valley rain: spring tea begins to be picked near the valley rain, and the timing must be grasped, when tea farmers are busiest picking and roasting tea all day long.
Gu Yu, birds only as mothers: this is the peak period for birds to mate and reproduce.
Good ginger planting before and after the valley rain: This is the season for planting ginger in Taitung and Hualien areas.
One bucket of east wind and three buckets of water: When the valley rains, it is rainy when encountering typhoons.
The valley rain should rain rather than the wind, and the fierce wind will float together: I hope that the wind and rain will be smooth in the valley rain.
When the valley rain meets at the beginning of the month, the ancients predicted that people may have a disease epidemic.
Qingming Field, Guyu Beans: During the Qingming season, farmers' rice planting work has ended, and they can start planting bean crops during the rainy season.
Valley rain taboo
The weather is changeable during the rainy season, with the increase of rain, the increase of humidity, and the vigorous growth of plants, many people have health problems due to pollen allergies and other triggers, so diet and life need to be paid special attention.
Avoid greasy diet. Health experts recommend a light diet, try to avoid greasy, heavy taste and too sweet food, and eat more seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Do not exercise too hard. Exercise experts recommend doing more soothing exercise and not pushing too hard, which is also a trick to toning the body in late spring.
Avoid being anxious. It is more difficult for young people to get up in the morning, so it is necessary to adjust the pace of life, reduce desires and distractions as much as possible, and maintain physical and mental peace. (China News Service WeChat public account)