Summer · No.8
Grain Buds
Xiao Man
Wheat kernels swell but are not yet ripe, and the paddies hold just enough water without overflowing.
By Grain Buds the winter wheat south of the Yellow River is in milky ripeness: the kernels fill out and a thumbnail squeeze yields white sap, though harvest is still three weeks off. Rain is heavy in the south and rivers rise to their banks. Sow thistle grows rank, shade-loving weeds scorch in the strong light, and the wheat begins to turn gold. Farmers guard against hot dry winds and lodging, and top-dress the rice. On the waterwheel sheds of the Jiangnan, old ceremonies honour the irrigation god. Meals turn lighter, and clothes should breathe.
Three pentads
- 1
Sow thistle sends up flower stems along the paths
- 2
Shade-loving weeds wither in the strong sun
- 3
Wheat turns from green to gold, near harvest
What people eat now
bitter greens
Bitter greens are at their best at Grain Buds; blanched and dressed cold, they taste bitter first and sweet after.
new wheat
At Grain Buds wheat kernels are full but still green; farmers grind the new grain and steam buns to taste the harvest.
cucumber
The first cucumbers arrive at Grain Buds, still flowering and prickly; smashed with garlic and vinegar they cut the heat.
What people wear
Rain increases after Grain Buds, and the south turns close and damp before the plum rains. Choose cotton and linen that breathe, and change once you sweat through them. Rotate two pairs of shoes and never wear a wet pair. Run a dehumidifier indoors and sleep under a light quilt, away from the draft.