Category: Chinese customs

Heavy Snow Introduction
After the “Slight Snow”, it’s the “Heavy Snow”, which is around December 7 orDecember 8 each year. “Heavy Snow”, just like it’s meaning, indicates more snow daysand snowfalls. Most of the places in China reach below 0 degree Celsius. The HanhaoBird stop singing, the tigers shows courtship behavior and Liting, a kind of fragrantthoroughwort sprouts. “Heavy Snow” is a very important period for farmers. If the snowis very heavy, it means next year will be a harvesting year. This is because that thenitrogen compound in snow is 4 times more than those in the rain. When the snow meltand soak into the soil, the increased nitrogen in soil can be absorbed by crops quicker.At the same time, the freezing snow water can kill many pests on earth’s surface layer.

The first day of Major Snow usually comes around December 7, when the sun reaches 255 degrees of longitude. It means that the snow becomes heavy. During this period, the snow begins to accumulate on the ground. In the northern area of China, the natural scenery is “ice blockading for hundreds miles and snow flying through thousands miles,” and in the south, the snowflakes fly and the world turns white. During Major Snow, the snow in the north may last a whole day, breaking the branches and blocking the road. About the snow, a proverb goes “A timely snow promises a good harvest.” As the snow covers the ground, the pests living through the winter will be killed by the low temperature.

Yunnan: Autumn Beauty in December The autumn comes to Yunnan in December, when you can enjoy the most excellent views of autumn there. During this season, it is sunny and the air is clean. The first place to see the scenery is the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the 13 peaks of which are covered by snow all year around, while the forest at the foot is green all four seasons. The bright contrast of colors is awfully attractive. The autumn of Shangri-La is also very special. On their way home from the fields of harvest, the villagers show their curiosity but no envy to the strangers. The sheep and cattle are leisurely scattered over the grasslands. Leaves of the birch on the faraway mountains turn golden yellow in the wind of autumn, and shine side by side with the fire-red langtu flowers.

With the coming of Major Snow, people realize that it is the time for skiing! After 4000 years of evolution, skiing has become a popular recreational sport. People cannot resist the white temptation. With so many skiing resorts in Beijing, do you still worry there is nowhere to go skiing? The major ski resorts in Beijing are introduced as follows.

After the first day of Major Snow, Chinese people prepare for the heavy snow. They make sure to keep warm inside and outside the house and prevent chilblain on their skin. There is a folk saying in the north of Shandong that goes: “against the gates with the stone roller, sweet potato porridge is the only food.” In ancient times, people would no longer drop around, so they closed the door and stayed at home. In the winter, there was no food but sweet potatoes, they had sweet potatoes all day along. Of course, after the snow, people would go out to enjoy the scenery or make snowmen. During the first day of Major Snow, the day is shorter while the night is longer in the northern hemisphere, hence the saying, “In Minor and Major Snow, the cooking is endless all day.” In other words, the day is so short that the housewives had to prepare for the next meal immediately after the first one. In fact, in northern China, people would cut down to two meals that day. On the west coast of Taiwan, it is the season of cooking lamb. Thus it would be served on the table.

There are many similarities shared among the world's mythical "Wild Man" creatures, such as the Shennongjia Savage, Big Foot in North America and the Abominable Snowman in China's Tibet. They are described as walking upright and standing 2 meters tall with arms reaching to their knees, big feet, extrusive eyes, a human-like face and long black or red hair. However, many people doubt if they really exist.

Nanxin Village Puppet Play(南辛庄木偶戏Nánxīn Zhuāng mù'ǒuxì) in Hejian City(河间市Héjìan Shì) of Cangzhou(沧州Cāngzhōu), also called “Pushing Play”(“推戏”tuīxì) and “Elbow Play”(“肘戏”zhǒuxì), is a rare opera in Hebei(河北Héběi). It was carried to Nanxin Village from Guo Village(郭村Guō Cūn) in Xijiiuji County(西九吉乡Xījiǔjí Xiāng) in the 29th year(1601) of Wanli(万历Wànlì) in the Ming Dynasty(明朝Míngcháo).