What is the meaning and symbol of Xiaoman?

Symbolizes the stage when crops are growing but are not fully full and mature.

Summer crops are beginning to fill with seeds that are not yet ripe. Xiaoman marks the beginning of the summer season. The thing to this, small to full: wheat and other summer crops are full of seeds but not ripe, so it is called Xiaoman.

From an agricultural point of view, "Xiaoman" is related to both the fullness of wheat grains in the north and the abundance of rain in the south. At this time of year, the summer crops of winter wheat in northern China are entering the grouting period, and the grains are gradually becoming full, and the harvest is imminent.

In the south, as the saying goes, "small full big full river full", with the increase in rainfall, the south of the river is often also rivers, rivers and lakes in the water abundance. Otherwise it would mean catching up with the drought years with little rain. So the word "full" here means more rain.

Small full of customs:

One, grab the water and sacrifices to the God of the car

Old times, the use of water car car water drainage irrigation for the rural areas. Proverbs: "small full move three cars (refers to the silk car, oil car, water car)." Waterwheel to start in the day of the small full start.

"Robbing water" ceremony is popular in the Haining area, before, farmers to village as a unit to hold '. Robbing water" ceremony, mostly by the older deacon of the people about the collection of households, together to determine the date, arrangements for the preparation, and then to the day of the small full of the dawn began to group rows out, burning torches in the water car base to eat wheat cakes, wheat cake, wheat dumplings. The deacon used drums and gongs as a trumpet, everyone to hit the instrument and, stepping on the bank of the creek pre-loaded water car, dozens of them together stepped on the river Yong bow ｛ irrigation of human fields, to the river surging water light square stop.

Sacrificing the god of the car is also an ancient custom in the countryside, the legend says that the "god of the car" for the white dragon, the villagers will be in the car in front of the water, the car base to place some fish, incense and candles and other items of worship, the special thing is that there is a cup of white water in the offerings. The special thing is that there is a cup of white water in the offerings. When worshipping, the water in the cup will be poured into the field, which means to wish that the water source will be prosperous.

Second, eat bitter vegetables

Small full before and after the season is to eat bitter vegetables, bitter vegetables is one of the earliest Chinese people eat wild vegetables.

Bitter vegetables all over the country, the local call is different, Shaanxi people call it "bitter linen", Ningxia people call it "bitter bitter vegetables", Li Shizhen called it "Tian Xiangzhao Li Shizhen called it "Tian Xiang Cao". Medicine called it sepsis grass.