Solar terms, which     1     (be) also called Jieqi in Chinese, are days marking one of the 24 time buckets or the solar year in traditional Chinese calendar, used to indicate the alternation of seasons and climate changes in ancient China.

As far back as the Spring and Autumn period, there were four solar terms: mid-spring, mid-summer, mid-autumn    2     mid-winter. After continuous improvement, by the Qin and Han dynasties, 24 solar terms have been     3     (full) established.

The Yellow River Basin in Northern China is believed to be the cradle of the solar terms system. China’s 24 solar terms are a knowledge system and     4     (society) practice formed through observations of the sun’s annual motion and cognition of the year’s changes in season, climate and phenology. Ancient Chinese divided the sun’s movement through the sky     5     24 segments, with each segment     6     (equal) one roughly two-week-long “solar term”.     7     (base) on the sun’s position in the zodiac, the 24 solar terms were created by farmers in ancient China     8     (guide) the agricultural affairs and farming activities. They serve as an instruction manual of sorts for farmers, allowing them to know     9     conditions to expect or what agricultural activities to carry out during certain periods of the year.

Solar terms are often called “the     10     (five) great invention” of China after paper making, printing, gunpowder and the compass.

2 . Things You May Not Know About Grain Buds (小满)

Grain Buds, the 8th solar term of a year in traditional Chinese lunar calendar, begins on May 21 this year and ends on June 4th. It means that the seeds from the grain are becoming full but are not ripe. In China, the 24 solar terms were created to guide agricultural production. But its culture is still useful today to guide people’s lives through many aspects.     1    

A good time for eating seasonable food

    2     , rivers are full of water, which gives rise to great tasting fish and shrimps. This is a good time to enjoy them. It is also a good season to eat mulberries as they are becoming black. People in Ningxi a Hui autonomous region like to eat the blended herb of the common sow thistle (苦荬菜), which tastes savory and helps people feel refreshed.

Tips on health

High temperatures and humidity are common during the Grain Buds period. The increase in temperature over this season may also give rise to many kinds of skin diseases.     3     . Walking, jogging and practicing tai chi are popular.

Key period for flower management

This time is a good period of the quick growth of flowers.     4     , which makes caring for your garden even more important. People need to trim and fertilize the flowers as well as weed the garden. Flowers need a lot of water and extra care to stay healthy.

    5    

People in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces celebrate this season as the birthday of the silkworm deity (蚕神). Farmers also tend to the field by planting green Chinese onions in Shandong and harvesting vegetables in Zhangye, Gansu.

Celadon(青瓷),    1     type of porcelain(陶瓷), is a traditional Chinese art. Mature celadon came into being in the Eastern Han Dynasty. In Tang Dynasty, celadon     2    (export) to lots of overseas countries, such as Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Japan,    3    (play)a major part in the “Maritime Silk Road”. The celadon from the Guan Kiln of the Southern Song Dynasty is the peak of celadon producing,    4     is characterized by its bright and smooth lines, simple shapes and pure colors. It is considered     5     the treasure among ancient porcelain products. Nowadays many Chinese porcelain factories have     6    ( use) more advanced facilities and upgraded producing technology, making them green as jade and bright as a mirror.

The formation of each celadon is a process of life casting. Only after being burnt at around 1300℃ for 400 hours can it be made into an object. The     7     (difficult) of firing celadon is obvious, but at the same time, it     8    (make) each piece unique in the world. Because of the existence of celadon, many Chinese     9    (artist) have been constantly searching for the spirit of “the unity of man and nature” by appreciating the art of “mud and fire” and     10    (reflect) on the historical and cultural context in it.

4 . Happy April Fool’s Day! In celebration of the day, we have put together a list of some of the greatest hoaxes in history. They are the lies that have been designed for innocent people who are ready to believe them.

In 1962 there was only one TV channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station’s Kjell Stepson, appearing on the news to announce that thanks to a newly developed technology, all viewers could now quickly and easily transform their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon (尼龙) stocking over their TV screen, and they would begin to see their favorite shows in color. Reportedly, hundreds of thousands of people, were taken in. Actual color TV transmission only started to appear in Sweden on April 1,1970.

In 1977 the British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven-page supplement (增刊) in honor of the tenth anniversary of San Serriffe, a small republic located in the Indian Ocean. A series of articles affectionately asked for more information about the beautiful holiday spot. Few noticed that everything about the island was made up.

In 1992 American National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program announced that, Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, “I didn’t do anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” Accompanying this announcement were audio clips (片断) of Nixon delivering his election speech. Listeners responded immediately to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and anger. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Huckleberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon’s voice was copied by comedian Rich Little.

5 . The 24 solar terms are part of the traditional Chinese calendar. The Chinese people divided a year in-to 24 segments (片段) based on the sun’s position in the zodiac (黄道十二宫).     1     They reflect the changes of the seasons, climate and phenology (生物气候学). The Yellow River Basin in north-ern China is believed to be the cradle (摇篮) of the solar terms system.

Solar terms were instructions for agricultural production and people’s daily lives. They mark things like seasons, temperature, precipitation(降水), growth of the crops and weather conditions.     2     Most of the solar terms bear with them rich social and cultural meanings. For instance, during the “Start of Winter”, people eat dumplings.    3    , when people pay respect to those they have lost.

The ancient calendar remains relevant to this day.    4    , and we must protect it. The cultural legacy reflects the Chinese people’s respect for nature and tradition, their unique understanding of the universe, their wisdom to live in harmony with nature and the world’s cultural diversity, said Zhang Ling, an official with the Ministry of Culture in 2017.

    5    . Their creativity and consciousness can bring new life to ancient culture. Many young people have already been contributing their energy and strength to this feat. In fact, they have been living up to this challenge through rather artistic means. Many photos, essays and paintings have centered around the theme of the 24 solar terms and expressed the vitality and rich tradition of Chinese history.

Liangzhu Museum displays     1     (vary) burial objects found in the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins have gained worldwide recognition as evidence for the     2     (exist) of at least 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

When Zhang Han set foot inside Liangzhu Museum, the 10-year-old embarked on a tour that took him back more     3     5,000 years. Wearing the smart glasses, Zhang was presented with virtual images of relics. Augmented reality glasses feature among a string of       4     (measure) taken by the museum to give visitors a more vivid experience of Liangzhu civilization, while helping       5     gain a better appreciation of Chinese culture.

Tourists can also visit       6     official website of Liangzhu Museum to enjoy a virtual tour. With a click of the mouse, they can gain access to exhibition halls that they may never be able to visit physically.

Advanced technologies are       7     (increase) playing a major role in Chinese museums. In the northwestern Chinese city of Dunhuang,    8     (know) for the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mogao Grottoes, the “digital Dunhuang project” has made extensive use of digitalization. By the end of 2021, it       9     (complete) the digital collection of 268 grottoes, the image processing of 164 grottoes, and so on.

The protection and revival of Dunhuang’s ancient culture is not an isolated case in China. The Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi province also have 3D “digital archives”, which allow precious cultural relies and historical archives       10     (preserve) permanently.

In the workshop of     1     brush pen store in Huzhou, Shi Wangli makes traditional Chinese brush pens. Her hands are immersed (浸泡) in water for at least eight hours a day, in     2     summer and winter. The choice of the hairs in steps of making a quality brush pen     3    (be) of great importance and the work she does cannot be performed     4     a machine. It is a difficult but meaningful job. She is     5     (young) brush pen technician in Huzhou. The manager of the store says he is worried the thousand year old technique for     6     (make) the Huzhou brush-pen used in calligraphy (书法) will be lost with few young people willing to learn it. In Chinese history, brush-pen is an essential (基本的) tool for cultural inheritance (传承).     7    , with the rapid progress of modern technology, brush pens were replaced firstly by pens, then ballpoint pens and now keyboards.

The Ministry of Education required elementary and middle schools to start calligraphy classes     8     (protect) the Chinese traditional culture. There is a general belief that brush pen making should     9     (consider) as a technique that represents Chinese culture. People should get to know the     10     (meaning) and thoughts behind these traditional techniques.

So far, four ancient Chinese irrigation (灌溉) sites     1     (honor) as World Heritage Irrigation Structures, which has brought the total number of irrigation projects in China on the list to 23.

Tianbao Weir (堰), one of the     2     (new) awarded projects, is situated in Fujian Province. With a history of over 1,200 years, the weir is the     3     (old) existing water project specifically aimed at stopping saltwater and     4     (store) freshwater.

Longshou Canal and Ancient Luohe River Irrigation District in Shaanxi Province is said to be     5     first underground canal in China’s history. The canal is a major branch of the Yellow River, providing irrigation for local     6     (farm) in the face of droughts and water shortage.

The Weirs of Baishaxi Stream Project in east China’s Zhejiang Province is made up of 36 weirs, 21 of     7     still offer irrigation water. The project     8     (cover) 45 kilometers of the Baishaxi Stream and has a total water level drop of 168 meters.

Sangyuanwei Polder Embankment (堤) System is located in south China’s Guangdong Province, which was first built     9     the 10th century. The embankment extends for 64.8 km and the system provides irrigation, drainage canals and water pathways.

The ancient irrigation projects are treasures of the development of Chinese water     10     (cultural) and of great value for the development of Irrigation agriculture in China.

10 . A music festival is a community event focusing on live performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme. On the list are the music festivals for fans around the world. Find your favorite now!

Field Day

January 1, 2023, Sydney

Field Day means New Year’s Day for young people in Sydney. Seen as the city’s original multi-stage party, it’s a gathering of friends coming together for a great fun-filled first day of the year. There’s an air of hope and positive energy on a perfect summer’s day.

The Envision Festival

February 27—March 6, 2023, Uvita

The Envision Festival is an annual gathering in Costa Rica that aims to provide an opportunity for different cultures to work with one another to create a better community. The festival encourages people to practice art, music, dance performances, and education. Meanwhile, our connection with nature is expected to be strengthened.

The McDowell Mountain Music Festival

March 2—4, 2023, Phoenix

The McDowell Mountain Music Festival is Phoenix’s musical celebration of community culture. Since its foundation in 2004, it has been the only 100% non-profit music festival designed to support, entertain and educate the community. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year from around the country, and it is an opportunity to experience true culture.

The Old Settler’s Music Festival

April 20—23, 2023, Dale

The Old Settler’s Music Festival is a nationally known music festival for American music. The festival is held in the country of Texas at the height of the wild flower season. The Old Settler’s Music Festival offers great music and activities for the whole family.