The Minor Fullness (Xiaoman) of the 24 Solar Terms is about to arrive. Xiaoman is the solar term that follows the Start of Summer (Lixia). When Lixia comes, it signifies the beginning of summer. Do you know what season Xiaoman belongs to? Let's take a look together!

What season is Xiaoman?

Xiaoman comes after Lixia, which marks the arrival of summer. Xiaoman is the second solar term in summer, so it occurs during the summer season.
Most of the 24 solar terms can be understood from their names, but Xiaoman is somewhat confusing. In fact, Xiaoman refers to the stage when summer crops such as wheat are filling with milk and their grains begin to become full. The agricultural proverbs in the Sichuan Basin give Xiaoman new meanings: "If Xiaoman is not full, the ditch will dry up"; "If Xiaoman is not full, the busy farming time will not care." It uses the word "full" to describe the abundance or deficiency of rainfall, indicating that if the fields are not filled with water at Xiaoman, it may lead to cracked field banks, and even planting rice in the Grain in Ear (Mangzhong) period may not be possible. Because of the saying "Planting rice seedlings at Lixia and Xiaoman," and "Rice seedlings flourish at Xiaoman, and rice ripens in autumn," Xiaoman is the appropriate time for planting rice.

What are the customs of Xiaoman?

1. Worship of Silkworms
According to legend, Xiaoman is the birthday of the silkworm goddess. In Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas, they hold a "Silkworm Worship Festival" during the Xiaoman solar term.
2. Eating Wild Vegetables
Eating wild vegetables is one of the customs of Xiaoman. Bitter vegetable is one of them. It has functions of clearing heat, cooling blood, and detoxifying.
The main weather characteristics around Xiaoman are high temperature, high humidity, and heavy rain. Therefore, preventing heat and dampness is extremely important, and food and clothes should pay attention to mold prevention.