Rain Water is the second solar term in the twenty-four solar cycle, usually occurring between February 18th and 20th annually. At this time, the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 330°, temperatures continue to rise, ice and snow melt, and precipitation increases, hence the name "Rain Water." It marks the further retreat of severe winter and the substantive deepening of spring, as nature enters a phase of "moistening and sprouting." In terms of phenology, Rain Water presents vivid scenes described as "otters sacrifice fish, wild geese fly north, and vegetation begins to sprout." In traditional agrarian civilization, this solar term signified the arrival of a critical period for spring plowing preparations, with appropriate rainfall directly affecting the growth and harvest of crops throughout the year.
Historically, the Rain Water period nurtured rich customs that blended nature worship with humanistic care. Among the folk, there was the tradition of "La Baobao" (in Sichuan region), where parents would find godparents for their children on this day, symbolically drawing on Rain Water's life-nourishing power to pray for the child's healthy growth and smooth future. Related to this was the custom of "Jie Shou" (extending longevity), where sons-in-law presented their parents-in-law with armchairs wrapped in red ribbons and pots of meat, expressing gratitude and blessings while wishing them long life. Additionally, "Zhan Daose" involved popping glutinous rice to predict the year's harvest—the more rice popped, the better the anticipated harvest, reflecting farmers' earnest hopes for favorable weather. These customs represent both an adaptation to natural rhythms and a vivid manifestation of the Chinese emphasis on family ethics and the continuity of life.
Today, Rain Water continues to carry people's anticipation of spring and warm memories of tradition in modern society. As the second solar term following Start of Spring, Rain Water profoundly embodies the Chinese cosmological view of "heaven and humanity corresponding, endless generation of life," along with the practical wisdom of following natural trends and nourishing existence.
