'Tis the Season! 节气

It snowed today! And I'm so amaze by the accuracy of the seasonal markers (节气). You must be wondering.. "What's that?!"

I guess the 2 seasonal markers that we Singaporean Chinese know quite well are 清明(usually in Mar, when we go sweep the ancesteral grave扫墓) and 冬至 (Dec 22, when we eat dumplings 汤圆). These are just 2 of the 24 seasonal markers. Seasonal markers came from the Chinese Agriculture Calendar 农历, which guides the farmers on the activities for planting the fields. For more details on seasonal markers, read http://www.nongli.com/item2/nlzs07.htm though it's all in Chinese. For exact dates of the seasonal markers, refer to http://www.mxnw.com.cn/fw/jq.htm

Nov 22 marks "minor snow" 小雪and the weather turns cold overnight. According to the newsletter from the China Cultural Club, "It is the time that soil and water will be frozen at night, and the rain turns to wet snow in the north in northern China; while in southern China (regions south of Yangtze), the weather is characterized by damp cold. Although the temperature in southern China is not as low as in northern China and it doesn' t fall as wet snow, winter really comes and people feel more difficult because of lack of central heating." Yesterday marks the "major snow" and it snowed today! How accurate can it get?

I'm grateful for the central heating, though it is still cold in the office as the corridor is not heated. Lots of people have to wear their down jackets to the toilet as it is so cold to walk down the corridor. Lucky for us, the toilet is just next door. Heating is required by Chinese Law in areas north of the yellow river from "arrival of winter" 立冬 (mid Nov) to 春分 (mid Mar). In the south, it is really freezing as anything south of the Yellow River, there's no provision for heating!

I also remember when I was in Qingdao prior to the Olympic Games, the breeze were hot and humid. When the Games started, the winds turned cool and drier. And I was told that the day the Olympic Games opened was the "arrival of autumn" 立秋! I'm really amazed!

On the western end, it's the jolly season! Christmas is round the corner! Though there's not elaborate decoration, like Orchard Road Christmas lightup, most large shopping malls and office buildings do simple lightups and decor. Even our very chinese (or cheena, you will call it) office building, there's lights on the lamppost; decorations on the plants along the corridor and frosty sprayed windows! :)

On the home side, managed to persuade the boyfriend on getting a Christmas Tree for home and now we have a pretty tree, providing some Christmas cheer. Here's a picture for you!

Here's wishing you a Merry Merry Christmas in advance! :)