Grain in Beard, known as "Mangzhong" in Chinese, is the ninth of the twenty-four solar terms, typically falling around June 5th to 7th each year. It marks a pivotal period in the agricultural calendar when grains with awns, such as wheat and barley, reach maturity and require urgent harvesting. Simultaneously, it signals the time to sow summer crops like rice, embodying the essence of "harvesting and planting in busy haste." This solar term reflects ancient Chinese wisdom in harmonizing agricultural activities with natural rhythms.

The term "Mangzhong" combines "mang" (awned grains) and "zhong" (sowing), emphasizing the critical overlap of harvesting winter crops and planting summer ones. Historically, communities held ceremonial offerings to the "Grain Deity" praying for bountiful harvests. Key customs included sacrificial rituals for flower deities (marking the end of spring), boiling green plums (to balance humidity and heat), and planting rice seedlings. Farmers across regions engaged in intensive fieldwork, capturing the solar term’s spirit of diligence and reverence for nature’s cycles.

Today, Grain in Beard remains a cultural touchstone for agricultural awareness and seasonal traditions. While large-scale farming has modernized, communities preserve customs like making herbal tea, eating seasonal foods (e.g., green plums and mulberries), and holding folk festivals celebrating midsummer. Symbolically, it underscores humanity’s connection to the land, urging respect for natural timing and ancestral wisdom. As a cultural heritage, Grain in Beard inspires appreciation for sustainable living and the enduring harmony between humans and nature in a rapidly changing world.

(By Wang Heran/Qi Qian)