每年的公歷11月22或23日，我們會迎來小雪這一節(jié)氣，這是一年中的第20個節(jié)氣。盡管名為“小雪”，但并非意味著此時一定會下雪，因為天氣還未變得特別寒冷，降水量也相對不大，所以這個名稱更多的是象征性的描述。小雪時節(jié)后，天氣便愈發(fā)寒冷，降水也開始增多。

Every year， on November 22nd or 23rd，we welcome Xiaoxue， or Minor Snow， the20th of thd 24 solar terms. Despite its name，snow does not necessarily fall on this day， asthe weather is not yet particularly cold， andthe amount of precipitation is still relativelysmall. Thus， the name is more of a symbolicdescription. It is after Xiaoxue that thetemperature starts to fall， and precipitationbegins to increase.

雪給大自然涂上了一抹白。雪花無聲飄落，古人或臨江垂釣，“孤舟蓑笠翁，獨(dú)釣寒江雪”；或賞雪評梅，“梅雪爭春未肯降，騷人閣筆費(fèi)評章”；或以雪烹茶，“閑來松間坐，看煮松上雪”；或邀友品酒，“晚來天欲雪，能飲一杯無”；或?qū)ρ┐档?，“雪照山城玉指寒，一聲羌管怨樓間”。

During this time of year， snow paintsnature with a touch of white. As snowflakesfall silently， people in ancient times mightgo fishing， as described by the Tang Dynastypoet Liu Zongyuan：

A little boat， a bamboo cloak，

An old man fishing in the cold riversnow.1

They might admire the snow and plumblossoms， as depicted in the lines of the SongDynasty poet Lu Meipo：

The mume blossoms and snow vi e i nannouncing spring;

A poet knows not in whose praises he shouldsing.1

They might make tea with boiled snow， assketched by the Tang Dynasty poet Lu Guimeng：

Sitting idly among the pines，

I watch the snow on the pine being boiled.

They might invite friends over to drink wine，as portrayed in the words of the Tang Dynasty poetBai Juyi：

At dusk it threatens snow.

Won’t you come for a cup？2

Or they might play the flute to the snow， asvividly captured by the Song Dynasty poet Liu Zhu：

Snow bathes the mountain city， chilling thejade-like fingers，

A flute’s lament echoes through the storiedtowers.

雪也給人們的生活飲食帶來了變化。小雪時節(jié)還未開始大量降水，干燥的天氣讓人們能夠趁此機(jī)會腌制蔬菜和臘味。過去沒有先進(jìn)的蔬菜培育技術(shù)，人們便用腌制的方式來保存蔬菜。將蔬菜腌制后曝曬幾日，食鹽的咸味與日光的溫暖形成了獨(dú)特的風(fēng)味。同樣，肉類也能夠通過腌制的方法保存。待到春節(jié)來臨時，就有了肥而不膩的臘腸、臘肉與魚干——過年餐桌上最受歡迎的美食之一。

Snow also brings changes to people’sdiet and lifestyle. During Minor Snow，before the onset of heavy precipitation，the dry weather allows people to picklevegetables and cure meats. In the past，without advanced vegetable cultivationtechniques， people preserved vegetablesthrough pickling. After pickling and afew days of sun exposure， the saltiness ofthe vegetables combined with the warmthof the sun would create a unique flavor.Similarly， meat can also be preserved bypickling， and become rich but not greasysausages， cured meats， and dried fish， themost beloved dishes on the table of theSpring Festival.

俗話說：“ 小雪不見雪，來年長工歇。小雪雪滿天，來年必豐年?！鞭r(nóng)民期盼著雪來，因為瑞雪兆豐年，雪寓意著來年的豐收。

As the saying goes： “If Minor Snowbrings no snow， the laborers will rest thefollowing year; if Minor Snow fills the skywith snow， the following year will surelysee a bumper harvest.” Farmers lookforward to snow because a good snowfallis a harbinger of a bountiful year.

在這冰天雪地的國度中，唯有臘梅勘破這季節(jié)交替的奧秘，感受到了早春腳步的到來。這一切都源于小雪時節(jié)為大地帶來的盎然生機(jī)。

During this season of ice and snow，it seems that only the wintersweet knowsthe secret of the changing seasons. Itstands as the herald， ever the first tounfurl its blossoms and proclaim theimminent arrival of the spring. All ofthis stems from the vibrant vitality thatLidong brings to the earth.