On November 22，also on October 29 of Chinese lunar calendar, we welcomed the arrival of the 20th solar term of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms——Minor Snow.
今年的11月22日，也是农历十月廿九，我们迎来了中国传统二十四节气中的第二十个节气——小雪。
Minor Snow refers to the time when it starts to snow, mostly in China's northern areas, and the temperature continues to drop. The climate of this solar term is not too cold and the precipitation is not heavy, so " Minor Snow" is used to symbolize the climate characteristics of this solar term.
“小雪”意味着中国北部大部分地区有初雪飘落，温度持续走低。这个节气期间的气候寒气未深且降水未大，故用“小雪”来象征这个节气期间的气候特征。
Three kinds of climate
小雪三候
01 rainbow hidden
虹藏不见
The ancients believed that the rainbow appeared because the Yin and Yang existing between sky and earth had linked up. At this time, Yin was strong and Yang was hidden, so "the rainbow is hidden". Rainbows are caused by the dispersion and reflection of sunlight into nearly spherical droplets of water in the sky. So when the weather is warm and there are more water droplets in the air, there is a greater chance of a rainbow forming. During minor snow, the temperature drops sharply and most of the water vapor in the air condenses, so rainbows do not appear at this time of year. So the ‘rainbow hidden’ means that the rainbow is hidden and can't be seen in the winter.
古人认为天虹出现是因为天地间阴阳之气交泰，此时阴气旺盛阳气隐伏，所以“虹藏不见”。彩虹是因阳光射到空中那些接近球形的小水滴，造成色散及反射而成。所以在天气比较暖的时候空气中的水滴比较多，这个时候形成彩虹的几率就大。而到了小雪时节，温度急剧下降，空气中的水蒸气大都被冷凝，所以彩虹也就不会在这个时节出现了。所以虹藏不见的意思就是彩虹藏了起来，在冬天看不到了。
02 the air of haven rises and the air of earth falls
天气上升、地气下降
"the air of haven rises" means the rise of Yang between heaven and earth, the fall of Yin in the earth, all things lose vitality. The two air streams are disconnected and move in opposite directions. The reason for this phenomenon is that in winter when cold air invade, the temperature of the air near the ground will drop very low, while the temperature of the upper atmosphere is less cool, there may be an abnormal phenomenon of warm air exists above and cold air exists below, which is called inversion in meteorology. When the inversion phenomenon appears, the air is top-light and has a stable foundation. The cold air near the ground continues to sink, while the relatively warm air in the sky continues to rise.
“天气上升”是说天地间阳气上升，地中阴气下降，万物失去生机。两股气流互不相干，各自反向运动。出现这种现象的原因就是在冬季冷空气入侵时，近地层空气温度会降得很低，而高处大气层降温较少，就可能出现上暖下冷的反常现象，气象学上称之为逆温。在逆温现象出现时，空气“头轻脚重”，处于稳定状态。近地面的冷空气继续下沉，空中相对较暖的空气持续上升。
03 Roads are closed and winter comes
闭塞而成冬
With the arrival of minor snow, all things go into hibernation. The roads will be closed because of the cold and snow, and people will be locked in for winter.
随着小雪节气的到来，天地万物随之进入休眠状态。道路因为寒冷下雪而开始闭塞，百姓也闭门不出开始过冬。
Three issues to pay attention to
小雪三顾
1. Daily living and sports recuperation
起居、运动调养
Ensure sufficient sleep time！It is conducive to the storage of Yang. Keep warm after you get up, but don't wear too much clothing. At the same time, you had better do appropriate exercise according to your own age and physical conditions. For young people, such as running, mountain climbing and other aerobic exercise are good choices!
要保证充足的睡眠时间！这样才有利于蓄藏阳气。起床后要注意保暖，但也不需要衣着过多过厚。同时根据自己的年龄、身体情况进行适量的运动。对于年轻人而言，如跑步、爬山等有氧运动都是很不错的选择！
2. Emotional rehabilitation
情志调养
Around minor snow, the weather is often cold and gloomy. At this time, people's mood will also be affected, so they often take part in some outdoor activities to improve their health and keep an optimistic attitude. Get lots of sun and listen to music.
小雪节气的前后，天气时常是阴冷晦暗的，此时人们的心情也会受影响，所以经常参加一些户外活动以增强体质，保持乐观的心态。多晒太阳，多听音乐。
3．Dietary recuperation
饮食调养
It is appropriate to eat warm and nourishing food and kidney-nourishing food in this season. It is suggested that you can drink more hot soup, such as cabbage and tofu soup, spinach and tofu soup, mutton and white radish soup, which is warm and can nourish your body.
这个季节宜吃温补性食物和益肾食品。建议大家可以多喝点热汤，比如白菜豆腐汤、菠菜豆腐汤、羊肉白萝卜汤等，既暖和又能滋补身体。
Date: November 25, 2022
