The Twenty-Four Solar Terms at the Soup House | Light Snow

Rainbows form when sunlight passes through water droplets in the air, undergoing refraction and creating an optical phenomenon. During the “Xiaoxue” solar term, temperatures drop noticeably. Although precipitation increases at this time, the overall amount of rainfall remains relatively modest, meaning the conditions necessary for a rainbow to appear are seldom met, making rainbows rare during this period.

In the “Collection of Explanations for the Seventy-two Seasonal Periods of the Monthly Ordinances,” the first period of Lesser Snow is explained as follows:

“In the first period, rainbows are no longer seen. In late spring, yang predominates over yin, so rainbows appear; in early winter, yin prevails over yang, and thus they hide from view. As noted in the Commentary to the Book of Rites: ‘Rainbows arise when yin and yang energies intermingle; at this time, yin and yang are at their most distinct, so the rainbow lies concealed. Though a rainbow has no tangible substance, we say it ‘hides’—this merely indicates that its energy has subsided and become latent.’”

It means that during the first period of Light Snow, rainbows hide and no longer appear. In mid-spring, yang is strong and yin is weak, which is why rainbows can be seen. But in early winter, yin is strong and yang is weak, so rainbows conceal themselves and remain unseen.

In some parts of Shanxi Province in China, during the “Small Snow” solar term, one can observe the phenomenon of rising atmospheric warmth and descending ground moisture. As the Yuan‑dynasty scholar Wu Cheng wrote in his work “Compendium of the Seventy-two Seasonal Periods of the Monthly Ordinances”: “The second period marks the ascent of heavenly qi and the descent of earthly qi.” The “Collected Annotations and Critical Commentary on the Lost Book of Zhou” further explains this second period as follows:

“The rising of heavenly qi and the descending of earthly qi are no longer the former misty, transformative emanations; rather, they remain temporarily uncoalesced, awaiting next year’s release.”

The so‑called “yinyun” refers, in the words of the ancients, to the state of mutual interaction between the yin and yang energies in heaven and earth. It signifies that during the Xiaoxue solar term, yang energy rises while yin energy descends, no longer exhibiting the previous dynamic interplay of yin and yang, but rather awaiting the resumption of this reciprocal balance in the coming year. At this time, the world seems to close off, and winter has fully arrived.

By the third hou of the Minor Snow solar term, the state of celestial–terrestrial closure—caused by “the sky’s qi rising while the earth’s qi descends”—becomes even more pronounced, and the weather grows increasingly cold. As stated in the “Compendium of the Seventy-two Hou of the Monthly Ordinances”:

“The three hou mark the closure that gives rise to winter. As heaven and earth undergo transformation, each assumes its proper position; when they do not interact, there is no communication, and without communication comes closure—thus winter takes its place.”

It means that during the third period of the “Minor Snow” solar term, the changes in heaven and earth—due to the weather and the earth’s qi each returning to their proper places—no longer interact with one another. When there is no interaction, flow becomes obstructed; when flow is obstructed, blockages arise. Consequently, the weather grows even colder, with howling winds and heavy snows arriving to herald winter. As stated in the “Mengdong Record” of the Lüshi Chunqiu: “Heaven and earth close up, and frost and ice grow sharp and severe, thus marking the advent of winter.”
 

Traditional Customs
 

LIGHT SNOW TODAY

As the old saying goes, “During Xiaoxue, we pickle vegetables; during Daxue, we cure meat.” Traditional customs associated with the Xiaoxue solar term include pickling vegetables, savoring ciba, drying fish, enjoying paotang, and brewing Xiaoxue wine.

Cured and smoked meat

During the Xiaoxue solar term, temperatures drop sharply and the air grows dry, making it an ideal time to cure pork. Many rural households begin preparing sausages and cured meats, preserving their surplus meat using traditional methods so they can savor these delicacies during the Spring Festival.
 

 

Eat ciba

In some parts of southern China, there is also the custom of eating ciba in the tenth lunar month. Ciba is a traditional delicacy made by steaming glutinous rice, pounding it into a smooth paste, and shaping it into flat cakes; it is a popular dish in certain regions of southern China.
 

Around the time of “Little Snow,” the Tujia people once again embark on their annual folk tradition of “slaughtering the New Year pig to welcome the new year,” injecting a vibrant, festive atmosphere into the chilly winter.