But in the rest parts of Southern China, the rainfall is less than 30mm; therefore people have to take some irrigation measures to reduce the drought. In the highland and mountainous region, it is still dry season with the rainfall of 5mm to 20mm. Before and after raining during Grain Rain in Southern China, “Raining with wind sneak into the night furtively, they moisten things silently”. That is because evening rains frequent in April and May. Evening rains in South China fall very often; the dock area in the river side becomes clean”. This kind of fine day at daytime and rain at night are very fit for the growth and harvest of big spring and small spring crops.

Sayings about Grain Rain are mostly related to rainy days and rainless days. For example, we have “Grain Rain is with overcast gloom, showers often appear during the beginning of summer”; “If it rains on the day of the Grain Rain, forty-five days after that is with no dryness”.

Besides, the temperature rises increasingly high during Grain Rain with the frequent falling of rain, which causes lots of damage by disease and insects. In the countryside, the prevention and treatment of all these are put top of the list according to the change of weather.

Editor: Wen Yi