Xu Yingmi of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) wrote, “Plum Rains season comes after Grain in Ear and ends after the Summer Solstice” in Yu Zhi Tang Tan Hui. This means that the Yangtze River basins induct Plum Rains when Grain in Ear comes. Because it is a time for plums to become ripe, it is called “Plum Rains”.

During Grain in Ear, temperatures are high and rainfall increases a lot. Utensils are easily affected by dampness. So it is also called “Mould Rains”. People in the Yangtze River regions usually call “Mangzhong” (Grain in Ear) “Mei jie ling”.

Translated by Chen Yanqiu

Editor: Wen Yi