Nature and Health
Four Seasons
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
24 Solar Terms
These 24 solar terms each suggest the position of the sun every time it travels 15 degrees on the ecliptic longitude. A cycle is that earth revolves around the sun for one time. It begins from the Beginning of Spring (Li Chun) and ends at Greater Cold (Da Han). In each month there are often two solar terms; the first one is generally named 'Jie Qi' and the other one 'Zhong Qi'.
Rain Water (Chinese: 雨水)
The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. The 24 solar terms are determined by changes in the sun's position in the zodiac during the year. Rain Water (Chinese: 雨水) this year starts on Feb 19 and ends on Mar 4.
In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. They also reflect China's rich history through the seasonal festivals, special foods, cultural ceremonies, family gatherings and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.
Rain Water signals the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. With its arrival, lively spring-like scenery starts blossoming: the river water defreezes, wild geese move from south to north, and trees and grass turn green again.
Nature Animals
Newborn Rabbit
A close Look at American Alligators
Do Animals Talk to Each Other?
Natural Health
Chinese green tea ---A mouthful of cool summer
In the summer, the most recommended one is green tea, for its character is "cold" in traditional Chinese medical theories, suitable to soothe the restlessness caused by hot summer. loose leaf green tea has been popular in China. Here list a series of tea choice according to the seasons.
West Lake Longjing -- Longjing, produced in West Lake Longjing village in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, is the most well-known Chinese green tea, in summer.
Biluochun -- Produced in East China's Jiangsu province, the tea got its name for its curled leaves that look like snail shells.
Xinyang Maojian -- Maojian, belonging to a category of green tea, refers to teas which are harvested by plucking one leaf and a bud together. Maojian, produced in Xinyang in Henan province, is the most famous.
Huangshan Maofeng-- Maofeng are teas harvested by plucking a bud with two leaves of equal sizes. Huangshan mountain range in Anhui province is the home of a kind of maofeng tea whose leaves look like the tongues of birds.
Lu'an Melon Seed --Different than other tea, leaves of Lu'an Melon Seed, without buds or stems, are plucked separately from each branch. Produced in Lu'an city in Anhui province, the tea has the fragrance of orchid flowers.
Taiping Houkui --Taiping Houkui was one of the ten most well-known Chinese teas, grown in Anhui province.
Healthy Lifestyle and Healthy Mind
Tai Chi symbol, Yin-Yang (阴阳 )
Positive and negative forces act together in order to create energy- in electricity. Yin and Yang represent these two forces which are in constant movement, each attempting to gain dominance. Where one achieves dominance, an imbalance occurs. Tai Chi is a combination of Yin and Yang - Yin Yang balance, also known as "middle", "neutral", and "moderate".
CHI
In the philosophies of the East, Chi is the life forces of all animate things, the quality of environments, the power of the sun, the moon and weather systems, and the driving force in human beings. In China, the movements in Tai Chi encourage Chi to move through the body. The benefits of practicing Tai Chi in which Chi flows smoothly to achieve physical and mental health, and accelerate the synthesis and absorption of energy in the body.
