二十四节气之小雪简介

小雪——遇见冬天的初雪

小雪，是冬季的第二个节气。“小雪气寒而将雪矣，地寒未甚而雪未大也”，天气逐渐转寒，开始降雪，但由于地面寒气尚未达到极致，雪不会下得很大，因此称之为小雪。

在小雪时节（插画：吴冠英），常常并不一定会下雪。即使下雪，大多是雨夹雪，为大地蒙上一层苍茫的面纱。高传民在《乡村冬日》中描绘了一幅北方村落的景象，树枝上的叶子已经落尽。人们骑着摩托车在土路上颠簸，土坯房里堆放着取暖的木材。远处的天空以冷色调呈现，寒意扑面而来。

落雪总是伴随着细腻的情绪。在吴冠英的画作《小雪》中，可爱的小娃娃被裹成“粽子”，伸出双手触摸从天而降的白色精灵，连旁边的小狗也跃跃欲试。这或许是他们第一次与雪花亲密接触吧。

俗话说“瑞雪兆丰年”，对于农耕来说，降雪具有非常重要的意义。雪被可以保暖潮湿，对北方的田地起到抗旱防寒的作用。而在南方，小雪时节依然是农忙的时候。上海和江浙一带要进行“油菜定植麦续播”，广东的农民们则忙着收获晚稻、播种小麦，田地间一片繁忙景象。

民间有小雪前后“冬腊风腌，蓄以御冬”的习俗。戴树良的画作《小雪》中描绘了制作腊肉的情景：百姓将猪肉切成条状，加入各类香料进行腌制。那裹满酱料的厚实肉块色泽红润、香气扑鼻，引得画中孩童满眼期待。

老树的画《小雪》中，屋外天色渐暗、雪花纷飞，屋内暖炉正旺、花草茁壮。主人已备妥一桌佳肴，站在窗前等待亲友归来。

随着小雪的到来，新年的脚步也日益临近。空气中弥漫着对丰收的喜悦和对来年的期盼。不妨约上三五好友，一起踏雪寻梅，在这第一场雪中，留下美好的冬季记忆。

英文解释：

Xiaoxue, which means "light snow" in English, is the second solar term in winter. As the weather gets colder and snow starts to fall during this period, the ground is not yet fully frozen, so the snowfall is not heavy. This is why this solar term is named "Xiaoxue."

Most of the time, it doesn't snow heavily on the first day of this solar term. Even if there is snow, it usually comes in the form of sleet, covering the ground with a blanket of white. Gao Chuanmin's painting, "A Rural Village in Winter," captures this beautifully in a North China village. The leaves have fallen, and people are dressed in winter clothes as they ride motorcycles on bumpy dirt roads, while firewood is stacked in the farmhouse. The grey sky in the distance brings a chill to the air.

Falling snow evokes delicate emotions. In Wu Guanying's painting "Xiaoxue," children in warm clothes reach out to touch snowflakes, and even a little dog is ready to pounce on them. This could be their first encounter with snow.

As the saying goes, "early snow brings a good harvest." Snowfall plays a significant role in farming. Like a quilt, snow keeps the fields warm and humid in the north. In the south, Xiaoxue is still a busy season for farming. In areas like the Yangtze River Delta, farmers are busy planting crops while in Guangdong, they are harvesting rice and sowing wheat. The fields are a vibrant scene of agricultural activity.

Around Xiaoxue, people often make pickled bacon for the winter. Dai Shuliang's painting depicts this tradition. Pork is cut into strips and added to vases with various seasonings. The thick slabs of meat coated with sauce are a visual treat, and the aroma arouses the appetite of children. In Lao Shu's painting, the sky is dark and snow is falling, but inside the house, there is a warm fire and vibrant plants. A meal has been prepared, and a person stands at the window waiting for their loved ones to return home.

With Xiaoxue comes the advent of a new year. The air is filled with joy from the harvest and hope for the coming year. It's a great time to invite friends to share a drink or admire blooming plums in the snow, creating beautiful memories on this first snowfall day. (Source: Guangming Daily, November 22, 2020)