Major Snow
Snow now falls in earnest. Birds vanish from a thousand hills, footprints from ten thousand paths — the world becomes one vast, silent blank of white.
A thousand hills — no bird in flight;
ten thousand paths — no human trace.
— Liu Zongyuan (Tang), “River Snow”
千山鸟飞绝
万径人踪灭
柳宗元 · 江雪
万径人踪灭
柳宗元 · 江雪
Hoarfrost
Three Pentads
三候The ancients divided each solar term into three pentads of five days, recording nature's subtle changes.
I
一候 鹖鴠不鸣
First pentad — The winter pheasant ceases its call
II
二候 虎始交
Second pentad — Tigers begin to mate
III
三候 荔挺出
Third pentad — The li rush sprouts through frost
Seasonal Palette
节气色谱One leading color with three companions, all drawn from the traditional Chinese color canon.
霜色#D7E1E8
shuāngsè · Hoarfrost
雪青#B0A4C4
xuěqīng · Snow Lilac
松针绿#3D5B4C
sōngzhēnlǜ · Pine Needle Green
远山黛#4A535E
yuǎnshāndài · Distant Peak Ink
Customs
风物Watching the rivers freeze over; ice games begin in the north.
观封河——「小雪封地,大雪封河」,北方可赏冰嬉冰。
Winter tonics: mutton and radish soup to warm the core.
进补——大雪进补,羊肉萝卜汤暖身固本。