Page:Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills.djvu/179

 Li ch‘iu. The beginning of autumn, which is believed to come from the west. The people are pleased if it is very hot on this date as it means there will be dry grain in the granaries. Again, if this day should happen to be a chia (甲), it will rain for 120 days, if a ping (丙), it will be fine for that time.

Ch‘u shu, the finish of the heat; after this date the water is drained from the general crop of rice.

Pai lu, white dew. Cool weather arrives.

Ch‘iu fên, mid-autumn equinox.

Han lu, cold dew. At this season the farmers sow turnips, plant cabbages, sow tobacco seeds, the tobacco seedlings standing all through the winter, ready to be planted out in the spring.

Shuang chiang, descending frost. The military official goes out at this time to meet the frost which is said to appear as a horse-headed woman. This is the time when all nature dies, and the officials follow after Heaven's idea and carry out such executions as may be necessary.

Li tung, the beginning of the winter, which is believed to come from the north.

Hsiao hsüeh, small snow, and Ta hsüeh, great snow. These two periods cover a part of the winter in which it is said the pot cannot be heated.

Tung chih, midwinter. The ancients kept this as New Year. At this season the people worship their ancestors 始祖, and the officials worship the tablet to the reigning emperor. This is said by many to be the root of the year. At this season the family hog is killed or the meat purchased with which the La jou (臘腬), or New Year bacon, is prepared.

From midwinter begins the counting of the nines until eighty-one days is reached. In this connection the following stanzas are in common use:

The first and second nines, the hands are blown for cold. The third and fourth nines, the frost kills pigs and dogs. The fifth and sixth nines, the frost kills the old ox.