Tilling Illustration 6: Sowing Seedlings

The farming family sows the seeds, shielding them from the spring chill;
The first budding from the cracked husks original: jiache, the splitting of the seed coat as the sprout emerges is a sight most beautiful to behold.
Since the ancient Book of Yu A reference to the Shujing (Classic of History), which records how the legendary Emperor Yu and his minister Hou Ji taught the people the art of agriculture. recorded the sowing of the five grains,
The common people have never viewed this work as a trivial matter.

The seeds joyfully burst their husks; along the banks, everyone vies to carry the baskets.
Vigorously they sow into the mud; the fragrance of the grain falls in profusion upon the ridges.
The young children follow along in delight, while prayers are offered for a bountiful harvest original: fengrang, an abundant and prosperous harvest.
The season arrives early this year; soon we shall see the seedlings piercing through the water’s surface.

In the second month, the spring breeze carries a sharp, biting chill;
Across the level fields, one gazes at the wide expanse where water meets the clouds.
Most precious is the way the old grain gives life to new shoots;
When it is time to sow the seedlings, one must observe the process with the utmost care.

The illustration shows two farmers standing knee-deep in the muddy water of a flooded paddy. They are dressed in simple laborers' clothes with their trousers rolled up. One farmer holds a basket of germinated seeds, rhythmically casting them into the mud. In the background, a woman and a small child, accompanied by a frolicking dog, walk along a narrow path between the fields, bringing supplies or perhaps simply observing the sacred start of the growing season. The landscape is lush, indicating the vitality of spring.