Imperial Pictures of Tilling and Weaving

Tilling Illustration 7: The First Seedlings

The whole year’s farm work is centered in the depths of spring;
Infinite is the hope within the farming families’ hearts for a bountiful year.
Most beloved is the clear, mild weather, so fine and fair;
Across a thousand acres of green fields, the seedlings emerge like tiny needles original: yangzhen, the sharp, needle-like tips of young rice sprouts as they first pierce the water's surface.

They cherish the seeds from Champa original: Zhancheng zhong. This was a drought-resistant, fast-growing variety of rice introduced from the Champa kingdom (in modern-day Vietnam) during the Song Dynasty. It allowed for double-cropping and significantly increased food security in China.,
Carrying the children along as they climb the ridges of the fields.
A single stream is filled by the ample rains;
Across every acre, there is joy as the seedlings begin to unfurl.
The overnight dew wraps around them thickly,
While the warm spring sun original: shaoyang, a poetic term for the nurturing sun of the spring season urges them further along.
With joyful hearts, they smile and point frequently;
In the blink of an eye, the seedlings will be ready for transplanting.

Amidst dark willows and bright flowers, spring is now at its peak;
How could the farming folk find the heart for idle wandering or pleasure-seeking?
The old man leans on his staff, smiling as he supports the child;
They rejoice together to see the first seedlings swaying like green needles.

The spring labor is concentrated in the open fields,
The management of the land follows a solemn and rhythmic schedule.
Taking a moment of leisure, I lead my child on a stroll,
While the remnants of the cold linger along the paths of the dikes original: cheng, the raised earthen embankments that separate paddy fields and serve as footpaths.
We watch the waters deepened and moistened by the rain;
Facing the breeze, a sense of quiet admiration and contentment arises.
The peace of the Emperor's realm original: chen'an, literally "Imperial Peace," referring to the stability of the throne which is traditionally viewed as dependent on the prosperity of the farmers can be understood through these labors;
They surely demand an infinite amount of care and concern from the ruler.