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Seventeen years on the streets, living and working with the people of China, Jeff
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My comments
The Mandarin name for this two-week period of the Chinese agricultural calendar 5-21 June literally means “Beard Grain” (芒种 = Mángzhòng), to recognize that planted cereals are starting to grow the long spider-like spikes (aka awns or bristles) on the grain heads. Zhòng is also a verb “to plant”. After two weeks, we arrive to globally recognized “Summer Solstice” (夏至 = Xiàzhì), in China meaning the grain heads are really filling up and putting on weight and volume.
The text on the left above says (right to left, top to bottom), “Beard Grain, Beard Grain, Harvest and Sow” (芒种芒种，连收带种 = Mángzhòng，Mángzhòng， Liánshōu Dàizhǒng)
You can really appreciate its deep significance, since this calendric cadence has been cycling for 5,000 Chinese years!
Below is the page from our Daoist calendar
In the Calendar Library referenced below, read “ADVENTURES IN ASIA WITH LADYB, LAOLAO AND GONGGONG- Story #25”, which explains the bottom half. Truly fascinating!
Here is the explanation for the top half,
Notice the time of 23:48. This is the moment when the Sun crosses 105 degrees on its annual journey across our sky – Beijing time, of course! For astronomers, it equals seven hours of Right Ascension.
The Vertical Sentences
Chinese: 一唱雄鸡天下白
Pinyin: Yī chàng xióng jī tiān xià bái.
Chinese: 万花丛中一点绿
Pinyin: Wàn huā cóng zhōng yī diǎn lv.
Translation: “A single spot of green amidst a myriad of flowers.”
Explanation of the Painting
The illustration depicts a traditional farmer wearing a conical hat, carrying a hoe over his shoulder and a pot of tea for the day, walking alongside a child who is pointing into the distance. Birds (likely swallows or magpies) are flying overhead.
Lore/Style: This style of artwork is very common in older Chinese almanacs. It reflects the agrarian roots of Chinese culture. The scene represents the rural life and the importance of farming during the Mangzhong season. The child pointing suggests looking forward to the harvest or guiding the way, symbolizing the continuity of agricultural traditions.
Conclusion
Talmud-Tanakh West simply cannot compare to Sinoland’s millennial civilization, going back 5,000 years. A few people, especially farmers and gardeners still use almanacs (more so in Europe than North America). In Judeo-USA, it reached its pinnacle in the early 19th century, with Benjamin Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanac”. Other than an occasional, pithy Franklin aphorism here and there, it has all atrophied in Judeo-West. In China, we live and breath it all!
References
Further reading
Jeff J. Brown’s ever-expanding collection of living libraries and catalogues. Many years and 1,000s of hours of writing+podcasting. Take advantage of them. Radio Sinoland 2026 Year of the Fire Horse!
Radio Sinoland’s Library on the Chinese Zodiac, Lunar, Agricultural and Civil Calendars. Want to understand the Chinese people? It all starts here! Radio Sinoland 260522
My long, slow arc of spiritual awareness from childhood Presbyterianism to Eastern Thought today. With expanded and improved, printable “Noble Attributes of Chinese Civilization” summary. Radio Sinoland 260213
A look at China’s education system versus the West. Different cultures, expectations and outcomes. China Rising Radio Sinoland 240618
China has the world’s best merit-based education system. Here’s why. China Rising Radio Sinoland 191210
Living library on Judaism. Continually updated. With image texts and video transcripts to easily copy for your use, and for translating them and this webpage in all available languages!
https://radiosinoland.com/2025/01/23/judaism/
Go Russia GO!
Go Iran GO!
Go China GO!
Go DPRK GO!
Go “RICK”! Go Asian Quad!
KICK JUDEO-TALMUD-TANAKH ASS!!!
Support, donations and contributions for my work here, any amount, one time or monthly,
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Books by Mike Palecek
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Further study
The China Trilogy is an honorary degree in Chinese Studies. Don’t miss out!
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00TX0TDDI/allbooks and
Jeff J. Brown’s libraries and catalogues A-Z: 1,000s of hours of research, writing, editing and podcasting.
https://radiosinoland.com/2025/11/30/jeff-j-browns-ever-expanding-collection-of-living-libraries-and-catalogues-many-years-and-1000s-of-hours-of-writingpodcasting-take-advantage-of-them-radio-sinoland-2025-year-of-the-wood-snake/
Do yourself, your friends, family and colleagues a favor, to make sure all of you are Sino-smart:
Google ebooks (Epub) and audiobooks:
44 Days Backpacking in China: The Middle Kingdom in the 21st Century, with the United States, Europe and the Fate of the World in Its Looking Glass https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=YBKHEAAAQBAJ
https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details?id=AQAAAECCkQXRlM
China Rising: Capitalist Roads, Socialist Destinations https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=YNmLEAAAQBAJ
https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details?id=AQAAAECCfHo86M
BIG Red Book on China: Chinese History, Culture and Revolution
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=6Wl4EAAAQBAJ
https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details?id=AQAAAECCfHo86M
Amazon print and ebooks (Kindle):
44 Days Backpacking in China: The Middle Kingdom in the 21st Century, with the United States, Europe and the Fate of the World in Its Looking Glass
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1484939999/
China Rising: Capitalist Roads, Socialist Destinations
https://www.amazon.com/China-Rising-Capitalist-Socialist-Destinations/dp/0996487042
BIG Red Book on China: Chinese History, Culture and Revolution
https://www.amazon.com/BIG-Red-Book-China/dp/1673322719/
Author page:
https://www.amazon.com/Mr.-Jeff-J.-Brown/e/B00TX0TDDI
Praise for The China Trilogy:
Why and How China works: With a Mirror to Our Own History
JEFF J. BROWN, Editor, China Rising, and Senior Editor & China Correspondent, Dispatch from Beijing, The Greanville Post
Jeff J. Brown is a geopolitical analyst, journalist, lecturer and the author of The China Trilogy. It consists of 44 Days Backpacking in China – The Middle Kingdom in the 21st Century, with the United States, Europe and the Fate of the World in Its Looking Glass (2013); Punto Press released China Rising – Capitalist Roads, Socialist Destinations (2016); and BIG Red Book on China (2020). As well, he published a textbook, Doctor WriteRead’s Treasure Trove to Great English (2015). Jeff is a Senior Editor & China Correspondent for The Greanville Post, where he keeps a column, Dispatch from Beijing and is a Global Opinion Leader at 21st Century. He also writes a column for The Saker, called the Moscow-Beijing Express. Jeff writes, interviews and podcasts on his own program, China Rising Radio Sinoland, which is also available on YouTube, Stitcher Radio, iTunes, Ivoox and RUvid. Guests have included Ramsey Clark, James Bradley, Moti Nissani, Godfree Roberts, Hiroyuki Hamada, The Saker and many others. [/su_spoiler]
Jeff can be reached at China Rising, [email protected], Facebook, Twitter, Wechat (+86-19806711824/Mr_Professor_Brown, and Line/Telegram/Whatsapp: +33-612458821.
Read it in your language • Lealo en su idioma • Lisez-le dans votre langue • Lies es in deniner Sprache • Прочитайте это на вашем языке • 用你的语言阅读
[google-translator]
Wechat group: search the phone number +8619806711824 or my ID, Mr_Professor_Brown, friend request and ask Jeff to join the China Rising Radio Sinoland Wechat group. He will add you as a member, so you can join in the ongoing discussion.
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