Minor Cold, the 23th solar term, begins this year on January 5 and ends on January 19. Literally speaking, Major Cold (the next solar term) should be more frigid than Minor Cold, which is true in southern China. While in the north, according to records, Minor Cold boasts the lowest temperature of a year. 

At this time, the sub-solar point is still in the Southern Hemisphere; thus the temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere will continue to drop as the amount of heat absorbed during the day will remain less than the amount of heat released at night. The northwest wind from Eurasia with very little moisture will start to frequent China, making Minor Cold and the following Major Cold the two solar terms with the least precipitation.

Severe as the weather is, nature never lacks vigor and beauty. Chinese people from now on begin to count down the days of the return of spring by waiting for different flowers to bloom. As the saying goes, during Minor Cold, firstly we wait for plum blossom, then for camellia and lastly for daffodil (初候梅花，二候山茶，三候水仙). 

Read by Pan Huirun & Zou Minghao

BGM by BGM: Journey in the New World by Twin Musicom (twinmusicom.org)

A Winter Bluejay - Sara Teasdale

Crisply the bright snow whispered, 

Crunching beneath our feet; 

Behind us as we walked along the parkway, 

Our shadows danced, 

Fantastic shapes in vivid blue. 

Across the lake the skaters 

Flew to and fro, 

With sharp turns weaving 

A frail invisible net. 

In ecstacy the earth 

Drank the silver sunlight; 

In ecstacy the skaters 

Drank the wine of speed; 

In ecstacy we laughed 

Drinking the wine of love. 

Had not the music of our joy 

Sounded its highest note? 

But no, 

For suddenly, with lifted eyes you said, 

Oh look! 

There, on the black bough of a snow flecked maple, 

Fearless and gay as our love, 

A bluejay cocked his crest! 

Oh who can tell the range of joy 

Or set the bounds of beauty?