天街小雨润如酥，草色遥看近却无。

tiān jiē xiǎo yǔ rùn rú sū, cǎo sè yáo kàn jìn què wú

Now, all the palace streets are wet with smooth-cream-wine drizzle. The green hue of grass from afar can no longer be seen up close.

Thus Han Yu, one of the most famous Tang Dynasty poets, described a typical scene during the Rain Water solar term.

Based on the movement of the sun, the Chinese calendar had 24 solar terms, each lasting around two weeks. Rain Water is the second of the 24, and begins around 19th or 20th of February. The days to come will be very wet indeed.

As the water falls from the sky, the ground temperature rises. Birds fly north to breed, ducks take to the water, and plants begin to sprout.

The solar terms form a kind of almanac for farmers, a timeless guide to effective agricultural production. After a cold, dark winter, the rain tells farmers that it’s the perfect time to plant and sow.

Another Tang dynasty poet, Du Fu wrote:

好雨知时节，当春乃发生。

hǎo yǔ zhī shí jié, dāng chūn nǎi fā shēng

A good rain knows its appointed time; in spring it brings things to life.

While the north of China may still be cold, the south presents a busy farming idyll. The farmland is filled with the pageant of farmers going about their work. Swinging their tools in unison, digging in the welcoming earth, they talk to each other about how they appreciate the rain. Fish are jumping in their pools and the grass is springing back to life. Every living thing is busy. Everywhere there is noise and life.

As the solar terms pass, people find small ways to celebrate each one. Now is the time for husbands to visit their in-laws with gifts to express their gratitude and show respect. Normally the gift is one of food, typically pork hock stewed with soybean and canned kelp. Sometimes the in-laws will give an umbrella as a gift back, symbolizing protection for the husband.

Rain Water is a term filled with imagination, rooted in the Chinese people's deep appreciation for the precious rain and of their integration with nature.

“天街小雨润如酥，草色遥看近却无”，这是唐代诗人韩愈描绘的雨水节气的景色。

根据太阳的移动，中国古代的人们发明了24节气，每种节气持续两周左右。“雨水”在24节气中位列第二，始于2月19或20日。接下来的几天会很潮湿。

随着降雨，地面的温度逐渐升高。候鸟飞回北方繁衍后代，鸭子下水游泳，植物也抽出新的枝芽。

节气是指导农业生产的年鉴，是永不过时的农业高效生产指导。经过一个寒冷而黑暗的冬天，雨水告诉农民播种的好时机到了。

另一位唐代诗人杜甫这样描述：“好雨知时节，当春乃发生”。尽管中国北方或许还有些寒冷，南方已经准备好演奏一场忙碌的农耕乐曲。耕地上到处是农民一同挥舞农具，挖土的声音，他们相互交谈，感激雨水的到来。鱼儿跳出池塘，小草长出土地。一切都是忙碌的，一切都是热闹而生机勃勃的。

随着节气代代相传，人们也找到了一些庆祝的方式。女婿会带着礼物拜访岳父岳母以示感激和尊重。礼物通常是罐装的海带，大豆与猪肘炖在一起。有时岳父岳母会向女婿回赠雨伞，寓意保护平安。

雨水是一个充满想象的节气，是根植于古代中国人民对天降甘露的感激之情和对天人合一的信仰。