Quick Answer: When Is Xiaoman, Grain Buds?
Xiaoman (小满, Xiǎomǎn), often called Grain Buds, is the eighth of the 24 solar terms. It begins at 60 degrees of apparent solar longitude. The Hong Kong Observatory dates it to May 21 in both 2026 and 2027. [1][2][3][4]
- Calendar: It comes after Start of Summer and before Grain in Ear. [1]
- Seasonal meaning: Wheat kernels are filling in the traditional crop image. In wetter regions the season also brings rising water into focus. [4][5]
- Local example: Shengze in Suzhou is known for Xiaoman silk customs and opera. [6]
The Hong Kong Observatory calls the same term Corn Forms. The agricultural image is developing grain. [1][4]
In a wheat field, the ears can be visible while the kernels inside are still filling. In the silk town of Shengze, the same part of the year brings to mind maturing silkworm cocoons and opera at the local shrine. [4][6]
The Sun’s Date and the Name Grain Buds
Xiaoman is the second solar term of traditional summer. In the cycle of the 24 solar terms, it follows Start of Summer at 45 degrees and comes before Grain in Ear at 75 degrees. The Hong Kong Observatory’s 2026 almanac gives the crossing at 8:37 a.m. on May 21 in Hong Kong time. [1][2][3][4]
The name suggests a small degree of fullness. In the familiar grain interpretation, the wheat kernels have started to fill and are still developing. Grain Buds is a conventional English name for this stage of the year. [4][5]
How Water and Crops Give the Term Regional Meaning
Northern grain-growing accounts focus on wheat in late spring and early summer. A field can look well on its way to harvest while the kernels are still developing. Local sowing dates, varieties and weather determine what is happening in an individual field. [4][5]
Southern accounts also connect Xiaoman with rainfall and water for fields. A Beijing cultural account records a waterwheel custom in Haining, Zhejiang, in which villagers assembled to raise water from a river for irrigation. The practice belongs to a specific farming community and helps explain why water can be as prominent as grain in Xiaoman accounts. [5][7]
Xiaoman in the Silk Town of Shengze
Wujiang District’s cultural authority describes Xiaoman customs in Shengze, a silk-producing town in Suzhou. People honored Leizu (嫘祖, Léizǔ), a figure traditionally associated with raising silkworms and reeling silk. In the local account, the rites sought a good yield of cocoons and celebrated the coming of new silk to market. [6]
The town’s Xiaoman opera (小满戏, Xiǎomǎn xì) traditionally ran for three days. Modern heritage programming has combined performances with displays and demonstrations related to sericulture. The annual program can include a procession and demonstrations of silk reeling in addition to the opera. [6]
FAQs About Xiaoman and Grain Buds
Is Grain Buds about maize?
Grain Buds and Corn Forms are English names used for Xiaoman. The seasonal example in Chinese descriptions is wheat kernels beginning to fill. [1][4][5]
Is Xiaoman a harvest date?
It is a solar term fixed by the Sun’s longitude. The name evokes developing grain. Harvest timing follows local crop conditions. [1][4][5]
出典
[1] Hong Kong Observatory. The 24 Solar Terms
[2] Hong Kong Observatory. Hong Kong Observatory Almanac 2026
[3] Hong Kong Observatory. 2027 Gregorian–Lunar Conversion Table
[4] Hunan Provincial Government. 24 Solar Terms, Xiaoman
[5] Beijing Municipal Government. Grain Buds, All Things Thrive
[6] Wujiang District Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau. Provincial Support for Wujiang’s Xiaoman Customs
[7] Beijing Municipal Government. Dongcheng Seasonal Guide, Xiaoman