Amidst the lush green willows, the nightingale sings through the night, while the bright moon illuminates the vast expanse of the sky. But what I love most of all is the wheat at this time, gently swaying in the early summer breeze above the scattered petals dancing joyfully on the ground.
夜鶯啼綠柳，
皓月醒長空。
最愛壟頭麥，
迎風笑落紅。
This five-character quatrain poem by Ouyang Xiu is about Lesser Fullness. Numerous splendid ancient Chinese poems sing praises of this solar term.
這首歐陽修的五絕詩是寫小滿的。中國詩詞佳句贊頌小滿的不少，如：
"As I looked at the calendar, I realized it was Lesser Fullness, a period of utmost gloom, greatly hindering the silkworm's restful sleep."
“玉歷檢來知小滿，又愁陰久礙蠶眠。”
"Amidst prolonged gloom, even the rainbow in the east is cut off by dark clouds. In the period of Lesser Fullness, occasional northerly winds chill the air."
“久陰東虹斷，小滿北風寒。”
"Peonies wilt and shed their petals with the start of summer's arrival, But in Lesser Fullness, jade hairpins adorn the courtyard in full bloom."
“牡丹立夏花零落，玉簪小滿布庭前。”
"At the beginning of summer, the mulberry fruits look like cherries, In the period of Lesser Fullness, one raises silkworms and cultivates the fields."
“立夏桑果象櫻桃，小滿養蠶又種田。”
During the season of Lesser Fullness, everything teeters on the edge of ripeness and readiness, nurturing the hope of a bountiful harvest. The ancient Chinese bestowed a clever name upon the solar term Lesser Fullness, a wisdom that unfolds, offering insights into life's fullness—When the heart is content with just enough, it finds perfect balance, finding peace and tranquility in even the smallest gain. Lesser Fullness is not yet full, not too fast, nor too slow. All things await their potential.
小滿時節，萬物將熟未熟，孕育著豐收的希望。中國古人對小滿節氣的命名，用于開悟人生，亦為巧妙——心有小滿剛剛好，小有所得即安然。小滿未滿，不疾不徐，萬物可期。
Listen to the sound of wheat rustling in the wind. Join me in savoring the delightful joy of Lesser Fullness.
你聽，這風吹麥浪的聲音，和我一起感受小滿的這份小歡喜吧。
