The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 segments, for each segment  is called a specific “solar term”: Beginning of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insects,  Spring Equinox, Pure Brightness, Grain Rain, Beginning of Summer, Grain Buds, Grain in  Ear, Summer Solstice, Minor Heat, Major Heat, Beginning of Autumn, End of Heat, White  Dew, Autumn Equinox, Cold Dew, Frost’s Descent, Beginning of Winter, Minor Snow, Major  Snow, Winter Solstice, Minor Cold, and Major Cold. The criteria for the formulation of the 24  solar terms were developed through the observation of different periods of four seasons, the  changes in climate, as well as certain natural phenomena, thus guiding agricultural affairs and  farming activities throughout the year. Farmers in ancient China, apart from inventing various  farming tools and the mode of deep plowing and fine cultivation, also devised a precise  timeframe conducive to farming, which is foremost embodied in the 24 solar terms. The 24 solar terms originated in the Yellow River reaches of China. As early as the Spring  and Autumn and Warring States periods, Chinese people had the concepts of Winter Solstice  and Summer Solstice. Later, the Chinese ancestors first established four major solar terms  and then eight solar terms marking the four seasons: Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox,  Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning  of Winter, and Winter Solstice. Subsequently, based on the positions of the sun and moon at  the beginning and middle of each month, weather conditions, and the growth of animals and  plants, people divided the year into 24 equal segments and assigned a specific name to each,  resulting in the present 24 solar terms. In 104 BC, the Taichu Calendar formulated by Deng  Ping and others officially included the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar,  clarifying their astronomical positions. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the 24 solar  terms were fully established. The chapter “Celestial Phenomena” in Huainanzi (Masters of  Huainan) of the Western Han Dynasty contains a complete record of the 24 solar terms. In the traditional Chinese calendar, a year consists of four seasons, 12 months, 24 solar terms,  and 72 pentads. This timeframe serves as a guarantee for timely agriculture work throughout  the year. Meanwhile, it caters to people’s desires for fortune and blessings, gradually evolving  into relevant festivals and customs. For example, “whipping the spring ox” is a unique springwelcoming ritual associated with the Beginning of Spring as a long tradition. According to  the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, in the third month of winter, six “spring ox” made of clay  would be set up in the northeast outside the city gate to “bid farewell to the Major Cold”. This ritual later evolved into the tradition of “whipping the spring ox” on the first day of spring. Afterwards, the spring-welcoming ceremony and whipping spring ox ritual merged into  one. People would strike and shatter the clay-made “spring ox” into pieces on the first day  of spring to express the meaning of cherishing springtime and diligently cultivating the land.  After the clay-made ox was whipped and broken, people would scramble for the broken  clay pieces as a custom. This custom varied in different dynasties and regions and was once  described in Tang poet Yuan Zhen’s poem “Birth of Spring”. As the spring-welcoming and  whipping spring ox ritual became an important celebration, some folk artists created New  Year pictures depicting this theme. On the first day of spring, county magistrates would  deliver New Year pictures themed on spring ox as a tradition to promise a good harvest.  According to traditional customs, pasting New Year pictures themed on spring ox on the first  day of spring would signify the beginning of agricultural labour in the coming year, the hope  for a good crop yield, the longing for happiness, and the prayer for fair weather. The 24 solar terms are closely related to folk culture, manifested in the fact that the solar  terms themselves are folk customs. Therefore, the 24 solar terms are an important content of  folk culture, while folk culture enriches and elevates the connotations of the 24 solar terms.  The associated folk customs in different places make the 24 solar terms vibrant and engaging.  According to the “Views on the Implementation of the Project of Inheriting and Developing  Traditional Chinese Culture”, issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the  Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council, further efforts will be  made to strengthen the academic interpretation and dynamic utilization of traditional Chinese  calendars, solar terms, zodiac signs, as well as dietary practices and traditional medicine, so  that their beneficial cultural values can be deeply embedded in people’s daily lives.  This book showcases the lifelike scenes of the 24 solar terms through a hundred Chinese  traditional pictures, such as folk New Year paintings themed on “spring ox” and “Winter’s  Nine Nines Calendar”, to narrate historic culture, folk customs, and legends associated with  solar terms.  Humans have achieved tremendous breakthroughs and transcendence in many aspects, yet the  24 solar terms seem unsurpassable, for they still play important roles in people’s daily lives and  production to this day. They are not just a tool of timeframe, but also a culture that has penetrated  deep into the nature and essence of the Chinese nation, and the brilliance of its cultural  wisdom has not been diminished even after a thousand years of flowing waters of time. 

Shen Hong

Winter 2021

致我在新加坡的读者们！我是生活在美国东北部马萨诸塞州的吉姆·谢泼德。我的最新短篇小说集《全心世界》能够在新加坡出版，我对此倍感开心荣幸。新加坡是我一直以来都想要去游历的国家，也许在不久的将来我的确有机会成行。这本小说集里的许多故事都基于真实的历史事件：从人类最为悲剧性的一次北极探险，到一对寻常父子见证历史上最具灾难性的火山喷发，再到两位在荒野中独处、建立了终身难忘的亲密连结的家庭主妇。尽管呈现方式稍显戏剧化，但它们都展现了人类在极端情况下被激发出的智慧谋略与善良本性。让读者感到兴奋、感动、 并有所收获，是我创作这些故事的初衷。我衷心希望这本小说集能为你们带来以上这三种阅读体验，愿你们享受其中。

前 言（一）

关于这本书，真的是耗时有点长，因为每次打开画卷总有不一样的感觉，总觉得还有话讲，有时看多了画面，竟然还有一种幻觉，总觉得画面中的各类人物，花鸟虫草都在向我招手，倾诉。于是我不得不打开画卷再一次端详，对话……有时候说着说着又仿佛跟画家争吵起来，当然，我们更多的时候对酒当歌。听着他们倾诉着各自人生起伏，我只能默默地多饮几杯，无须多言，只需聆听，让他们说个够。我懂，一张画，哪是你我看到的画面，分明就是他们的人生秋歌，只是当下的大多数人只是匆匆瞥一眼他们的心血，也说不出好，或者坏，都因为冠了个名头——“十大古画”，然后才有机会亮相当下，因此他们自我感伤的中有觉得活得辛苦的，有觉得活得不够的，有觉得活得明白的，也有人觉得活得也算可以的。但凡能被千百年后的我们欣赏的，已经有着不一样的烟火，够了！
“相由心生”还不如说“像由心生”，看着眼前的一幅幅不同时代，不同皇朝，不同作者的“像”，越看越有三维空间，也蕴藏着四维世界，每一笔都是意念的传递，每一色都是认知的世间，每一物都是性相的表现。这一张张画像啊，无不就是我聆听
到的各式人心，听多了，我也便是熟悉了，然后不用抬眼寻他们，他们都在暗处看着我，但是我识相，就一一认出了他们，眼瞅着那些像，那些相，画着画着就是呐喊，画着画着就是自赞，画着画着就是消失在人间……

About this book, it really takes a long time, because every time I open the scroll, I always have a different feeling, I always feel that there is something to say. Sometimes when I see many pictures, I even have an illusion. I always feel that all kinds of people in the picture, flowers, birds and caterpillar fungus are waving to me. So I had to open the scroll to look again, dialogue... Sometimes he seemed to quarrel with the painter come on, of course, we sing to each other more often. Listening to them talk about their ups and downs, I drank more cup, don't say much, just listen, let them say enough. I know. A picture. That's what you and I are looking at the autumn song of their life, but the majority of people just glance at their efforts, also can not say good or bad, Because of the title of "ten ancient paintings", and then have the opportunity to appear in the present, so they feel sad in the live
Some feel that their life is not enough, some feel that their life is clear, and some feel that their life is ok. If anyone can be after thousands of years of our appreciation, has not the same fireworks, enough!
"Look from the heart" is better than "like from the heart", looking at the pictures of different times, different dynasties, different authors the more you look at the "image", the more three-dimensional space, but also contains a four-dimensional world, every stroke is the transmission of ideas, every color is cognition In this world, everything is a manifestation of nature. These portraits are all the hearts I have heard so many times,I knew them, and I didn't
have to look for them. They were all looking at me in the dark, but I recognized them.They stare at those images and phases, and when they draw, they cry out, praise themselves and disappear on earth.

前 言（二）

从我小时候开始，我就沉浸于一个洋溢着浓厚中国文化的家庭当中，我的母亲非常热衷于研究历史与艺术，深受她的影响，我也逐渐爱上了研究与欣赏古画。中国5000年的历史给我们留下了非常多的艺术品，让我们可以在当今现代社会通过这些画作来遐想出古代社会的痕迹与画面。为了让世界上更多的人看到中国古画的魅力与底蕴，我很荣幸承担了翻译的工作，做一位文化的传播者和传颂者。
艺术是没有壁垒的，任何不同国家的人虽然有着文化差异，但是大家都有着欣赏美的眼睛。就像世界上的各种艺术作品都有着互通与关联性。中国古画在世界各大博物馆都拥有着重要的一席之位，足以证明它的研究价值和艺术价值，那是一个国家文化的历程。古画的赏析是一门大学问，必须拥有丰富的学识和认知，才能去理解与欣赏这些古人笔下的世界，愿这本书，开启你我的艺术欣赏之旅！

Since I was a child, I have been immersed in a family full of strong Chinese culture. My mother was very keen on studying history and art. Deeply influenced by her, I gradually fell in love with studying and appreciating ancient paintings. China's 5000 years of history has left us with a lot of artworks, so that we can imagine the traces and images of ancient society through these paintings in modern society. In order to let more people in the world see the charm and heritage of ancient Chinese paintings, I am honored to undertake the work of translation, as a cultural disseminator and promoter.
There is no barrier to art. Although people in different countries have cultural differences, they all have eyes to appreciate beauty. Just like all kinds of works of art in the world are interconnected and connected. Ancient Chinese painting has an important place in the world's major museums, enough to prove its research value and artistic value, that is the process of a country's culture. The appreciation of ancient paintings is a university, and it is necessary to
have rich knowledge and cognition to understand and appreciate the world under the pen of these ancient people. I hope this book will open the journey of art appreciation for you and me!

什么叫好诗？《彼岸诗话》言：声韵天然而不失和谐，对仗自由而不失工整，语言凝练而不失流畅，结构严密而不失变化，修辞新颖而不失切当，白描质实而不失生动。按这个标准，我应该有一万个理由，不能，也不应该写诗。

      第一个理由，不是诗的时代。虽然有这么多写诗的人，但有几个人是因为真情澎湃，不吐不快？

      第二个理由，在这个重利益，官本位，浮躁求成，精致利己的时代，到哪里去寻找了写诗应有的真纯？

      第三个理由，自己幼时饭都吃不饱，哪来家学渊源？

      第四个理由，大人们不识字也不要求识字，又到哪儿寻找诗学传承？

      第五也是最关键的，本人到哪里寻找诗人之才？

      如果换了那屈原，那王勃，那拜伦，那莱蒙托夫那样的不世之材，即使在现在这个时代，仍会扬名立万，诗意缤纷。如果没有现成的诗歌，没有现成的诗风，他们自能创造出一种诗歌，创造出一种诗风来。正是因为大咖们的横空出世，《离骚》，《春江花月夜》，《失乐园》，《西风颂》，《浮士德》，《草叶集》才石破天惊，天马行空。才子与作品一道，创造并被创造着，创造出一种文体形式，甚而创造出属于自己的时代，包括创造自己。

       既然如此，那我为什么还要写诗呢？

       第一是有诗心，虽生计维艰，却不妨碍我还真是想着锅碗瓢勺上面的意味深长和另有洞天；第二是有童心，随年过半百，心里仍然要装童年时光的那棵大葱，装那棵青青白白的嫩；第三，粗心，任率卑陋，不屑规矩，只图一个自在，正好用来海天湖地，信口雌黄；第四，闲心，魂牵梦萦之外，文字之外，有没有另一个自己，有没有找出来或者制作一个自己出来的可能？

       白居易《读张籍古乐府》说，“言者志之苗，行者文之根。所以读君诗，亦知君为人”。《逸鸟飞翎》，这个逸，也是没章法不受束缚的必然衍生物：一方面其实是遭遗弃，被屏蔽；另一方面，则既是我对琐碎的逃逸，又是我对清脱的追寻。时光荏苒，便会有些许翎羽散落，或窸窣悄声，或纵情放歌。

       儿歌，是有童真的；童谣，是有童真的。有时候，最纯朴的东西往往是最真淳、最高雅的东西。童真最核心的东西就是率性。因缺少音乐训练便不怕不合音律，因缺少机关乖巧就不怕艰涩粗粝，呕哑难听。有时候只是为写而写，想用写唤醒童我。我写唤我真，我真童心存，说的就是我的这份奢念。我总相信，心，应该是香的！

       有一个事典可以佐证此说。据传，汪曾祺曾去过一家又脏又乱的小茶馆里喝茶，在一面涂抹得乱七八糟的墙上发现了一首诗：“记得旧时好，跟随爹爹去吃茶。门前磨螺壳，巷口弄泥沙。”这首诗涵盖了童心，童真，童趣，三位一体，好诗！

      追根求源，是三位女性，叫我走向了诗。

      无一例外，她们都没有上过学，更无缘学诗。但是她们教给了我如何活着并且诗意地活着的诀窍。应该说，属于我的最早的诗歌教育，来自奶奶。

       比如《板凳》：“板凳板凳摞摞，里边坐个大哥，大哥出来买菜，里面坐个奶奶，奶奶出来烧香，里边坐个姑娘，姑娘出来梳头，里头坐个......”

       还有《月儿弯》:“弯月儿弯弯挂树梢，好像一把小镰刀，我要借他用一用，割把青草喂羊羔。”

       但我从来都认为天底下最浪漫的事情，莫过于奶奶口中的嫦娥寻夫；而关于浪漫的最早的教育，也是来自奶奶。哼唱的歌词已经忘了，只记得的是嫦娥在广袤的天空,苦苦寻找自己不知道失落到哪里的丈夫。声调凄凄惨惨戚戚，情节寻寻觅觅幂幂。天幕底下，清风拂过所有困倦的星星，月光照亮了所有童年坐在小凳子上的感伤。天空那么辽远，那么深邃，比天空更辽远，更深邃的是嫦娥夫君莫测的人性，由不得不替嫦娥着急，由不得不满心不是滋味。后来一想到这一段，就觉得满满的想望，满满的遗憾。其实，浪漫，更多时候就是用来遗憾、用来想望的。

        奶奶厨艺出众，她擀的面条，蒸的馒头令吃过的人过嘴难忘；是织布纺线专家，提花布每色线多少根，都装在她令人不敢相置信的脑子里；是调醋高手，谁家的高粱红薯醋不酸，谁家的醋要坏，就找奶奶，奶奶手到病除，她是醋医生；是全村人的活日记，生日忌辰年龄八卦，人们不怕记不清，记不清就“找三婶”“找三老奶”；是心算超人，小货郎每次狡黠的模糊数学式的算计，无一例外都会被奶奶精准到毫巅的运算所戳穿，然后哈哈一笑。奶奶把日常升格为传奇，她的才气和能耐成了后人口口相传的诗。

       真正的诗性，我一直觉得是从姥姥那里得来的。她家境殷实，遭逢时艰。个子高，腰身细，皮肤白，眉目秀清，眼窝稍深，一双不算特别大的双眼皮的眼睛总是流露出慈爱的光，那光是善意的，贴心的，又是严正的，坚忍的。让我既充满依恋又不敢放恣。她是我童年梦里的欢喜和第一个崇拜！

       即使光景暗淡，粗茶淡饭，但到了姥姥这里，都会变得讲究。她的眼神好，到了近70岁，还能够帮妈妈认针引线。姥姥糊的锅排，特别的硬爽，特别的密实。先是拿浆糊将一片片的布头衣角儿均匀地糊了，糊作比报纸还大的一张，贴在墙上，借太阳晒干晾透后，比照鞋子大小依样剪裁，一层一层糊粘摞齐，再包了白布，戴上顶针用针线来纳鞋底，锅排扎实，针引线出来，嗤嗤有声，做出来的鞋自然跟脚给劲；天下有一种最好吃的酱，是西瓜酱，姥姥做的。所有的加工程序结束后，为了耐放，她要将成品瓜豆在锅里文火加热，当褐红渐变褐黑，瓜豆酱就衍生出了新味道，有点酱油的余味，但仍不失瓜豆酱特有的酱瓜香。每次走亲戚，我都要捎上一瓶，就着高粱窝窝头，想着姥姥，伴着时光，慢慢的一口一口品味，两颊生香。

       她爱干净。那时候烧的是地锅，烧的是玉米杆，高粱杆，豆杆，豆叶，麦秸，树叶。灶火有时候有些潮，需要拉动风箱催火，总会有些轻薄的烟灰，随着炊烟四处飘落。遇到逆风倒灌，灶烟就在狭窄的厨屋里翻滚，做饭人就似被浓烟吞噬，或干脆化作灶烟的一部分，如果不是必不可少的咳嗽在浓烟深处呛极而出，你一定不会发现有人在里边的。就如妈妈说的做饭人自嘲的顺口溜那样，“烟州烟县，烟不住锅底儿门口的老肉蛋（称呼脑袋不灵光，动作迟缓的人）”。当然，顺口溜背后蕴含的常识是烟往高处跑，蹲坐地上的烧锅人反倒是吃烟最少的。再说姥姥，这样的不堪在她那儿是从来不会发生的，灶火早就被拾掇得柴整火顺，她头扎毛巾，身上穿一件打满了补丁的罩衣。在烟熏火燎之后，饭做完了。就抽下毛巾，把身上的烟尘浮灰仔细地一一拂去，然后才解掉罩衣，洗了手脸，再穿上自己家常穿的衣服，招呼一家老小吃饭。要说这罩衣也缀满了补丁，但不拘大小，每片都精心剪裁，然后用细密的针脚把补丁隐密妥帖地缝在该缝的地方，服服帖帖，恰恰当当，没有一根针线敷衍，透出的规整和执着，让人直觉得那补丁妥帖，原本就应该呆在那儿，那儿如果没了补丁，反而变得难看别扭，好像衣服原本就应该是那个样子似的。姥姥把最简单的日子和最沉重的艰难都过成了诗！

       还有一种慵懒的诗意更与天气相关。酷热的夏天，接近中午或者午饭后，堂屋西边的桃树全被日头烤得耷拉了脑袋，家人们都困顿得神志混沌，高高低低，长长短短地打着哈欠，睡意像地泉一般渺无声息地淹没了土墙呵护下的院子。我神思奄奄，就懒得动弹，滋溜一下躺到了姥姥的床上。姥姥躺在一侧，一厢给我舒缓地扇着扇，一厢与我低声地唠话，一缕缕阴凉正从空旷的屋顶浸漫而来。我不一会就会睡去，一睁眼，姥姥正弯腰忙她的事体，眼抚着我，暖暖地一笑，“醒了！”在那清凉清凉的房间里，有的时候还会放一碗糖水。这是姥姥给我喝的。寻常大家都喝井凉水，只有来了客人才动火烧水，开水而且加糖，这当然是对客人的最高礼遇。我从学校回家路过，到端着公家的饭碗抽空从南阳归来去探视她，她都这样，在老屋里高高挑挑，沉沉静静地守着。岁月老了，可慈爱不减，姥姥把自己守成了诗一样的静默。

       如果说这也能称作诗意的生活的话。那么把读书的念想用做梦的方式来表达，则属于母亲的浪漫，“蓝莹莹的天，满天都是斗大的大白字，白亮亮哩”。她不欺穷，不谄势，不妒别人的日子比自己好，只是把儿女宠得上了天，盼着家里出个读书人。晚境病痛，仍牵挂别人家没娘的孩子可怜。

       妈妈走那一天，她没有打招呼。春光明媚，风景清新，惠风和煦，我透过泪水，看着车窗外匆匆而过的与她再也没有关联的斑斓世界，与兄弟妹妹们一起陪她回老家；妈妈离开家那一天，她再没有说话。春寒料峭，大榆树枝桠干糙，独独门口的那株杏树花闹满眼，香阵冲天，朵朵粉紫，都是欢送的手掌。妈妈选好的日子，仁爱喜乐,平和良善,云淡风轻，禅情画意。母恩三千，不言一瓢，妈妈以生当歌，把自己修作绝妙好诗！

       那就把这本书，献给妈妈，献给姥姥，献给奶奶。让每块诗，每行句，每粒字，在每天的阴晴晨昏，都携着欢喜，蕴着甜香，哗啦哗啦地哼着唱着，蹦着跳着，明着亮着，盛着绵长的挂念和满登登的祈福，代我，去给她们一一问安！

                                                                                                                             2022年4月6日星期三