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![朴允默《撲棗》“Knocking jujubes off [the tree]” by Bak Yunmuk (1771-1849)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/044059_f67f03d1a0e14d8fa06883d9e0624002~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/044059_f67f03d1a0e14d8fa06883d9e0624002~mv2.webp)
![朴允默《撲棗》“Knocking jujubes off [the tree]” by Bak Yunmuk (1771-1849)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/044059_f67f03d1a0e14d8fa06883d9e0624002~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/044059_f67f03d1a0e14d8fa06883d9e0624002~mv2.webp)
朴允默《撲棗》“Knocking jujubes off [the tree]” by Bak Yunmuk (1771-1849)
老棗枝枝實, 深紅半帶靑。 盛來筐篚爛, 拾去里鄉聽。 百果知珍品, 三秋擅異香。 群兒應有索, 仙顆欲延齡。 The old jujube tree bears fruits on every branch, In deep red and half green, Coming with brilliance in baskets round and square, Going to the halls of villages and hamlets. A recognised treasure amongst hundreds of fruits, The sole bearer of a wondrous scent in the three [months of] autumn. The crowd will surely beg to have them, The immortality pills that would extend their life. * From Bak Yunmuk 朴允默, Jonjae jip 存齋集,

Rachelle
Oct 27, 20251 min read


李孔修《詠龍眼》“Ode to longan” by Li Kongxiu (1462-1531)
A summer-autumn delicacy.

Rachelle
Oct 20, 20251 min read


A tiger-shocking sneeze
An unusual incident from the Tang dynasty

Rachelle
Oct 13, 20251 min read
![戴察《月夜梧桐叶上见寒露》“Seeing cold dew on wutong leaves on a moonlit night” by Dai Cha [fl. late eighth century]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/044059_71c5874c62dd4f7daf763fc4b63e4d42~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/044059_71c5874c62dd4f7daf763fc4b63e4d42~mv2.webp)
![戴察《月夜梧桐叶上见寒露》“Seeing cold dew on wutong leaves on a moonlit night” by Dai Cha [fl. late eighth century]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/044059_71c5874c62dd4f7daf763fc4b63e4d42~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/044059_71c5874c62dd4f7daf763fc4b63e4d42~mv2.webp)
戴察《月夜梧桐叶上见寒露》“Seeing cold dew on wutong leaves on a moonlit night” by Dai Cha [fl. late eighth century]
To the coming solar term, Cold Dew, starting 8th October, 2025.

Rachelle
Oct 6, 20251 min read








查慎行《松林寺》“Pine Grove Monastery” by Zha Shenxing (1650-1727)
Next one to be harvested.

Rachelle
Sep 1, 20251 min read


Frozen pears
Trying another way of preserving pears.

Rachelle
Aug 25, 20251 min read




王十朋《李》“Plums” by Wang Shipeng (1112-1171)
Time to harvest the plums.

Rachelle
Aug 11, 20251 min read


《立秋》“Beginning of Autumn”
Approaching the end of summer...

Rachelle
Aug 4, 20251 min read


徐渭《土豆》“Potatoes” by Xu Wei (1521-1593)
To the latest harvest.

Rachelle
Jul 28, 20252 min read


釋圓至《暑途樹下偶成》"An occasional poem under the trees during a journey in the heat" by Monk Yuanzhi (1256-1298)
Stay Zen in the heat.

Rachelle
Jul 21, 20251 min read


Some much-needed skills for the season
A fly-fighting story.

Rachelle
Jul 14, 20251 min read


Hanging belly and the summer heat
An idiosyncratic solution to the summer heat.

Rachelle
Jul 7, 20251 min read


沈周《枇杷》“Loquats” by Shen Zhou (1427-1509)
In celebration of the first-ever loquat harvest in my garden.

Rachelle
Jun 30, 20251 min read


屈大均《廣州荔支詞》“On the lychee of Guangzhou” by Qu Dajun (1630-1696)
Fruit of the summer solstice.

Rachelle
Jun 23, 20251 min read


On mosquitoes, the more ferocious ones
A pssage from Duan Chengshi's 段成式 (803?-863) Youyang zazu 酉陽雜俎.

Rachelle
Jun 16, 20251 min read
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