Mid-Autumn Festival: A time for family and reflection

Spring glows in a vibrant rebirth." May this prelude of spring bring you new hope in life.

At Spring Equinox, day and night are aligned, On this fourth Solar Term, the sun shines directly above the equator, bringing equal daylight and darkness worldwide, hence its name. From this day forth, warmth embraces the land and blooms take flight. Life bursts, all towards nature's prime.

Grain Rain marks the end of spring. Bathed in spring showers, the earth rejuvenates and tea hills glisten. As put by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Qi Ji, tender and fragrant tea picked before Grain Rain is a gift from above. Let's savor this cup of fresh brew and look forward to summer's radiant hue.

When all at once you see a dragonfly alight. Borne on the gentle summer eve's sigh, as the setting sun lingers, watch twilight fade like a lullaby.

In wind they smile at rosy dew. Grain Buds encapsulates "full, yet not overflowing", and only thus does balance hold.

Fields are dressed in green, far and near. This Grain in Ear, let us all sow our own seeds of hope.

The pavilion casts its shadow into the pool. Let's cherish nature's splendor, bright and brief, before twilight claims its waning flow.

Minor Cold marks the approach of the coldest period of the year. People are busy preparing for the Chinese New Year, writing Spring Festival couplets and decorating windows with paper-cuts.

Start of Spring, the first of the 24 solar terms, marks nature's grand opening banquet. As Song Dynasty poet Su Shi depicts in his poem "River Scenes on a Spring Evening", all things awakens from the winter slumber and life quietly unfolds in every corner. May this poem usher in a new beginning, filling your life with vitality and vigor like a day in spring.

Spring rain arrives, bringing life to all things. Rain Water, the second term of the 24 Solar Terms, is nature's gentle gift to us. As fine threads of drizzle nourish the earth, all rouses from the hibernal rest. May the poem "Happy Rain on a Spring Night" by Du Fu nourish your soul. May life be as gentle and beautiful as spring for us all.。

A lotus festival kicked off in Yuanmingyuan Park on Saturday and will run until Aug. 31.

​Hundreds of spectators gathered at the Olympic Rowing Center in Schinias, northeast of Athens, on Sunday to witness a vibrant dragon boat race held in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival and the deepening ties between China and Greece.

​Hundreds of Chinese and Japanese children gathered at the Chinese Embassy in Japan on Sunday to celebrate the International Children's Day.

Communities across New Zealand marked the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival over the weekend with vibrant celebrations in both Christchurch and Auckland, reflecting the enduring cultural heritage of this ancient festival.

Beijing held a dragon boat race on the Grand Canal to celebrate the Duanwu Festival on May 31.

Children across China participate in various activities ahead of the International Children's Day.

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, is one of China's oldest and most celebrated traditions, with a history spanning over two millennia.

Women in traditional dress performed folk dance during pre-celebrations of Rongali Bihu festival in Nagaon district of India's northeastern state of Assam, April 12, 2025.

Qingming Festival carries a profound cultural heritage, incorporating ancestral veneration, spring outings and the remembrance of revolutionary martyrs.

Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is both one of the 24 solar terms and an important traditional holiday in China.