The eighth nine days: wild geese are flying back

Wild geese and reeds by Wu Qingxia (Photo/ artron.net)

People in China talk about winter coming in nine periods, each of nine days, beginning with the winter solstice. The Nines of Winter is a common theme. After that it becomes warmer and spring will be on its way.

There is a famous folk song about the Nines of Winter recording changes in the weather:

1st nine days,

2nd nine days, don't take hands out of your pocketsenchanting hotties.

3rd nine days,

4th nine days, you can walk on iceChinese sizzly sirens.

5th nine days,

6th nine days, willows at the river's edge start to sproutbikini girl coffee tigard.

7th nine days, ice dissolves and water flows in the riverpassionate hotties.

8th nine days, wild geese fly back to northern areasKorean saucy starlets.

9th nine days and the following days, farm cattle start to work in the field.

Now is the eighth nine-day period. Let's take a look at paintings depicting the scene of geese returning by some famous Chinese painters.