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Farm Life through the Seasons · 31
昼出耘田夜绩麻
By day they weed; by night they work the hemp.
村庄儿女各当家
Village women and men each take their share.
童孙未解供耕织
Too young to help with plowing or weaving,
也傍桑阴学种瓜
Children learn to plant melons in mulberry shade.
Meaning
Adults weed the fields by day and work hemp by night. Children too young for farming or weaving imitate them by planting melons under the mulberry shade. Notice their curiosity rather than judging their skill.
About the poet
Fan Chengda was a Song poet whose seasonal poems describe rural life.