The seasonal phrase for this time of year is this, “蚕起食桑”.   Literally it means “silkworms get up and eat mulberry leaves”.  In other words, silkworms begin eating mulberry leaves actively.  It is easy to guess that sericulture is a major industry, for both the farm folks and those who want to enjoy luxury with rolls of silk cloth.

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今の季節の七十二候は、「蚕起食桑」。文字通りだと、蚕が起きあがって桑の葉を食べる、つまり、蚕が盛んに桑の葉を食べ始めるということのようです。養蚕は重要な産業だと容易に分かります。農家の人たちにとっても、絹の反物で贅沢しようとする人たちにとっても。

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