Great Snow

Greatness signifies abundance; here, the snow reaches its zenith. As the calendar of the twenty-four solar terms turns to Great Snow, winter's canvas unfurls to its fullest splendour. Last night's breeze still carried a crisp chill, yet this morning, upon opening the window, a world of pristine white unfolded—roofs draped in thick ‘cotton quilts’, and fluffy ‘snowballs’ hung from the treetops. Even the usually bustling streets had been filtered of noise by the snow, leaving only the ‘crunch, crunch’ of footsteps on the snow beneathfoot, like winter's own private whisper. Icicles hung long and sharp beneath the eaves, refracting the faint morning light. A touch brought a sudden chill to the fingertips, awakening the whole body, while snowflakes caught in the palm melted instantly into a droplet of water. This fleeting encounter was the most delicate tenderness winter could offer.