Today is Minor Cold, the 23rd of the 24 Chinese solar terms. As a Chinese saying goes, "The Minor Cold is colder than the Major Cold." For most parts of China, it marks the arrival of the coldest days of the year, with northern regions experiencing lows of minus 40 degrees Celsius. However, in the south, plum blossom is in full bloom, and is as dense as snow. Finding plum blossoms while walking in the snow is deeply rewarding.
On the day of Minor Cold, the host, Vivian Ma, inspired by the plum blossoms in winter, prepares a flower arrangement of “New Plum Blossoms as White as Snow”. At the same time, Vivian prepares a table of grain seeds to make the seasonal food for Minor Cold “Laba Porridge” together with Mr. Ghanem Al-Maadeed, Consul General of the State of Qatar in Guangzhou. Mr. Ghanem Al-Maadeed also demonstrates his chopstick technique, which he learned from Chinese movies when he was a kid, by picking up the smallest bean from the bowl.
In return, Mr. Ghanem Al-Maadeed invites us to his residence to taste roast whole lamb made with his mother’s secret recipe. Besides, he burns the expensive oud wood used by Qataris to welcome guests. For the host, the unusual experiences—which included eating lamb tongues while reading poetry and drinking coffee garnished with dates—were eye-opening.
It is cold during Minor Cold, but yang qi gradually emerges, birds are on the move and spring is on its way. The successful organization of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar showcased the deep achievements in Chinese-Qatari cooperation. As the friendship between the two countries continues to deepen, the development of China-Qatar relations has moved from the pleasant camel bell on the ancient road to the extraordinary opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative.
