Chapter Three: Winter of Serenity and Joy

The Stillness of Rain

Rain fell softly as we drove down a quiet country road toward my grandparents’ house. The world outside felt still, with barely a sound except the steady patter of rain on the car roof. Every now and then, a magpie or sparrow darted across the fields, as if hurrying home before the drizzle grew heavier.

Driving along those same roads from childhood stirred a quiet nostalgia. I thought of my cousins and I laughing together, the warmth of hot pot filling the kitchen, and the shì zi shù (persimmon tree) glowing orange in my grandparents’ yard.

Years have passed since those winters, but that drive reminded me how deeply those small, ordinary moments stay with you. Sometimes, home is not a place you return to, but a feeling that never really leaves.

Lessons in Bamboo

A few days later, we visited a site dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the great strategist from China’s Three Kingdoms period. The winter air was crisp, and the scent of roasted sweet potatoes drifted through the courtyard. We each bought one and stood quietly under the trees, watching steam rise into the cold air.

The giant zhú lín (bamboo forest) swayed gently in the wind, the sound of leaves brushing against one another like a quiet conversation. Bamboo has always been a symbol of resilience in Chinese culture. It is part of the “Three Friends of Winter,” along with pine and plum. When most plants fade, these three stay strong. Pine endures for centuries, bamboo bends but never breaks, and plum blossoms bloom through frost.

Lanterns of Grace

That evening we gathered with family. We sat together in the warmth of the room, cosy and xìng fú (happy and content), our laughter and stories flowing easily into the night. When my partner came back from outside, he smiled and asked me to come and see something.

I stepped into the courtyard, where the world seemed to slow. The soft glow of lanterns lit the rain-soaked tiles, and each drop shimmered as it fell. The air was cool and still, carrying the gentle rhythm of rain and the faint sounds of conversation behind us.

From inside, voices drifted out like a gentle stream, blending with the patter of raindrops in the garden. We stood quietly, breathing in the calm. Winter often feels bare and silent, yet in moments like this, it shows its quiet grace and reminds us how much beauty lives in stillness.

Living in the Present

When I think back on that time, the rain-soaked drive to my grandparents’ home, the bamboo forest swaying in the wind, the soft glow of lanterns in the courtyard, one thing stands out. Winter is not only about cold or stillness. It is a reminder to slow down, to find warmth in small moments, and to notice how peace often hides in the quietest places.

The Peaceful Winter (Níng Jìng Zhī Dōng) Wall Art was born from those moments: the serenity of the country road, the glow of lanterns, and the quiet strength of bamboo forest. Each scene is a small window into that feeling of calm amidst cold. On my bedroom shelf, it captures that feeling perfectly. It reminds me to pause, to let go of the day’s small stresses, and to simply be present. The world will always move quickly again, but those gentle, joyful moments have a way of staying with us.