‘It should not rain’, Met department orders weather gods for children can play; social media reacts

China’s Shenzhen Meteorology Bureau issued a “notice” and asked the weather gods to ensure it didn’t rain on Children’s Day. The video, shared on social media, quickly went viral and made people smile.

In the clip, a man dressed like a news anchor announces that as Shenzhen is a child-friendly city, the weather must stay nice on June 1. This year, Children’s Day also matched with the Dragon Boat Festival, so both kids and parents had the day off.

The official “ordered” gods like Leigong (God of Thunder), Dianmu (Goddess of Lightning) and Longwang (Dragon King) to avoid rain and keep temperatures around 31°C.

“This year’s Children’s Day coincides with the Dragon Boat Festival, meaning both children and parents are on holiday. To guarantee a pleasant environment for parents to take their children out to play, we order that it should not rain throughout Shenzhen on June 1,” the South China Morning Post quoted the man as saying.

“In some special situations, it is permitted to rain in small areas and rain for a short period. The temperature should be controlled around 31 degrees,” it added.

On Children’s Day (June 1), Shenzhen was mostly cloudy with light rain in some places. People online joked that the city’s weather department had become so powerful, it could even command the gods.

The Shenzhen Meteorology Bureau is known for its fun and creative weather updates.

“Ha, that is why it did not rain. Shenzhen Meteorology Bureau, you are so powerful that you can even make orders to Leigong, Dianmu and Longwang,” SCMP quoted one social media user.

“Your serious expression in reading out this notice almost convinced me,” commented another.

China’s efforts for child development

On International Children’s Day, China Central Television (CCTV) highlighted China’s efforts for child development.

In 2024, primary and secondary schools in Beijing added a longer 15-minute break in their schedule, 5 minutes more than before. This extra time gives students a better chance to enjoy physical activities and refresh themselves to support their physical and mental growth, it reported.

According to the publication, President Xi Jinping strongly believes that children’s health is very important. He has often said that physical strength is key for students and has encouraged sports in schools.