The End of Heat, or Chushu, is the 14th of the 24 Solar Terms and the 2nd solar term in autumn. Usually, it falls on August 22-24 each year. According to Annotations of 72 Phenological Phenomena in the Lunar Calendar, “Chu means ‘stop’, and summer heat ends with the arrival of Chushu.” Thus, the End of Heat marks that the weather turns from hot to cool, and the daytime becomes shorter in Beijing.

According to the pronunciation rules of the Chinese language, Chushu sounds like “chú shǔ” (“除暑” or “出暑”), which means “dispelling or getting out of summer heat”, namely the “end of heat”.

Zhang Nie, a poet in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), once wrote, “When summer heat still lingers in bustling cities, inhabitants in mountainous areas already prepare thick clothes.” With the arrival of the End of Heat, the temperature differences between daytime and night grow, and people begin to prepare thicker clothes. A folk ballad goes, “Eight multiplied by nine is equal to 72, and it’s time to cover yourself with a cotton quilt at midnight; Nine multiplied by nine is equal to 81, and it’s time to open your closet to take cotton-padded clothes.” This ballad reminds people to put on thicker clothes to keep warm.

“Autumnal Tiger” Comes alongside the End of Heat

Sweltering days happen from time to time in early autumn, and this period is popularly called “autumnal tiger”. During August and September, the “autumnal tiger” lasts for a period ranging from 15 to 60 days, when people are suggested to avoid autumnal heat. Measures should be taken to nourish the yin and escape heat in the sweltering weather. In southern China, thunderstorms frequently occur, and it rains continuously. Therefore, farmers need to work hard to harvest crops as quickly as possible.

Enjoying “Artful Clouds” in July and August

In the seventh lunar month, due to the impact of the changing air pressure belt from the West Pacific, the drifting clouds in the sky often form oddly-shaped vistas, creating an enchanting, unusual atmosphere. The clouds in the seventh lunar month during early autumn are light, thin and changing, hence the nickname “artful clouds”. The custom of enjoying “artful clouds” is prevalent around China, and has become an integral activity on the Double Seventh Festival (also known as the Ingenuity-Begging Festival).

Folk Customs for the End of Heat

The folk customs for the End of Heat that have been prevalent in northern China for a long time include eating ducks, preparing herbal tea, and floating river lanterns.

Eating Ducks

Beijingers like to buy lily ducks during the End of Heat, which are made of old ducks seasoned with fresh lily, dried tangerine peel, honey, chrysanthemum flowers, and other medicinal herbs that nourish the lungs and promote salivation. Lily ducks can be cooked with

Radix polygonati officinalis, Euryale ferox,lotus roots, straight ladybell roots, and other edible ingredients.

Preparing Herbal Tea

The custom of preparing herbal tea during the End of Heat has prevailed in China since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). People buy medicinal herbs from pharmacies and then use them to prepare tea. Ancient Chinese believed that it was good to have some “bitter” food in early autumn, which could clear heat, relieve fever, help digestion, and dispel pulmonary heat. Back to the 1960s and 1970s, tea stalls selling sour plum soup were often seen on the roadsides, hence the saying that “a cup of sour plum soup can clear away all heat”.

Floating River Lanterns

River lanterns are also called “lotus lanterns” because the lamps or candles on the pedestals floating on the river look like blooming lotus flowers. The custom of floating river lanterns was initially for freeing unattended souls from purgatory. Later, it evolved into a way to mourn for dead relatives and pray for blessings for the alive. Sometimes fishermen float river lanterns to pray for harvest.

Ideal Places for Escaping Summer Heat in Suburban Beijing

With the arrival of the End of Heat, the weather becomes pleasantly cool. However, summer heat may still linger for a while, so tourists should pay attention to avoiding heatstroke during the period. What ideal places are worth traveling in Beijing around the End of Heat. Let’s enjoy Beijing’s scenery in early autumn.

The Chaobai River: A Paradise for Camping and Fishing

Chaobai River National Forest Park is the largest forest park in the plain areas of Beijing. Dubbed “the Rhine of Beijing”, it forms a lushly vegetated, beautiful ecological corridor and recreational passage in northeastern Beijing. The meadows on the wide banks are ideal for camping. Besides, the broad river attracts many people to fish here.

Shidu: A Place to Enjoy Rafting

The Shidu Scenic Area is located in a 20-kilometer-long valley along which the Juma River, a branch of the Daqing River, flows through the north end of the Taihang Mountains. Historically, the valley had ten ferries for crossing the Juma River, hence its name Shidu (literally, “Ten Ferries”).

The End of Heat marks that we bid farewell to the scorching summer and welcome the cool autumn.

In this pleasant season, let’s enjoy beautiful natural scenery and inspiring cultural heritage together.