Minor Heat, the 11th of the 24 Solar Terms and the 5th of summer, typically occurs between July 6th and 8th in the Gregorian calendar. In "A Collective Interpretation of the 72 Phenological Terms," it is written: "Heat, meaning hot. Divided into Minor and Major, with Minor at the beginning of the month and Major in the middle. Currently, the heat is still minor." Zhang Bo, a researcher at the Institute of Beijing Studies of Beijing Union University, explains that although Minor Heat suggests the heat hasn't reached its peak, in reality, both Minor and Major Heat are among the hottest times of the year. Hence, there are sayings like "Minor Heat follows Major Heat, making it unbearably hot" and "Minor Heat and Major Heat, steaming from above and below."
The Minor Heat period signifies the start of the "steaming" phase where people feel like they are in a sweltering steamer. However, there are exceptions in the Jiangnan region. Yuan Jin, an associate professor at the School of Cultural Creativity and Media of Hangzhou Normal University, notes that the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River typically exit the Meiyu (plum rain) season around Minor Heat, entering a dry summer. However, there can be a "Reoccurrence of Meiyu" where the rainy season returns. After the Meiyu season ends, the hot "dog days" begin.
Minor Heat Marks the Start of the Dog Days
Ancients referred to the hottest period of the year as sanfu (Dog Days), calculated from the third Geng day after the Summer Solstice to the first Geng day after the Beginning of Autumn. Generally, each "dog day" lasts 10 days, totaling 30 days. However, some years see a 20-day middle phase, extending the period to 40 days.
Zhang Bo explains that Minor Heat marks the beginning of sanfu. It is so named because of the hidden yin energy during intense heat, as noted in "Treatise on Sacrifices" in "The Book of Han". This hidden yin energy makes it a dangerous climate and prompts people to stay indoors to avoid the heat. The custom of marking the dog days serves as a crucial reminder for adjusting lifestyles and activities according to the season.
In ancient times, people paid great attention to the dog days, with customs like eating meat during this period. During the Han and Wei dynasties, there were feasts and gatherings, and the "Biography of Dongfang Shuo" of "The Book of Han" recounts Emperor Wu of Han granting meat on dog days. Even today, places like Xuzhou in Jiangsu maintain the tradition of eating "fuyang" (lamb on dog days) with a local saying: "A bowl of fuyang soup in Pengcheng, no need for a doctor's prescription."
Minor Heat in Jiangnan
Around Minor Heat, gardenia, white champaca, and jasmine flowers bloom in Jiangnan, known as the "Three Whites of Summer." Yuan Jin mentions that in the past, flower sellers would place these flowers in baskets with a towel, selling them door-to-door. In "Small Window Quiet Notes," Chen Jiru, a writer from the Ming Dynasty, compared various natural sounds, concluding that the sound of flower sellers was the most enchanting.
In Suzhou, flower girls crafted small straw lanterns for jasmine flowers, or made small flower baskets for girls to place in their mosquito nets, filling their dreams with fragrance.
Nowadays, fewer flower sellers roam the streets, but fortunately, the "Three Whites" can be potted, which are often planted in urban flower beds and parks, allowing their fragrance to be a part of the Minor Heat season.
In the south, Minor Heat is also the time for "tasting new rice". Early rice ripens during this period, and farmers offer the freshly harvested rice to ancestors and deities, sharing the new grain and wine with family and neighbors.
Minor Heat is also ideal for sun-drying items. Yuan Jin notes that Minor Heat is near the 6th day of the 6th lunar month, known as the "Dragon King's Day of Sun-Drying Scales." People take this opportunity to sun-dry books and clothes, a custom called shaifu (sun-drying during the dog days) or shaimei (sun-drying the mildew). Families spread out paintings, books, and clothes in the sun to remove moisture and prevent mold. There is a story that when Tang Monk returned from retrieving scriptures, he accidentally dropped them in the river and dried them on this day. Thus, temples observe this day as "Scripture Drying Day."
Common folk also busily sun-dry clothes on this day, with sayings like "June 6th, every household dries red and green" or "June 6th, every household dries dragon robes." But why dragon robes? There's an interesting legend behind this: When Emperor Qianlong toured the south and reached the south bank of the ancient canal in Yangzhou, it started raining heavily, soaking his dragon robes. He had to wait in a local temple until the rain stopped and then dried his dragon robes before continuing his journey. This day happened to be the 6th of the 6th lunar month, hence the saying "June 6th, drying dragon robes." Of course, common people didn't have dragon robes, so they took out their stored winter clothes to dry under the scorching sun, so as to remove dampness and mold.
Diverse Ways Ancient Scholars Beat the Summer Heat
Whether in ancient times or today, finding ways to beat the summer heat has always been a significant challenge. The methods used by ancient people were quite diverse. The Jin Dynasty poet Pang Zhu once remarked, "The heat of Minor Heat is nothing to fear, as I retreat to seclusion. Birds chirp in the dense bamboo shade, and the sound of rain mingles with the scent of lotus leaves." Mountains, forests, watersides, and temples were all popular retreats for escaping the summer heat.
When it came to enduring the heat, ancient scholars had unique methods. Tang Bohu's painting, Making Tea, depicts scholars leisurely enjoying tea in nature. In the scene, a person is reading at a desk in a thatched hut, with tea utensils on one end of the desk and books and paintings filling the shelves. Nearby, a young boy is brewing tea. A plank bridge spans a small stream, and a visitor leans on a staff, followed by a boy carrying a qin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument). During the long summer days, the fragrance of tea and the sound of the qin create a serene and cooling atmosphere. This method of "cooling the mind" with music is truly poetic.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Lord Zheng (Zheng Gongque) of Wei was known to cool down near Jinan, Shandong Province. He would sit by a lotus pond, roll a lotus leaf into a cup, and savor wine with the refreshing scent of lotus leaves. This gave rise to the saying, "The wine's flavor is mixed with the lotus scent, cooler than water."
Ancient people often used water to cool down. According to Tempering and Regulating Through the Four Seasons: Summer Volume: "In the summer residence of Immortal Huo, there were seven wells within one room, each covered with carved plates. Sitting above these wells in summer, one would feel coolness emanating from them, unaware of the heat."
One common method to temporarily escape the heat was through "drunken sleep." Lu You once wrote in his poem that, "In the empty hall, sweat disappears as rain falls, resting deeply with loud snoring." Su Shi also said, "When the path is hard to walk, it's better to be drunk; when words are difficult to speak, it's better to sleep." Xin Qiji remarked, "What is most suitable now? Drinking, traveling, and sleeping." The intense summer heat provided an excellent excuse for wine lovers to indulge and fall into a deep, cooling sleep.
Ancient "Refrigerators"
However, the ultimate method for beating the heat was using ice. Professor Xiao Fang from the School of Sociology at Beijing Normal University explains that ancient Chinese had the custom of storing ice in winter for use in summer. In 1978, two ice basins (jian) were unearthed from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng in Suizhou, Hubei, along with a long ladle. This indicates that as early as the Spring and Autumn period, people used ice blocks for cooling.
The Rites of Zhou records that to ensure ice availability in summer, the Zhou aristocracy established a special management institution called "Bing Zheng" (Ice Administration), with officials known as "Lingren" (Ice Men). The Ice Administration employed over 80 workers who started harvesting natural ice blocks from December, storing them for summer use.
In ancient times, ice was a precious commodity in summer, even used for bribery. In Records of 24 Solar Terms, Song Yingjie mentions that, according to Unaccounted Events from the Kaiyuan-Tianbao Reigns, Yang Guozhong's followers would curry favor with officials by presenting them with ice sculptures in the shapes of phoenixes and beasts, adorned with gold rings and colorful ribbons. Only Zhang Jiuling refused such bribes.
Granting ice in midsummer was a privilege bestowed by emperors upon their officials. Fuca Dunzong's Record of the Seasons in Yanjing describes the tradition of bestowing ice during the Ming and Qing dynasties: "From the start of summer to the day of the autumn equinox, each government office in Beijing was granted ice tickets by the Ministry of Works, varying in quantity according to rank."
Professor Xiao Fang notes that near Beijing Normal University, there is a hutong (alley) named Bingjiaokou (Ice Cellar Mouth), which was the site of the imperial ice cellar during the Qing Dynasty. In the cold winters, workers would cut ice blocks from Jishuitan or Taiping Lake, cover them with straw, and store them for summer use. The ice cellar operated until the 1960s, and in 1965, the alley was named "Bingjiaokou Hutong." Although the centuries-old ice cellar no longer exists, the name "Bingjiaokou Hutong" remains, preserving this historical memory.
According to Zhang Bo, customs and activities during the Minor Heat period reflect the cultural spirit of ancient Chinese people in harmony with nature. The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi wrote in his poem, Dispelling Summer Heat: "How to dispel the bothersome summer heat? By sitting quietly in a courtyard. With no clutter in sight and a cool breeze by the window. The heat dissipates when the mind is calm, and coolness arises in an empty room. This personal serenity is hard to share with others." This poem reminds us to maintain inner peace during the scorching summer, a message that still resonates with modern readers.
Translator: DING Zhizhong
Reviewer: DING Hongwei
