Minor Heat is the 11th solar term in the twenty-four solar terms and the 5th solar term of summer. The term "heat" refers to hot weather, and it is called "Minor Heat" because ancient people believed that "the heat has arrived, but it has not yet reached its peak."

Meteorological conditions

During the Minor Heat solar term, temperatures are relatively high, with abundant rainfall and plenty of sunshine. On average, July is the hottest month across most regions of China, with a national average temperature of about 24.9°C. At this time, over half of the country enters a hot summer.

Minor Heat is also one of the solar terms with the highest annual precipitation. The plum rain season in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River comes to an end, while northern China and northeastern regions enter a rainy season.

Cultural significance 

In folk traditions, Minor Heat is associated with customs like "eating new produce" and "eating dumplings".

Eating new produce: In the past, in southern China, there was a custom during Minor Heat to "eat new". This involved milling freshly harvested rice and wheat into flour to make various cakes and noodles, which were shared among neighbors and relatives to express wishes for a good harvest. Additionally, some of the new produce would be prepared as offerings to ancestors, praying for favorable weather.

Eating dumplings: In northern China, there is a saying, "Dumplings for the first ten days of summer, noodles for the second ten days, and pancakes and eggs for the third ten days." Eating dumplings on the first hot days is a traditional custom, as people often experience a loss of appetite during this time, leading to weight loss, referred to as "bitter summer". Dumplings are considered an appetizing food in traditional customs and have long been a favorite among the people in northern regions. The saying goes "nothing is better than dumplings."