Great Heat is the twelfth solar term in the twenty-four solar terms, and it is also the last solar term of summer.
The ancients said, "The greatest heat is the extreme heat." Small Heat is not very hot. Great Heat is during the three hottest days of summer - at this time, the sun is the strongest, the temperature is the highest, and the world is like a steaming pot of boiling water, with both steam rising from above and heat seeping down below, creating a mixture of humidity and heat.
The three phases of the Great Heat Festival: Everything has its own timing.
Twenty-four Solar Terms - The Great Heat Festival marks the final burst of heat in the hot summer and is the peak moment of the vigorous growth of all things. It teaches us: True coolness does not lie in avoiding the heat, but in conforming to nature and harmonizing the body and mind. The ancients divided the Great Heat Festival into three phases, each of which holds the secrets of nature.
1 From decaying grass to fireflies. During the hottest days of summer, with high temperatures and high humidity, the dry grass gradually decays in the moist and hot environment. At night, fireflies fly among the decaying grass, casting a faint light that resembles scattered stars in the summer night. Ancient people believed that fireflies were born from decaying grass. Although this is not scientific, it left behind the romantic image of "a light silk fan catching fireflies flying about". On the hot summer nights, nothing is more charming than these natural little lanterns.
2. The soil becomes moist and hot. The weather gets hotter and hotter, the land becomes damp, and the air is filled with oppressive moisture. This is what is commonly referred to as a "sweating day" - walking just a few steps makes you drenched in sweat, your clothes stick to your back, and even the wind is hot. The moisture and heat mix together, making it easy for people to feel sleepy and lose their appetite. As the old saying goes, "There is a third part of illness that is due to weakness," which refers to this period.
3 During heavy rainfalls, it's also the time when there are more thunderstorms. Just as the sun is shining brightly, the next moment it could be pouring rain. However, these rains come quickly and go just as fast. After the rain, the heat will subside a little, and the air becomes clearer. The plants on the ground take advantage of this moist and warm environment to grow vigorously. In the fields and on the tree branches, there is a profusion of rich green.
The heat of the Great Heat is not the dry and scorching kind; it is the moist and steaming kind of cooking. But precisely because of such extreme weather, the rice grains are able to accumulate starch, the fruits ripen, and all living things gather all their strength to grow. There is a reason for the heat; every drop of sweat in summer is building up momentum for the harvest in autumn.
The Cooling Wisdom of Our Ancestors
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms - Summer Solstice In the face of the hottest days of the year, the ancients had no air conditioners or fans, but they came up with a practical way to cool off. Many of these customs have been passed down to this day.
1. Drink Fu Tea, Clear Internal Heat In the Jiang-Zhe region, there is a tradition of drinking Fu Tea on the Summer Solstice. At the village gate, there is a large vat where a tea mixture made from more than ten herbs such as honeysuckle, summer hawthorn, licorice, and chrysanthemum is boiled. It is given for free to passers-by. It's not anything fancy, but it is very effective in cooling and invigorating the body. After drinking a cup, the throat feels cool, and most of the heat in the body dissipates. This is the kindness of our ancestors and also the wisdom of folk life.
2. Eating Kudzu Vine to Cool Down The custom of eating kudzu vine during the Great Heat Festival exists in Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan regions. Kudzu vine is a type of herb. Its stems and leaves are dried and boiled to make a soup. After cooling, it turns into black jelly, which is combined with honey or sugar water to become a popular summer refreshing dessert. There is a local saying: "Eat kudzu vine during the Great Heat Festival in June, and you'll live like a fairy and never age." The kudzu vine pudding commonly seen in milk tea shops today originated from here.
3. Sun-drying Fuzhijiang and Eliminating Cold and Dampness During the scorching days of the Great Heat, mix the ginger slices and brown sugar together, expose them to the sun for a while, and then store them. This will become Fuzhijiang. When one catches a cold or has a cold stomach in winter, brewing a cup of this will warm the body and drive away the cold. The ancestors advocated "treating diseases in winter by promoting health in summer". On the Great Heat day, when the yang energy is abundant, it is the perfect time to nourish the yang and drive away the cold. This seemingly simple method is based on the philosophy of health preservation that follows the seasons.
There is also the "Sending the Great Heat Ship" in the coastal areas of Zhejiang. People carefully build a ship, load it with offerings, and then parade around before sending it into the rivers and seas. This is to symbolize sending away the heat epidemic and praying for peace. These customs vary greatly, but the core idea is the same: to enjoy this summer well and take good care of one's own health.
Three Major Heat Days | Choose the Right Clothing for Comfort
Twenty-four Solar Terms - Major Heat Day When going out on a Major Heat Day, the first thing you'll notice is the heat. After walking just a few steps, your back gets damp, and your clothes stick to your body, making you feel stuffy and uncomfortable. What to wear has become an especially practical issue in summer. Many people think that wearing less in summer makes you cooler, but that's not the case. The fabric of the clothes is the key. Materials that are not breathable, even short-sleeved ones, will cause you to sweat profusely; good fabrics allow your skin to breathe freely, and the sweat dries quickly, keeping you clean and fresh all the time.
The older generation prefers to wear cotton and linen because they appreciate its breathable and sweat-absorbing properties. However, there is a drawback to pure cotton - it doesn't dry easily after absorbing sweat. When exposed to the wind, it can easily catch a chill. Summer clothes not only need to absorb sweat but also need to dry quickly, being able to promptly remove the moisture. This is what makes them truly comfortable.
Not only for daily clothing, but also for the sofas, curtains and bedding in the house, the same principle applies. During the hottest days of summer, the humidity is high. If the fabric of the fabric furniture is not breathable, it is very likely to produce a smell, and after sitting for a long time, your back will also be soaked with sweat. Choosing the right fabric can make the entire summer in the house much more pleasant.
When it comes to comfortable fabrics, the ZET DEZTE bamboo series fibers of our company are widely used. They offer elastic fabrics, tight and snug fit, breathability and sweat-wicking properties, quick drying performance, unlimited combinations, and endless possibilities. They can be used to produce car fabrics, sand cloth, decorative fabrics, wall fabrics, fashionable fashion fabrics, lace, sport and casual fabrics, window screens, curtains, etc. During the hot summer, may we all find our own ways to cool down.