What does the “zhi” in summer solstice mean?

June 21, 4:51 am, Beijing time

We welcomed

The tenth of the twenty-four solar terms

The fourth solar term of summer

Summer Solstice

What does the “zhi” in summer solstice mean?

The "至" here does not mean "arrival", but refers to "extreme, most", emphasizing the extreme in astronomical terms.

The origin of the term "Summer Solstice" was explained in Chen Xiling's "Kezun Xiandu Manuscript" in the Qing Dynasty: "The sun reaches its northernmost point, the day is longest, and the shadow is shortest, so it is called the Summer Solstice. 'Zhi' means the extreme." On this day, the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Cancer, and the Northern Hemisphere ushers in the longest daylight day.

After this day, the sun's direct position gradually moves southward, and the weather in the northern hemisphere begins to change to shorter days and longer nights.

Summer solstice is not the hottest time

For the Tropic of Cancer and the areas to its north, the summer solstice is the day when the sun is highest at noon in the year. But it does not mean that the summer solstice is the hottest day of the year.

Although the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer during the summer solstice, and the daytime in the Northern Hemisphere is the longest, the heat close to the surface is still accumulating and has not yet reached its maximum. Moreover, after the summer solstice, the ground is heated strongly and the air convection is strong. Thunderstorms are often formed in the afternoon and evening, and sometimes hail is even produced. However, this kind of thunderstorm or hail comes and goes quickly, and the rainfall range is relatively small. People also call this phenomenon of thunderstorms coming and going quickly and rainfall range small "summer rain across the field". The Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi once cleverly used this weather as a metaphor to write the famous poem "The sun rises in the east and the rain falls in the west. It is said that there is no clear sky, but it is sunny."

The real hot weather is from mid-July to mid-August, which we often call the "dog days".

Three signs of the summer solstice: deer antlers fall off, cicadas begin to sing, and pinellia tuber blooms

The Three Margins of Summer Solstice vividly depict the natural scenes during the summer solstice.

The first sign is that the antlers of deer fall off: The Yi Zhou Shu says: "On the day of the summer solstice, the antlers of deer fall off." The ancients believed that the summer solstice was the most yang solar term in the year, and that the yin began to grow at the summer solstice. Because the antlers of deer face forward and grow towards the sun, they are yang. After the summer solstice, the yin energy grows and the yang energy begins to decline, and the antlers of deer begin to fall off.

The second phase is when cicadas begin to chirp: the male cicadas, which have been dormant in the soil all year round, begin to chirp unrestrainedly once they transform into metamorphosis, playing a merry and funny symphony in their limited "cicada life".

The third phase is the growth of Pinellia ternata: Pinellia ternata is a shade-loving herb, named after the fact that it grows in swamps or paddy fields in midsummer. The growth habit of Pinellia ternata is closely related to the climate characteristics of the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the best time for the growth of Pinellia ternata, with high temperature and high humidity.

There are various customs for celebrating the summer solstice. Which one do you choose?

Offering sacrifices to gods and ancestors: The summer solstice is the time of wheat harvest. Since the Zhou Dynasty, there has been a custom of the emperor offering sacrifices to gods and holding a millet tasting ceremony to pray for disaster relief and a good harvest. People wrap millet in the shape of ox horns with bamboo leaves or reed leaves, first offer sacrifices to ancestors, then steam and taste the horns to celebrate the harvest.

Giving folding fans to each other: In ancient times when there were no air conditioners or electric fans, fans became a must-have item for people to cool down in the summer. In ancient times, there was a folk custom that women would give each other folding fans, cosmetics and other items on the summer solstice to fan themselves and dissipate the turbid air generated by body heat, so as to cool down and avoid the summer heat.

After the summer solstice, the royal family would take out the ice stored in winter to cool off and avoid the summer heat. This system began in the Zhou Dynasty and was used by all dynasties. The Song Dynasty also gave officials three days off, which also reflected the importance people attached to the summer solstice at that time.

Eating noodles on the Summer Solstice: Eating noodles on the Summer Solstice is a way to celebrate the harvest, dispel dampness and avoid the heat, and relieve internal heat and stimulate appetite. There is a saying among the people that "after eating noodles on the Summer Solstice, the day becomes shorter by a thread" and "dumplings on the Winter Solstice and noodles on the Summer Solstice". Yangchun noodles, cold noodles, noodles with soybean paste, noodles with gravy... everything is available.

Eating Summer Solstice Cakes: People use new wheat to make wheat dumplings, buns, and steamed buns. They use wheat flour to make a paste and spread it into thin cakes. After baking, they are stuffed with vegetables, bean pods, tofu, and bacon. They are eaten after offering sacrifices to ancestors or given to relatives and friends. They are commonly known as "Summer Solstice Cakes", which are fresh and refreshing.

Improving the diet for cattle: The ancients also had the custom of improving the diet for cattle during the summer solstice. This custom was popular in Linyi, Shandong and other places. On the summer solstice, wheat kernel soup was cooked to feed the cattle. It was said that after drinking this, the cattle would become strong, able to work, and would not sweat.

Summer sports need attention

Summer is usually the peak season for people to exercise, but while enjoying physical and mental pleasure, we must avoid sports injuries caused by temperature and environment.

Those with low tolerance to high temperatures can choose to do light aerobic exercises such as brisk walking or jogging for half an hour every day. People with strong tolerance should also avoid continuous strenuous exercise for more than an hour a day, and avoid exceeding 70% of the maximum heart rate.

When the weather is hot, try to arrange outdoor activities in the morning or evening; pay attention to rest during exercise and adjust the intensity of outdoor exercise. It is recommended to reduce outdoor activities on hot days; if you experience rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations, etc. during exercise, you should stop exercising immediately and rest in time.

During summer exercise, a lot of sweat is discharged. If you don't replenish water in time, the dehydration process will be accelerated, leading to fatigue, cramps, heat stroke and even fainting. You should replenish 200-350 ml of water during warm-up, and drink water every 20 minutes or so during exercise, with an intake of no more than 1 liter per hour. After exercise, you should also replenish water according to the degree of fatigue. In addition to drinking room temperature water, you can also supplement with sports drinks containing electrolytes.

"The green bamboo still contains powder, and the round lotus begins to emit fragrance." The vitality of summer reaches its peak on this day, and the lotus in the pond has begun to emit bursts of fragrance. Let us feel the beauty of summer, be enthusiastic, and bloom towards the sun!

Comprehensive sources: Xinhuanet, Guangmingnet, etc.

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