Start of Summer, or Lixia in Chinese, is the seventh solar term of the 24 solar terms, and the first solar term of summer.

立夏，中国传统二十四节气中的第七个节气，夏季的第一个节气。



As the name implies, Start of Summer marks the transition of seasons —summer comes after the warm spring.

顾名思义，立夏标志着季节的过渡：夏天紧随温暖的春季而来。

A Chinese proverb describes the days after Start of Summer as the “three phenological phenomena” —first, mole crickets start to chirp, second, earthworms begin to come forth, third, melons commence to grow.

中国谚语将立夏后的日子描述为 “三候”—— 一候蝼蝈鸣，二候蚯蚓出，三候王瓜生。




Celebrating with fresh tastes

— 用鲜味庆祝 —



On the day of the Start of Summer, many regions in China have the tradition of eating three specific foods: cherries, green plums, and green wheat. However, given the wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available, the actual choices vary greatly across different parts of the country.

立夏那天，中国许多地区有吃樱桃、青梅和青麦这三种特定食物的传统。但是由于可供选择的新鲜水果和蔬菜种类繁多，不同地区的实际选择差异很大。



The so-called Lixia meals were highly popular in ancient times, particularly in rural areas. Chinese people would cook rice together with a variety of beans, including red beans, soybeans, black soybeans, mung beans, and petit pois.

“立夏饭”在古代非常流行，尤其在农村地区。中国人把大米与红豆、大豆、黑豆、绿豆和青豆多种豆类混在一起煮。

It was also known as “five-colored rice,” symbolizing the Wu Xing, or “Five Elements,” in Taoist philosophy. However, its real purpose was to inspire people to face the challenges of the high temperatures in the following three months.

这种饭也被称为“五色饭”，象征着道家哲学中的“五行”。然而，“五色饭”的真正作用是激励人们勇敢面对接下来三个月的高温挑战。



Ic summer traditions

— 立夏的吃冰传统—

The custom of eating ice during this period has a long history in China. In ancient times, on the day of the Start of Summer, emperors would distribute ice to their ministers, while ordinary citizens would enjoy icy drinks. But without refrigerators, how did they get ice?

立夏吃冰的传统在中国有着悠久的历史。在古代，立夏期间，皇帝会赏给大臣冰块，而普通市民则会享用冰镇饮料。但是没有冰箱他们是怎么得到冰块的呢？



In ancient times, people would carefully cut ice from frozen rivers and stored it in specially built underground cellars in winter. These cellars were covered with earth and sealed to keep the ice from melting. In this way, some ice could be preserved until summer, when it was used in dishes like ice cream—a popular dessert in ancient China.

在古代，人们会在冬季小心翼翼地从冰冻的河流中切出冰块，并储存在专门建造的地窖中。这些地窖用泥土覆盖并密封，以防止冰块融化。通过这种方式，一些冰块可以保存到夏天，这时人们用冰块来制作冰淇淋——一种在中国古代很受欢迎的甜点。



Lixia eggs: Erect and eat!

— 立夏蛋：竖起来吃！ —

In Chinese folklore, the round shape of the egg symbolizes good fortune, representing a safe and fulfilling life. During this period, traditional customs often involve egg-related games, such as egg standing, painting, and egg striking. The typical dish prepared on the day of the Start of Summer is called Lixia Eggs.

在中国民间传说中，鸡蛋圆圆的形状象征好运，代表平安和殷实的生活。立夏期间，用鸡蛋进行立蛋、画蛋和斗蛋等特色游戏，是传统的习俗。夏季当天准备的代表性的菜肴叫“立夏蛋”。



词汇

solar term 节气

lunar year 太阴年

proverb/ˈprɑːvɜːrb/ n 谚语

phenological adj 物候学的

phenomena /fəˈnɑːmɪnə/ n 现象（phenomenon /fəˈnɑːmɪnən/ 的复数）

transition /trænˈzɪʃn/ n 过渡；转变

chirp /tʃɜːrp/ v 吱喳叫

earthworm /ˈɜːrθwɜːrm/ n 蚯蚓

commence /kəˈmens/ v 开始发生

green plum 青梅

symbolize /ˈsɪmbəlaɪz/ v 象征

minister /ˈmɪnɪstər/ n 大臣

cellar /ˈselər/ n 地窖

seal /siːl/ v 密封

folklore /ˈfəʊklɔːr/ n 民间传说

fulfilling /fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ/ adj 令人满足的

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