Climatic Characteristics of Lixia
After Lixia, the Jiangnan region officially enters the rainy season, with a significant increase in both rainfall and rainy days. The continuous overcast and rainy weather not only leads to waterlogging in crops but also causes the prevalence of various diseases. The period when wheat heads and flowers is most susceptible to head blight. If warm, cloudy, and rainy weather is forecasted, it is crucial to apply pesticides for prevention and control from the initial flowering stage to the peak flowering stage. In the south, continuous rain or fluctuating warm and cold weather can often trigger outbreaks of diseases like anthracnose and damping-off in cotton, causing widespread seedling death and gaps. It is necessary to promptly take measures to increase temperature and reduce humidity, combined with chemical control, to protect and strengthen the seedlings. "The more rice seedlings transplanted at Lixia, the fuller the granary will be." Around Lixia is the peak season for transplanting early rice seedlings across the country. "Seedlings transplanted at the full moon are better than weeds removed at the full moon." At this time, the temperature is still relatively low, so immediate management after transplanting is essential: early fertilization, early weeding, and early pest and disease control to promote early vigorous growth. The sowing of mid-season rice should be completed without delay. Tea trees develop their spring shoots most rapidly at this time; a moment of neglect can cause the leaves to age. As the saying goes, "Little tea is picked during Guyu, but at Lixia, picking is non-stop." It requires a concentrated effort to harvest and process the tea in batches.
Before and after Lixia, temperatures in North and Northwest China rise quickly, but precipitation remains scarce. Coupled with the windy spring weather, evaporation is intense, and the dry atmosphere and soil drought often severely affect the normal growth of crops. In particular, the dry-hot wind before and during the wheat's filling and milk-riening stage is a major disastrous weather condition that leads to reduced yields. Timely irrigation is a key measure for drought prevention and disaster mitigation. "Three days after Lixia, weed the entire field." Weeds grow very fast at this time; "one day without weeding, and you'll be weeding for three days." Intercultivation and weeding not only remove weeds but also help with drought and waterlogging prevention, increase soil temperature, and accelerate the decomposition of soil nutrients. This is of great significance for promoting the healthy growth of seedlings for crops like cotton, corn, sorghum, and peanuts.
After Lixia is the critical period for the large-scale transplanting of early rice, and the timing and amount of rainfall during this period are closely related to the future harvest. As the old saying goes, "If there's no rain at Lixia, the plow and harrow will hang high." "No rain at Lixia means no rice in the mill." There is also a folk custom of weighing oneself out of fear of the summer heat. It is said that if one weighs themselves on this day, they will not be afraid of the summer heat and will not lose weight; otherwise, they will be plagued by illness. In the Jiangxi region, there is a custom of drinking tea on Lixia, with the belief that not drinking Lixia tea will lead to a difficult summer. In ancient times, kings would also often go out of the city on the first day of summer to welcome it, and that day was Lixia.
The "Monthly Ordinances" chapter of the "Book of Rites" explains Lixia as follows: "The mole cricket chirps, the earthworm emerges, the king melon grows, and the bitter vegetable flourishes." This indicates that during this time, frogs begin to croak signaling the arrival of summer, earthworms are busy helping farmers turn the soil, and wild vegetables on the field ridges compete to sprout and grow daily. In the early morning, as people walk in the countryside fields or on the beach, bathed in the early summer's glow, you can feel the deep affection of nature from this gentle sunlight.