24 Solar Terms: Lesser Heat Diet
Lesser Heat
The Lesser Heat solar term usually falls on July 6th or 7th on the Gregorian calendar. Lesser Heat reflects the intensity of summer heat. "Shu" (暑) means hot, and "Lesser Heat" signifies that the weather is hot, but not yet at its peak. The "Monthly Ordinances: Collected Explanations of the 72 Terms" says of Lesser Heat: It is the first month of summer. The ancient dictionary "Shuowen Jiezi" explains: "Shu" means hot. Among the heat, it is divided into great and small. The beginning of the month is small, the middle is great. Now, the heat is still small. In ancient times, Lesser Heat was divided into three phases: 1. The warm wind arrives; 2. Crickets move to the walls; 3. Eagles begin to hunt fiercely. The warm wind has arrived; The "Book of Rites" commentary says: (Crickets) are born in the earth. At this time, their wings are slightly formed, and they live on the walls of their burrows. By the seventh month, they fly far away into the fields. Perhaps it is because the killing qi begins to emerge; those in the burrows sense it deeply, and those in the fields fight. "Zhi" means to arrive. Eagles sense the yin qi, develop a killing intent, and learn to hunt and strike.
Folk Proverbs: Lesser Heat begins the heat, shed clothes to feel light, hurry and plant vegetables, and prepare enough for the harsh winter; Lesser Heat isn't considered hot, the Great Heat is the dog days. The first *Geng* day after the Summer Solstice marks the start of "Fu" (the dog days). The first 10-day period is the "Initial Fu," which can be as early as 20 days or as late as 30 days after the Summer Solstice. The Lesser Heat period coincides with the start of "Fu." The time from Lesser Heat to the Start of Autumn is called "Fu Xia," or the "Dog Days" (in contrast to the coldest "San Jiu Tian" or "Nine Dog Days"). It is the time of the highest annual temperature. Folk proverbs say: Lesser Heat leads to Great Heat, so hot there's nowhere to hide; Lesser Heat and Great Heat, steaming on top and boiling below.
Folk proverbs for the "Fu" days include: Radishes in the first Fu, vegetables in the second Fu, and in the third Fu, you can still plant buckwheat; Dumplings in the first Fu, noodles in the second Fu, and pancakes with eggs in the third Fu. Eating dumplings in the first Fu is a traditional custom. On "Fu" days, people's appetites are often poor, and they tend to lose weight compared to normal days, a phenomenon called "bitter summer" (Ku Xia). In traditional customs, dumplings are precisely the food that whets the appetite and satisfies cravings. In some places in Shandong, people eat raw cucumbers and boiled eggs to treat "bitter summer," eating eggs in the morning of the "Fu" day and nothing else. People in Xuzhou eat mutton on the "Fu" day, called "Fu Yang" (eating伏羊). This custom can be traced back to the times of Yao and Shun. There is a saying among the people: "A bowl of Fu Yang soup in Pengcheng, and no need for a doctor to write a prescription." The love of Xuzhou people for eating Fu Yang is best expressed in a local folk song: "On the sixth day of the sixth month, welcome the daughter-in-law, with new wheat cakes and mutton soup." The custom of eating noodles on "Fu" days began at least during the Three Kingdoms period.
In the "Spring and Autumn Annals of the Wei Clan": On "Fu" days, one eats hot noodles, wipes sweat with a towel, and the complexion becomes bright. The "hot noodles" here refer to noodles in hot soup. The "Jingchu Sui Shi Ji" (Record of Seasonal Customs of Jing and Chu): On the "Fu" day of the sixth month, eat hot noodles, called warding off evil. The fifth month is the "evil month," and the sixth month, being adjacent, should also "ward off evil." During the "Fu" days, one can also eat cold noodles and fried noodles. So-called fried noodles are made by drying and roasting flour in a wok, then mixing it with water and sugar to eat. This method existed as early as the Han Dynasty and became more common in the Tang and Song dynasties. However, at that time, they first roasted the wheat grains and then ground them into flour for consumption. The Tang dynasty medical expert Su Gong said that fried noodles could "relieve vexing heat, stop diarrhea, and strengthen the intestines." Additionally, in the Linyi area of Shandong, there is a custom of improving the diet for cattle. On "Fu" days, they cook wheat kernel soup for the cattle to drink. It is said that after drinking it, the cattle become strong, can work hard, and do not sweat. A folk song says: "Spring ox whip, lick the bull (male ox), wheat kernel soup, lick the bull's meal, the licked bull doesn't sweat, wait until the sixth month and do it again."
Chilled Eel Slices
Proverb: Eel in Lesser Heat is better than ginseng. Yellow eels live in mud burrows by the water. The summer eels from the month around Lesser Heat are the most nourishing and delicious. Summer is often a period of remission for chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Yellow eel is warm in nature and sweet in taste, and has the effects of tonifying the middle qi, tonifying the liver and spleen, expelling wind-dampness, and strengthening muscles and bones. According to the principle of treating winter diseases in summer, eel is the most suitable food to eat during Lesser Heat. Yellow eel has a high protein content, with iron content more than double that of carp and yellow croaker, and it also contains various minerals and vitamins. Yellow eel can also lower the concentration of cholesterol in the blood, prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases caused by arteriosclerosis, and has a good effect on diarrhea caused by indigestion.
There is a folk custom of eating lotus root during Lesser Heat. Lotus root contains a large amount of carbohydrates and rich calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various vitamins. It has more Vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. It has the effects of clearing heat, nourishing blood, and eliminating vexation, making it suitable for summer consumption. Fresh lotus root, simmered slowly over a small fire until soft, sliced, and eaten with a moderate amount of honey, can be consumed at will. It has the effect of calming the mind and promoting sleep and can treat blood-deficiency insomnia.
Sweet and Sour Cold Lotus Root
"Shi Xin" means tasting new rice. This is generally done after Lesser Heat, on a *Mao* day. The newly harvested rice is pounded into rice, cooked into a meal to offer to the five-grain god and ancestors, and then everyone eats the new rice and new wine together. In cities, people usually buy a small amount of new rice to cook with old rice, along with newly available vegetables.
During Lesser Heat, one should eat more stir-fried mung bean sprouts, which have the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying; vegetarian stir-fried bean skins have the effect of tonifying deficiency and stopping sweat; beef and broad bean stew has the effect of strengthening the spleen and promoting urination, tonifying deficiency and strengthening the body; watermelon and tomato juice has the effect of clearing heat, promoting fluid production, and quenching thirst.
During Lesser Heat, it is the seedling period for the second rice crop and the yellowing-ripening period for the first rice crop in Taiwan. It is also the peak season for loofah, bitter melon, cucumber, and winter melon. The waters around Taiwan belong to warm sea zones, and it is also the time when warm-water fish congregate. Off the coast of northern Keelung, there are catches of squid and red mullet, while in the freshwater areas, black porgy can be caught. The saying "Eat mangoes in Lesser Heat" indicates that this is the maturation and peak season for mangoes. In Baihe Township, Tainan County, the lotus ponds produce a large amount of lotus seed pods and seeds. Known as the "Home of Lotus," Baihe Township holds a Lotus Festival every year.
24 Solar Terms: Lesser Heat Health Preservation
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month is the Lesser Heat day. "When the Dipper points to Xin, it is Lesser Heat. At this time, the weather is already hot, but has not reached its extreme, hence the name." The sun's longitude is 105 degrees. The weather is very hot, but not yet the hottest, so it is called Lesser Heat. By the time of Lesser Heat, it is around the start of the "Fu" period. Everywhere is lush with green trees, and the average temperature in many areas has approached 30 degrees, with occasional waves of heat. Heavy rain also often visits most parts of China during the Lesser Heat period. Due to the concentrated rainfall during this time, flood and waterlogging prevention is particularly important. There is an agricultural saying: "Great Heat and Lesser Heat, drown the rats." There is also the experiential summary: "A south wind in Lesser Heat, a drought in Great Heat; thunder in Lesser Heat, the dikes will break in Great Heat." If a south wind blows during Lesser Heat, there will definitely be no rain during Great Heat. This means a south wind is the most undesirable during Lesser Heat, otherwise a great drought is certain; if there is thunder on the day of Lesser Heat, there will surely be a great flood that will burst the dikes.
For the Lesser Heat solar term in the southern coastal areas of China, including Taiwan, it is the time when typhoons arrive. The "Gazetteer of Taiwan Prefecture" records: "A great and violent wind is a *ju* (whirlwind), and an even more severe one is a *tai* (typhoon)... A *tai* often lasts for days or even several days continuously... Those that occur in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth months are *tai*."
During Lesser Heat, it is the season when fireflies begin to become active. The reeds and grass are the birthplaces of fireflies. Wherever there is green grass and dew, one can see the flickering points of white light at night, like stars moving in the sky. In the gentle breeze, they accompany people through the long night. At this time, most parts of China are also busy with the field management of summer and autumn crops. Because it is a busy season, we must not neglect the care of our bodies.
In Laozi's "Tao Te Ching": "Therefore, the Tao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and Man is also great. There are four great things in the universe, and Man is one of them." Xunzi further pointed out: "Water and fire have qi but no life; plants and trees have life but no consciousness; birds and beasts have consciousness but no righteousness; Man has life, consciousness, and righteousness, and is therefore the most precious in the world."
The "Suwen: Bao Ming Quan Xing Lun" also says: "Heaven covers and Earth bears, and all things are complete. None is more precious than Man." The Taoist classic "Taiping Jing" also repeatedly discusses the advocacy of valuing life and nourishing the body, and the joy of life and aversion to death. It states: "Man lives between Heaven and Earth, and everyone gets one life, and cannot be reborn." Therefore, one must cherish life. "The best thing for a person is to always desire a joyful life." For this, it proposes the health preservation theory of "self-love and self-care," that is, "If a person wants to avoid disaster and harm, to achieve longevity, one should fundamentally protect knowledge, self-love, self-care, and self-nurture, and in this way, one can be free from disaster and harm." This shows that only through self-care and active exercise can one obtain a body of longevity.
At the time of Lesser Heat, the climate is hot, and people are prone to feeling vexed, uneasy, tired, and weak. In our self-care and exercise, we should follow the five zang-organs' seasonal dominance. Summer is dominated by the Heart, so we should protect the heart's yang, keep the mind calm and peaceful, and ensure the vigorous function of the heart, in accordance with the principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer."
The "Lingshu: Bai Bing Shi Sheng" says: "If joy and anger are not moderated, the organs will be injured." This is because the emotional activities of the human body are closely related to the internal organs and follow a certain pattern. Different emotional stimuli can injure different organs, producing different pathological changes. Chinese health preservation advocates the word "balance," meaning that under any circumstances, one should not be excessive. For example, excessive joy injures the heart; when the heart is injured, the heart beats and the spirit is agitated, the mind is scattered, and one cannot concentrate, and in severe cases, mental illness can occur. The heart is the great master of the five zang-organs and six fu-organs; all life activities are a concentrated manifestation of the functions of the five organs, and all of this is dominated by the heart. There is a saying, "When the heart moves, the five zang-organs and six fu-organs all shake." However, when the heart spirit is damaged, it will inevitably involve other organs. In terms of emotions, joy is the emotion of the heart. This "joy" is the kind that, without being excessive, relaxes tense emotions, making the mood happy and the qi and blood smooth. Therefore, the focus of summer health preservation on the words "a calm heart" is for this reason.
Summer is also a season with a high incidence of digestive tract diseases. In diet regulation, one must change bad habits such as unregulated diet, unclean food, and dietary bias. Diet should be moderate. If one is too hungry, the intake of food is insufficient, the source of transformation is lacking, leading to insufficient qi and blood, causing physical fatigue and emaciation, weak vital qi, reduced resistance, and subsequent other diseases. If one is too full, it will exceed the spleen and stomach's digestion, absorption, and transportation functions, leading to food stagnation, with symptoms of epigastric and abdominal fullness, belching, sour regurgitation, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea—the disease of injuring the spleen and stomach from overeating.
The "Suwen: Bi Lun Pian" says: "If one eats double the amount of food, the stomach and intestines will be injured." This is the principle that diet must be moderate.
Unclean summer diet is the root cause of many gastrointestinal diseases, such as dysentery, parasitic diseases, etc. If one eats rotten and toxic food, it can also lead to food poisoning, causing abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, coma or death may occur.
Dietary bias is one of the causes of malnutrition. Only with proper dietary regulation can the body's necessary nutrients be guaranteed. Dietary bias can be towards excessive cold or heat, or an imbalance of the five flavors. Eating too much raw, cold, and cool food can damage the spleen and stomach's yang qi, leading to internal generation of cold-dampness, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Having a bias towards pungent, warm, and dry-heat food can cause heat accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to thirst, fullness and distension in the abdomen, constipation, and ultimately hemorrhoids. The imbalance of the five flavors means that a person's spirit, qi, and blood are all nourished by the five flavors. The five flavors correspond to the five organs: sour enters the liver, bitter enters the heart, sweet enters the spleen, pungent enters the lung, and salty enters the kidney. If one has a long-term preference for a certain food, it will cause the functions of the organs to become excessive or deficient, and over time, it can damage the internal organs and cause disease. For example, a preference for salty food will cause blood vessels to stagnate and the complexion to be dull; excessive bitter food will make the skin dry and the body hair fall out; excessive pungent food will make the muscles and tendons tense and the nails withered; excessive sour food will make the skin thick, wrinkled, and the lips dry, thin, and chapped; excessive sweet food will cause bone pain and hair loss. Importantly, due to excessive preference, it not only leads to malnutrition but can also injure the spleen and stomach and other organs, leading to diseases such as beriberi, night blindness, and goiter. Therefore, I suggest that in dietetic health preservation, the five flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty) should be appropriate. In daily life, do not be picky about food, and when sick, pay attention to dietary taboos.
As the "Qian Jin Yao Fang: Yang Xu Xu" says: "Do not eat when extremely hungry, and do not eat too much; do not drink when extremely thirsty, and do not drink too much. Eating too much leads to accumulation, and drinking too much leads to phlegm."