As mid-summer arrives and temperatures climb, China welcomes the fifth solar term of the summer and the 11th of the 24 solar terms on lunar Chinese calendar – Xiaoshu, also known as "Minor Heat." This year, Xiaoshu falls on July 6.

Just as the name suggests, heat is one of the key words for this solar term. But why is it called "Minor Heat"? This name stems from an ancient Chinese saying about hot days. The solar term before Xiaoshu is the Summer Solstice, which is followed by three consecutive periods during the hot season. These periods were called "Fu" in Chinese, meaning the heat would make people want to lie down.

As the first "Fu" period is relatively cooler, the solar term during this period is called "Minor Heat," and the next one is called "Major Heat" – hot, but not the hottest yet.

Besides the heat, thunderstorms and rainfall are quite frequent during this period. For areas located on the lower stretches of the Yangtze River, the "plum rain" season will linger for a few days. But for other places, a drought might occur as the days get hotter. At this time, natural disasters like droughts, floods and landslides will be frequent, thus governments and people need to be cautious.

Every solar term is divided into three pentads that are related to changes in climate, flora and fauna. For Xiaoshu, people in ancient China believed during this time winds came with a heatwave, crickets started to crawl from the field into the yard, and young eagles began to learn how to fly and hunt. Besides, fireflies are very active, so it is a good time to take photos at night.

Want to see if the pentads are accurate? Explore nature while the heat is still considered "minor"!

(Cover image via VCG)

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