Tuesday marks Xia Zhi, or summer solstice, the 10th of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar. The northern hemisphere sees the longest day and the shortest night of the year. It is also the hottest time of the year, with summer at its peak. / CGTN Xing Cheng
Early dawn, late dusk. June 21 is the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. If you've been enjoying these enchanting sceneries, I bet today (summer solstice) is a blessed gift.
Why do people commemorate this day? In this video, we explore this question and more.
Green trees, greener shades, and the summer's days are long.
Beautiful buildings study their own reflections in the pond.
The crystal curtains stir when a light breeze descends.
A bed of roses permeates the garden with their scents.
This poem was created by Gao Pian, a military general from Tang Dynasty (705-907).
A Pavilion in the Mountain on a Summer Day. /Calligraphy by CGTN
What causes the summer solstice?
Solstices, equinoxes, and seasons occur because the Earth doesn't orbit the sun completely upright. Instead, Earth's axis tilts by about 23.5 degrees, which causes each hemisphere to receive a different amount of sunlight.
On the summer solstice, the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 90 degrees when the Northern Hemisphere sees the longest day. The ancient Chinese believed that this time is when everything reaches its prime.
Around the solstice, China sees its highest rainfall. Thunder and showers are frequent, especially in the afternoon or around sunset. "Raining cats and dogs" could vividly describe the weather during this period.
A Chinese painting of the Summer Solstice. /CFP
Summer Solstice Foods
In Beijing, there is a tradition of "eating dumplings on winter solstice and noodles on summer solstice."
According to Beijing custom, people have lettuce and cold noodles every year. However, people in some regions prefer hot noodles in summer. It is said that eating hot noodles can help ward off evil and summer heat inside human bodies.
After the summer harvest, fresh wheat appears on the market. Hence, it is a custom to taste noodles made of fresh wheat during Xia Zhi. Some people also make pancakes with the ingredients of batter.
The ingredients include green vegetables, tofu, and beans, and this dish is eaten after being presented to ancestors, and is thus commonly known as "summer solstice cake."
A Chinese painting of the Summer Solstice. /CFP
Why do we celebrate the solstice?
The summer solstice is a season for wheat harvesting. Humans throughout history have celebrated the solstices with rituals such as bonfires and ceremonial dances. People pray for peace and a bumper harvest this year.
Stonehenge in England, built more than 5,000 years ago, has a special relationship with the solstices. Some historians think the large circle of free-standing stones was once a solar calendar to track the seasons. On the summer solstice, the rising sun aligns perfectly with the stone.
The sun sets near the stones at Stonehenge, near Amesbury, in Wiltshire, southern England on June 20, 2022 / CFP
That's all for today's show; the next episode will be Xiao Shu, and it's a time for minor heat. Why is it called "Minor Heat"? Stay tuned with the 24 solar terms; bye bye~
Summer scenery. / CFP
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