小暑Xiǎoshǔ，Minor Heat/Slight Heat

When the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 105 degrees, it’s the time for “Slight Heat”, usually happening on July 7 or July 8. Slight heat means it’s hot but not the hottest.

当太阳到达，天文经度105度的时候，就是小暑节气，通常是在7月7日或是7月8日，当到小暑节气的时候就以为这天气开始变热，但还没到最热的时候。

On the eleven’s solar term, the Yang Qi in human’s body is the most vigorous. People should pay attention to work and life balance and eat food which can help release the hotness. A very good dish is Chinese porridge, cooked with materials such as lotus leaf or hyacinth bean.

在这个节气中，人体阳气最为旺盛，人们应该注意劳逸结合，吃一些消暑的食物，有一道非常不错的就是中华粥，使用莲叶扁豆这样的食材放在一起煮。

It is a  season of storms, thunder and hail, and in some years there might be droughts. One of the prevailing farming activities during Slight Heat is staying on top of flood control and drought relief.

这个季节多发暴风雨、雷鸣和冰雹，在某些年份可能会有干旱。小暑最主要的农事活动之一就是防汛抗旱。

It is the season for fresh fruit, including all kinds of melons.  When summer heat hits, people lose their appetites. Sweet fruits, expecially watermelons, definitely become a seasonal favorite.

这个季节新鲜水果上市，包括各种瓜类。当夏季酷热来袭，人们会失去食欲。甜美的水果，尤其是西瓜，当然就成为了这个季节的最爱。

It is also a season for the lotus. The lotus flower fully blossoms, while its roots are fresh and tender. Poetic Chinese not only appreciate the beauty of the lotus, but also make its root into delicious dishes. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the lotus root can clear the lungs and relieve heat, so dishes cooked with lotus roots are highly recommended by doctors.

这也是荷花的季节。荷花盛开，而莲藕（它的根）新鲜水嫩。富有诗意的中国人不仅欣赏荷花的美，而且把它的根做成美味的菜肴。中医认为莲藕能清肺解热，所以用莲藕烹调的菜肴是医生极力推荐的。

In the past, having fresh grains was one of the main traditions among the folks in China. People ground the new rice and wheat into flour and make various kinds of cakes and noodles, which can be shared by neighbors and villagers to express their wish for a good harvest. The pronunciation of having fresh grains in Chinese resembles the sound of surviving hardship, which means going through hardship. 

在过去，民间有小暑“食新”的习俗。人们把新的大米和小麦磨成面粉，做成各种糕点和面条，供邻居和村民分享，以表达他们对丰收的祝愿。“食新”的发音在中文中同“食辛”，意味着吃掉一年的辛苦。

During the Slight Heat period, with the longest amount of sunlight and the strongest sunlight radiation, many families hang their clothes and bedding out in the sun to prevent mildew.

小暑期间，日照时间最长，太阳辐射最强，许多家庭把衣服和被褥晾晒在阳光下，以防霉变。