万物并秀始立夏 蛋影茶香寄安康
The Chinese calendar has 24 solar terms. Start of Summer is the seventh term. It begins around May 5. This term marks the start of warm weather. In northern China, the weather stays comfortable, not too hot.
Start of Summer has a history of over 2,000 years. It began in the Warring States Period. Ancient kings cared about this term because it was time to harvest crops like wheat. During the Zhou Dynasty, emperors held special ceremonies. They wore red clothes and used red flags. This showed respect to summer gods. Farmers worked hard in their fields.
A fun tradition comes from the Three Kingdoms Period. People in South China still practice it today. After lunch on Start of Summer Day, families hang a scale from the roof. Everyone gets weighed. The person who checks the weight says nice wishes. People believe this brings health. Those who don’t weigh might get sick in summer.
Eggs are important during Start of Summer. Long ago, people thought eggs meant happiness and health. They boiled eggs with tea leaves. This made the first “tea eggs”. Now people add spices (香料) to make them tasty. Tea eggs are a popular snack today.
Parents put boiled eggs in pretty bags. They hang them around children’s necks. An old saying says this stops summer sickness. At school, kids play egg games. They knock eggs together. The child with the unbroken egg wins!
Chinese doctors say Start of Summer is good for heart health. Hot weather can make people feel sick. Doctors suggest eating food rich in vitamins and cool in nature. Try cucumbers, and tomatoes instead of longan. Fruits like pears and strawberries are also great.
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