Minor Heat Customs

Tasting the new harvest is an important Lesser Heat custom in southern China and refers to eating newly harvested rice after the solar term begins. Around Lesser Heat, early rice in the south ripens in succession, and farmers work through the intense heat to harvest it as quickly as possible. Once the fresh grain has been milled, the new rice is cooked into meals and used to make rice wine. The first prepared food is offered to the Deity of the Five Grains and to the ancestors, after which everyone eats the new rice and drinks the new wine.

This is more than a dietary custom; it is also a solemn ceremony of gratitude. Newly harvested rice is offered to ancestors and grain deities in hopes of continued abundance and as thanks for nature’s gifts. Families and neighbors call one another together to share new rice and new wine in a joyful atmosphere. Urban residents often buy a small amount of newly harvested rice and cook it together with older rice, serving it with newly available seasonal vegetables. It is said that “吃新”, “eating the new,” can also be called “吃辛”, referring to eating the new harvest on the first *xin* day after Lesser Heat. Hence the folk saying: “小暑吃黍，大暑吃谷” — eat millet at Lesser Heat and grain at Greater Heat.

The custom has a long history and was an important way for agricultural communities to celebrate the early-rice harvest. The ancients believed that abundance depended not only on human labor but also on favorable weather and the protection of ancestors. The practice therefore embodies a strong tradition of gratitude: newly harvested grain is tasted, and important rites are performed for the Deity of the Five Grains. Its intention is similar to sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, though the object of worship is different; in each case, the underlying purpose is to express gratitude for the gifts of the natural world.

Around Lesser Heat, farmers also sing field songs while working. The lyrics are often closely related to agricultural tasks, allowing farming knowledge to be passed down through generations in song.

During Lesser Heat, visitors can travel to southern rice-growing regions to observe ceremonies for tasting the new harvest. Some agricultural tourism sites organize new-rice tasting activities in which visitors can help prepare and sample freshly cooked rice. At home, seasonal new rice can also be purchased and cooked as a simple way to experience the tradition.

Around Lesser Heat comes the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, associated with the saying “六月六，晒红绿” — on the sixth day of the sixth month, red and green garments are laid out to dry. According to folklore, this is also the day when the Dragon King dries his scales. Across many regions, people air books, Buddhist scriptures, clothing, and other belongings, a practice commonly called “晒伏” or “晒霉”.

On this day, households stretch ropes and set up bamboo poles in courtyards and around their homes, bringing out winter clothes, bedding, and other items that have been stored away for half a year. These are exposed fully to the sun to drive away dampness and mildew.

The custom is not limited to clothing. Scholars take paintings, calligraphy, and treasured books into the courtyard so that the strong summer sun can dry the paper, remove musty odors, and drive away bookworms. Buddhist monasteries also air their scriptures on this day. According to legend, when the monk Xuanzang returned from his journey to the Western Regions, his scriptures accidentally fell into a river and became soaked. He had no choice but to dry them in the sun, and the incident was said to have occurred on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. For this reason, monasteries came to regard the date as a “day for airing scriptures.”

Historical anecdotes also add color to the custom. During the Eastern Jin dynasty, Hao Long reportedly lay beneath the blazing sun with his abdomen exposed on the day of sun-drying. When asked what he was doing, he replied that he was “drying books” — because he was so full of learning that exposing his belly amounted to airing the books inside him. Ordinary people, meanwhile, were busy drying their clothes, giving rise to sayings such as “六月六，家家晒红绿” and “六月六，家家晒龙袍”. Another legend tells that during one of the Qianlong Emperor’s southern tours, his imperial robe was soaked by heavy rain in Yangzhou on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. He remained there until the rain stopped, dried the dragon robe, and continued his journey. From this came the Jiangnan saying about “drying the dragon robe on the sixth day of the sixth month.”

The custom primarily arose from the hot and humid summer climate. Exposure to strong sunlight can help prevent clothing, paper, and other possessions from developing mildew. Lesser Heat brings precisely the kind of humid heat in which fabrics and books are particularly vulnerable to mold and insects, so using some of the year’s strongest sunshine was a simple and practical response.

The practice of airing books existed as early as the Eastern Jin dynasty, though at that time it was associated with the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Today, the tradition continues in many southern regions, where people take advantage of fine weather around Lesser Heat to air winter clothes, bedding, and books.

During Lesser Heat, winter clothing, bedding, and books can be brought out at home for sun-drying. Communities and libraries sometimes organize book-airing activities, while folk-culture villages in Zhejiang and other regions may stage traditional displays around the sixth day of the sixth lunar month.

The saying “小暑吃暑羊” reflects one of the most distinctive Lesser Heat food customs of Shandong and Jiangsu. In southern Shandong, people traditionally drink lamb soup during the hottest days, following the idea of countering heat with heat to disperse dampness accumulated through the long summer and relieve the fatigue associated with oppressive weather. In places such as Linyi in Shandong and Xuzhou in Jiangsu, eating mutton and drinking lamb soup during the dog days are regarded as both refreshing and nourishing.

A local saying goes: “伏羊一碗汤，不用神医开药方” — with a bowl of lamb soup in the dog days, there is no need for a miraculous doctor’s prescription. The expression is plain, but the principle behind it is taken seriously. Local tradition holds that eating lamb and drinking hot lamb soup at the height of summer can induce sweating, dispel cold, remove dampness, and nourish the body. After a steaming bowl of lamb soup, diners often break into a heavy sweat, and this is believed to help expel accumulated cold and moisture.

In 2021, the Xuzhou Fuyang food custom was included in the fifth national list of representative intangible cultural heritage projects. Around Lesser Heat, farming families across southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu gather to share lambs fattened on fresh grass; rich broth is poured over cakes made from new wheat, and the savory aroma helps drive away the weariness of the hottest season.

The ancients attached great importance to the dog days and had a custom of eating meat during this period. The *Book of Han · Biography of Dongfang Shuo* records the story of Emperor Wu of Han granting meat during the dog days. The custom of eating summer lamb developed within this broader tradition and became deeply integrated with the food culture of southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu.

Eating mutton and drinking lamb soup during the dog days has been passed down locally for generations and has become a distinctive form of summer comfort.

During Lesser Heat, visitors can travel to Linyi in Shandong, Xuzhou in Jiangsu, and nearby regions to try seasonal lamb soup. Restaurants in Xuzhou often offer special dog-day lamb banquets, and some preserve traditional cooking methods. As the Xuzhou Fuyang custom is now listed as national intangible cultural heritage, it offers a particularly distinctive example of local seasonal food culture.

Eating lotus root at Lesser Heat is a long-standing tradition in southern water towns. Lotus roots harvested at this time carry the fragrance of the lotus season and are crisp, tender, and sweet, sometimes called “flower-fragrant lotus root.” Families in southern water towns prepare honeyed lotus root by slowly simmering fresh roots until tender, slicing them, and serving them cold with an appropriate amount of honey.

Lotus root has long been valued as both food and materia medica. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* calls it “灵根,” the spiritual root, and associates it with clearing heat and nourishing the blood. Raw lotus root is traditionally said to clear heat and generate fluids, cool the blood and disperse stasis, while also supporting the spleen and appetite. Cooked lotus root is associated with strengthening the stomach and spleen, nourishing the blood, supporting recovery, and relieving diarrhea. Eating lotus root in hot weather is also traditionally associated with calming the mind and improving sleep.

Lotus-root starch has been used to aid digestion, relieve diarrhea, stimulate the appetite, clear heat, and nourish the body; during the Xianfeng reign of the Qing dynasty, it was even designated as a tribute food for the imperial table. Folk tradition also preserves the saying “小暑吃藕精神旺” — eat lotus root at Lesser Heat and the spirit will flourish.

The Song poet Tao Bi wrote at the end of his poem *Ode to Lotus Root*: “与君消酷暑，瓜李莫相猜”. Lotus root is traditionally considered best in the earlier part of the seventh month, making Lesser Heat an ideal time to enjoy fresh roots. Eating lotus root is therefore both a culinary pleasure and a custom carrying wishes that all affairs proceed smoothly and each year remain peaceful.

The tradition has been passed down for generations throughout southern water-town regions. The sixth lunar month is also called the “Lotus Month.” The hotter the weather becomes, the more vigorously lotus flowers bloom, standing upright and composed amid waves of heat.

The custom is closely connected with the abundance of lotus products in Jiangnan and also expresses the dietary philosophy of “不时不食” — eating according to the season. To taste lotus root when it is at its freshest is both a response to seasonal timing and a form of bodily care.

During Lesser Heat, fresh lotus root can be purchased in southern markets and prepared as osmanthus-scented sweet lotus root, honeyed lotus root, or lotus-root and pork-rib soup. Jiangnan restaurants often offer seasonal lotus-root tasting menus around this time.

Northern China has a tradition of eating dumplings during the first dog-day period. During the hottest days, people often lose their appetite and become thinner than usual, a condition traditionally described as “苦夏,” suffering through summer. Dumplings are regarded as an appetizing and satisfying food, while their shape resembles old silver ingots, giving rise to the auspicious idea of “ingots holding good fortune.”

The northern saying “头伏饺子，二伏面，三伏烙饼摊鸡蛋” prescribes dumplings for the first dog days, noodles for the second, and pancakes with fried eggs for the third. A plate of vegetable or meat dumplings during the first period is both appetite-stimulating and symbolically rich. Families gathering to make dumplings together also creates a rare moment of togetherness amid the heat.

In the coastal Jiaodong region, people also steam seasonal stuffed dumpling buns in which the aromas of grain mingle with seafood flavors, expressing wishes for abundant grain and plentiful fish.

The tradition of eating noodles during the dog days can be traced at least to the Three Kingdoms period. The Eastern Jin historian Sun Sheng records in the *Wei Shi Chunqiu* that eating noodles during the hottest days was already customary at that time.

The dumpling custom, meanwhile, has been handed down through generations in northern China and is closely connected with the region’s flour-based food culture. Their ingot-like form means that eating dumplings in summer serves both as nourishment and as a wish for abundant good fortune.

During Lesser Heat, especially on the first day of the dog-day period, seasonal dumplings can be enjoyed in northern restaurants or made at home with family. Dumpling restaurants are particularly busy at this time, making it an ideal opportunity to experience the custom.

In southern China, Lesser Heat is associated with eating the Three Treasures: yellow eel, lotus root, and mung-bean sprouts, foods valued for their refreshing qualities. A folk saying states: “小暑黄鳝赛人参” — yellow eel at Lesser Heat rivals ginseng. Yellow eels live in muddy holes along waterways and are especially plump around this season. Mung-bean sprouts are crisp and refreshing and are popular foods for relieving summer heat.

Together, the Three Treasures are regarded as both cooling and nutritious. As temperatures rise during Lesser Heat, seasonal foods associated with cooling the body become especially popular.

The custom developed from southern dietary wisdom for coping with heat. Lesser Heat brings high temperatures and heavy humidity, and people traditionally use seasonal ingredients associated with clearing heat to regulate the body, reflecting the idea that medicine and food share a common origin.

During Lesser Heat, yellow eel, lotus root, and mung-bean sprouts can be purchased in southern markets and prepared together or separately. Restaurants in the south often offer seasonal Three Treasures menus around this time.

The Zichuan area of Shandong preserves a tradition of eating roasted flour during Lesser Heat. Flour is slowly toasted over a low flame until it develops a rich wheat aroma and is traditionally regarded as gentle on the stomach and suitable for the summer season. The custom embodies an older principle of adapting food to the seasonal climate.

As a seasonal food of Lesser Heat, roasted flour has been passed down in Zichuan for generations. The preparation is simple but practical: slow toasting removes moisture from the flour and makes it easier to digest, fitting the traditional concern that the spleen and stomach may be weakened by the combined heat and humidity of the season.

During Lesser Heat, traditional roasted flour can be sampled in Zichuan. It can also be prepared at home by slowly toasting flour over low heat until pale golden, then mixing it with boiling water before eating.

Northern tradition preserves the saying “头伏饺子二伏面” — dumplings in the first dog days, noodles in the second. Eating noodles during the dog days has a long history and can be traced at least to the Three Kingdoms period.

Linyi and Jimo in Qingdao still preserve the custom. A bowl of firm, chewy noodles carries wishes for peace year after year. Eating hot noodles during the dog days may also induce moderate sweating, which is traditionally believed to help remove accumulated dampness and summer heat from the body.

The custom has deep roots. According to the Eastern Jin historian Sun Sheng’s *Wei Shi Chunqiu*, eating noodles during the dog days was already practiced during the Three Kingdoms period.

Around the second dog-day period, seasonal noodles can be sampled in northern noodle shops. At home, either cold noodles or hot noodle soup can be prepared.

In Lingnan, Lesser Heat brings intense humidity and heat, and local communities have developed their own ways of living with the season. One of the most widespread is Sanfu medicinal plastering, which makes use of the strong yang energy of midsummer by applying medicinal preparations to acupuncture points in order to disperse cold and dampness from the body.

Sunning the back during the dog days is also sometimes called “natural moxibustion.” By using the heat of the sun to warm and open the channels, people traditionally seek to prevent winter illnesses before they develop.

Sanfu plastering comes from the traditional Chinese medical idea of “treating winter diseases in summer.” It makes use of the period when yang energy is considered strongest, applying medicinal preparations to selected points in order to regulate the body and prevent illness. The practice is especially widespread in Lingnan and has become a distinctive form of local seasonal health culture.

After the beginning of the dog days, Sanfu plastering can be experienced at traditional Chinese medicine hospitals or clinics throughout Lingnan. The treatment is usually applied once during each of the first, middle, and final dog-day periods and generally requires advance booking.

In coastal Fujian, fishing communities perform ceremonies honoring the sea around Lesser Heat. Offerings are prepared in gratitude for the ocean’s bounty during the fishing season, while prayers are made for safe voyages and boats returning with full catches.

Through solemn folk ritual, the custom connects the sea with everyday life and represents a distinctive seasonal expression of coastal culture.

Sea-worship customs arose alongside the development of coastal fishing. Lesser Heat falls within an active fishing season, and fishermen perform sacrifices to express gratitude toward the sea and to pray for safety offshore. Passed down through generations, the practice forms an important part of the spiritual beliefs of coastal fishing communities.

During Lesser Heat, visitors can travel to fishing villages along the Fujian coast to observe sea-worship ceremonies and experience distinctive coastal seasonal traditions.

A folk saying goes: “小暑吃西瓜，夏天不中暑” — eat watermelon at Lesser Heat and avoid heatstroke through the summer. Biting into chilled watermelon symbolizes “biting away the heat” while replenishing fluids.

Watermelons reach markets in abundance during Lesser Heat, and their sweet, juicy flesh makes them one of the most popular fruits for cooling down and relieving thirst.

The custom comes from folk dietary wisdom for coping with summer heat. Watermelon is traditionally considered cool in nature and sweet in flavor, with properties associated with clearing heat, relieving summer discomfort, easing restlessness, and quenching thirst, making it well suited to the seasonal climate.

During Lesser Heat, watermelon can be purchased from fruit shops, chilled, sliced, and eaten — one of the simplest ways to cool down during the season.

The sixth lunar month is also called the “Lotus Month.” The more intense the heat becomes, the more vigorously lotus flowers bloom, standing upright and composed amid waves of summer heat. Lesser Heat is one of the peak periods for lotus blossoms, and people go outdoors to admire them and escape the season’s heaviness.

From the quiet beauty of the lotus, literati found a way of thinking about how to endure the difficult summer. Whether retreating into groves of bamboo and tall trees or remaining quietly indoors, what they ultimately sought was a sense of inner stillness.

Viewing lotus blossoms as a way to pass the summer was a traditional refined pleasure among Chinese scholars and literati. At Lesser Heat, when lotus flowers are in full bloom, people approach nature through seasonal appreciation and ease the sense of heat, reflecting the old idea that “when the mind is calm, the body naturally feels cool.”

During Lesser Heat, lotus ponds in parks throughout China offer excellent viewing. The lotus scenery of West Lake in Hangzhou, the Humble Administrator’s Garden in Suzhou, and Daming Lake in Jinan is especially well known.