China’s 24 Micro Seasons Series

China has a long history as an agricultural civilization. People used their observations of nature to measure the seasons. The traditional Chinese solar terms calendar divides a year into 24 micro-seasons (also known as solar terms), based on what ancient Chinese farmers saw, heard, and felt in the natural world. 

About every 15 days, the calendar moves into a new solar term, forming a full year of 365 days. This way of dividing the seasons shows how closely people in ancient times lived alongside nature. 

1. 24 Chinese micro-seasons

In the traditional solar terms calendar, each season is divided into six micro-seasons. For example, the six solar terms of spring are Beginning of Spring, Rain Water, Insect Awakening, Spring Equinox, Pure Brightness, and Grain Rain.

2. Summer begins

From May 5 to May 20, China is in “Summer Begins”, the micro-season that says goodbye to spring and welcomes summer. As the weather gets warmer, crops and plants begin to grow quickly.

3. What to observe?

Mole crickets begin to sing loudly in the fields. Earthworms in the soil also become more active, as the soil is warm and moist.

4. What to drink?

Start of Summer tea, or Lìxià chá (立夏茶), is a special tea made with tea leaves, cherries, and plums. It has a long history in summer life. Today, this tradition inspires many fun summer drinks, such as passion fruit tea, lemon tea, peach tea, and red bean tea. These cool and tasty drinks are perfect for a hot summer day.

Passion Fruit Drink:
Coconut jelly 50g, tapioca pearls 80g, passion fruit 50g, green tea 120ml

Lemon Green Tea:
Lemon 40g, syrup 30g, fruit puree 40g, green tea 160ml

Red Bean Milk Tea:
Syrup 30g, red beans 150g, milk tea 180ml

Lemon Black Tea:
Lemon slices 40g, syrup 30g, fruit puree 40g, black tea 120ml, fill with ice

Peach Fruit Tea:
Syrup 40g, black tea 120ml, yellow peach pieces 125g

Listen to this bubble tea song in five different languages this summer.

5. How to play?

One fun tradition is egg fighting. People boil eggs and tap them against each other. Whoever’s eggshell cracks first loses the game. Another interesting tradition is weighing children. People believed that children might lose weight in the hot summer, so families would record their little ones’ weight at the start of the season.

6. 24 solar terms journal

The 24 Chinese solar terms come from how people in ancient northern China observed nature. But things can be different depending on where we live and when we live.

First, the Earth is very large, so every place has its own weather, natural changes, and lifestyle. Second, as the climate changes over time, nature and people’s lives change too. These things all affect the world around us and the way we live.

During this Summer Begins micro-season, can you observe and record what is happening in your life and in nature around you? How is it different from what people in ancient China might have observed?