Yesterday is 7 July2025. It was Xiaoshu (小暑) on the traditional Chinese calendar — literally “Minor Heat.” But don’t be fooled by the name — it’s the beginning of the dog days of summer when the sun feels like it’s baking the rooftops and even the crickets seem too tired to chirp.
In ancient China, this was when people really began to feel the sizzle of midsummer, and they had some pretty clever ways to beat the heat — no air conditioning, no electric fans, just natural wisdom passed down through generations.
Let me share a few of these traditions with you — some practical, some poetic, and all deeply rooted in the rhythm of nature.
🧊 Cooling From the Inside Out
The first rule of summer survival? Cool your body — and that starts in the kitchen.
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A bowl of mung bean soup (绿豆汤) chilled in an earthenware pot was the old-school “sports drink.” It detoxes, cools, and quenches like nothing else.
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Watermelon slices, picked from the shade of a roadside cart, dripped sweetness onto bare feet.
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Bitter melon (苦瓜) may not be everyone's favorite, but grandma swore by it. “苦口良药” — “bitter medicine is good for you,” she’d say.
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And lotus root stir-fried with black fungus — cooling, crunchy, and so very satisfying.
In the south, people often sipped chrysanthemum tea or herbal brews like 五花茶, made with a handful of dried flowers, to “clear summer fire” (清暑火). Sounds fancy, but really, it was just about keeping the body in balance.
😴 The Sacred Noon Nap
Ask any old-timer, and they’ll tell you: rest when the sun is highest.
During Xiaoshu, life slowed down after lunch. Even busy farmers put down their tools, rolled out bamboo mats, and caught a nap in the shade. No guilt, no rush — it was the body’s way of recharging before the afternoon heat set in.
Sometimes, I think we need to bring back the 午睡 (noon nap). After all, what's more luxurious than dozing off with the sound of cicadas in the background and a fan gently creaking in the corner?
🧺 Natural Air-Con, Old School Style
Before modern gadgets, the Chinese had their own genius ways of cooling off:
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Bamboo mats on beds and chairs
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Palm-leaf fans in every hand — even kids waved them like little emperors
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Stone or tile floors that stayed cool well into the night
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And homes designed with thick walls and shaded courtyards to let the air circulate
My grandmother used to soak towels in cold water and drape them over our necks. No fancy brand, just practical comfort.
👘 Dressing for the Heat
Summer wardrobes were all about light cotton or linen. White or pale colors reflected sunlight. In some regions, people even wore loose-fitting robes with open sleeves to let the breeze through.
Today’s fast fashion has nothing on the breathable comfort of handmade cloth clothes, stitched with care and passed between siblings year after year.
🐥 Chicken Soup… in the Heat?
Believe it or not, in some farming communities, people ate chicken or duck dishes during Xiaoshu — not to heat up, but to build strength against summer fatigue. It was believed a good protein meal helped “补气” (replenish energy), especially for those working in the fields all day.
Of course, it wasn’t your winter-style thick stew. Think light herbal soups, maybe with a bit of ginseng or goji berry, to support the body during long hot days.
🌿 Herbal Baths and Summer Rituals
In some places, families would boil herbs like mugwort (艾草) and calamus (菖蒲) and pour them into bathwater — a refreshing way to ward off rashes, mosquitoes, and heatstroke.
These herbal rituals were often done outdoors, where kids would splash and laugh while the adults soaked their tired feet. It wasn’t just cleansing — it was communal joy.
🌾 The Farmers’ Clock
For those in the countryside, Xiaoshu meant serious work. Crops like rice, corn, and cotton were growing fast — and needed careful tending. Farmers rose before dawn, worked until the sun was too harsh, and returned in the evening to check on the land again.
There’s a beautiful simplicity in that rhythm — working with the sun, listening to the sky, and adjusting your pace with nature.
🗣️ Old Sayings That Still Ring True
“小暑不算热，大暑三伏天。”
“Xiaoshu is not the hottest yet — Da Shu brings the real heat during Sanfu days.”
It’s a gentle warning from the ancestors: prepare now, the true test is still to come.
❤️ A Gentle Reminder
Today, we live in a world of fans, AC units, cold drinks on demand. But something about Xiaoshu reminds us to slow down, stay in tune with nature, and listen to our bodies.
So go ahead — take that nap, drink that mung bean soup, sit by the window and feel the breeze. Summer has its challenges, but also its quiet, golden moments.
And if you’re lucky enough to have elders around, ask them what they did during 小暑. You might just uncover a story, a recipe, or a little tradition worth reviving.
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