Solar Terms 101: Free Sauna for Everyone, Dashu is Here!

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 节气 jiéqì solar terms based on seasonal changes and natural phenomenon. They play an important role in guiding agricultural activities, even to this day. But even city-dwellers like us can enjoy them. Each solar term has its own associated customs, traditions, and even recipes. In Solar Terms 101, we delve into what makes each one special...

Name of the solar term: 大暑 dàshǔ lit. "The Major Heat"
Gregorian date: Jul 23 +/- a day (Jul 23, 2023)

What is dashu all about?

Quiz time! What comes after the Minor Heat?

The answer is…

The Major Heat!

The 12th of the 24 solar terms is a lot like the 11th, except even hotter. During this period, both temperature and humidity reach their zenith across most of China. Natural phenomenons such as rainstorms, thunderstorms, floods, and typhoons will appear in the news frequently. Yet, not all of these are harbingers of misfortune since it is also a crucial season for crop growth, and a well-timed typhoon can also help cool down the weather and clean up the air.

Sweaty, steamy, slimy and dirty

In our previously introduced solar terms, micro-seasons were usually based on changes in animal or plant behaviors. In dashu, however, two of the three micro-seasons simply reiterate the unpleasant sauna-esque weather during this period. 

The first micro-season is "rotten grass reincarnates as fireflies" (腐草为萤 fǔ cǎo wéi yíng). These glowing fairies usually hatch from their eggs around this time, but before people had a solid understanding of their true physiology, ancient Chinese thought they were born from dead plants. Despite this humble origin story, the Chinese language bestows these little creatures with names as beautiful as the light shows they put on, such as nighttime candle (烛宵 zhú xiāo), or glowing night (耀夜 yàoyè).

The second one is 土润溽暑 tǔ rùn rùshǔ. The reason why this season is so often compared to a sauna rather than a hot shower is because moisture in the atmosphere does not always manifest as rainfall, but lingers in the air making it harder to breathe due to excessive humidity, which further prevents the heat from dissipating.

The last micro-season is "pouring rains come frequently" (大雨时行 dàyǔ shí xíng). Frankly, this one is pretty self-explanatory.

Seeing off the heat like a Viking

Don’t let this title fool you, I promise we are still talking about Chinese customs. However, the tradition we are going to discuss, seeing off the dashu ship, does have a lot of similarities with a Viking funeral.

Villagers living in the coastal region of Zhejiang Province would build a dashu boat during this solar term to show their gratitude to the gods of diseases for not disrupting their lives at a time when one's immune system is put to the test. The boat was a replica of a traditional three-masted ship, only much smaller in size and loaded with offerings for the gods. Usually, a parade was held in the village and the ship was carried to the coast, with people who recently recovered from a disease joining the procession to show their thanks. All of this would culminate in skilled captains navigating the ship into open waters and then abandoning it. Alternatively, the villagers would also burn the ship in the ocean symbolizing the gods' acceptance of their wishes and gratitude.

What to eat for dashu

If there is one food that comes to mind when Chinese folks think of dashu, it's watermelon. Due to its origins, the Chinese refer to this fruit as "the melon of the West" 西瓜 xīguā, however, it has acquired a few other names along the way – albeit less historically inspiring – such as 水瓜 shuǐ guā watermelon and 寒瓜 hán guā cool melon, due to its refreshingly cool taste. What's more, throughout history many literati have praised its flavor and traditional medicine practitioners have approved of its myriad benefits including preventing sunstrokes, keeping the body hydrated, and serving as a natural diuretic.

In Southeast regions, pineapple is also commonly enjoyed during this period due to its tropical taste and the fact that its name sounds like 旺来 wàng lái – or “good fortune will come” in the local dialect. 

Lastly, Southerners will drink lots of 伏茶/ 凉茶 fú chá/ liángchá summer tea or cooling tea in this season. Boiled with Japanese honeysuckle, Heal-all, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and many other ingredients, this elixir is not necessarily cold when you drink it but will help you stay hydrated and refreshed with the minerals and herbal essences it contains. 

Read: Solar Terms 101: Survive Minor Heat Like the Elegant Ancient Chinese

Images: 2008php, Sohu, Zdic, Wemp