Reflections on the education of solar terms in summer solstice

Every year around June 2 1, the summer solstice solar terms are ushered in. This is an ancient solar term that originated in the seventh century BC, and it is also the earliest solar term established among the 24 solar terms.

In ancient times, by measuring the length of the sun shadow, people found that one day of the year was particularly long, and that day was the "summer solstice".

On the summer solstice, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer, which is the longest day and the shortest night in the northern hemisphere, so people call this day "the northern solstice" vividly. At noon when the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer, there will be an interesting phenomenon of "standing without a shadow"

The ancients explained that "ambition" means extreme meaning. At this time, everything grew to the extreme, and summer entered the most prosperous time. With the rapid increase of rainfall, both the south and the north will enter the frequent rainy season.

But different from the past, the rain of this festival is affected by air convection, mostly showers, and it is very local, and there is often a scene of "summer rain separated from the field". The poem "Sunrise in the east and rain in the west, but sunny on the road" is about the characteristics of rainfall at this time.

Because of the uneven rainfall area, it comes and goes suddenly, which has a great impact on summer crops. In the south, people are often worried that too much rainfall will lead to a "flood" disaster, while in the north, too little rainfall is likely to lead to a "drought" disaster.

So there are two completely opposite folk activities: praying for rain and praying for the sun.

In addition to caring about the climate and crops, the diet from summer solstice is also very particular. There is a folk proverb called "Solstice jiaozi in winter, Solstice noodles in summer".

By the summer solstice, the newly harvested wheat has been dried and put into storage. With the harvest, people will take some wheat seeds and grind them into flour for eating. Eating noodles on the solstice in summer has become a habit.

People will cook cooked pasta in cold water with sauce, which makes it refreshing and delicious. It is the most grounded summer food in summer.

After the summer solstice, the sultry climate will gradually climb to the peak, and nature will usher in midsummer. The ancients believed that this day was the time when the yang reached its peak and the yin began to sprout. Those creatures who like Yin began to come alive.

Deer living in the depths of the forest, feeling the signs of yang decline, have also shed their antlers; When the male cicada knew, he felt the call of Yin Qi and began to flap his wings and sing for the midsummer. In a corner of the land that we didn't notice, Pinellia ternata secretly exposed its leaf buds and opened a new life cycle.

Just as time quietly divides summer into two here, the three phenology of antlers, cicadas and pinellia are also changing quietly.

How fascinating it is to move a bamboo chair and sit under the summer canopy and leisurely shake the cattail leaf fan in the hot summer when cicadas climb into the eaves and the night sky is starry.

Time has passed, and the solstice summer has arrived. Let's enjoy this short Pinellia time in silence.

Figure: pungent graphics, pixabay is based on cco protocol.