Recommended drink: Taiping Houkui

During Xiaoman, the rainfall increases and becomes heavier, so you should avoid eating too much raw or cold food. Taiping Monkey King contains powerful antioxidants and vitamin C, which will make you less irritable during the transition between spring and summer and maintain a happy and peaceful mood.

Grain Buds is the eighth solar term among the twenty-four solar terms and the second solar term in summer. Xiaoman, Du Nail, the sun reaches 60° of the ecliptic longitude, and it is celebrated every year from May 20 to 22 in the Gregorian calendar. The name Xiaoman has two meanings. First, it is related to climate precipitation. During the Xiaoman solar term, heavy rains in the south increase, and precipitation becomes frequent; a folk proverb goes, "When Xiaoman is Xiaoman, the rivers gradually fill up." The "man" in Xiao Man refers to the abundance of rain. The second is related to agricultural wheat. During the Xiaoman solar term in the north, there is less or even no rain. The "man" refers not to precipitation but to the fullness of the wheat.

What to drink: Longjing tea

In mid-summer and May, the humidity begins to evaporate and the weather becomes sultry, so the diet should be light. Leisurely brew a bowl of Longjing tea, which is light and suitable. The rich caffeine in the tea can stimulate the kidneys, promote the rapid elimination of urine from the body, and reduce the retention time of harmful substances in the kidneys. It can also eliminate excess lactic acid in urine and help the body eliminate fatigue as soon as possible. It is a good way to nourish the spirit during this solar term.

Ear Grain is the ninth solar term among the twenty-four solar terms, the third solar term in summer, and the beginning of the Wu month in the calendar of stems and branches. Douzhi B, the sun's ecliptic longitude reaches 75°, and the festival is held on June 5-7 of the Gregorian calendar every year. "Ear Grain" means "cereal crops with awns can be planted. Otherwise, they will become ineffective." During this season, temperatures rise significantly, and abundant rainfall and high air humidity make it suitable for planting late rice and other cereal crops. Farming is bounded by the solar term "Ear Grain," after which the planting survival rate decreases. It is the reflection of ancient farming culture on the seasons.

Recommended Drink: Anhua Tianjian

During the summer solstice, Yang Qi peaks, so you should eat more bitter foods to cleanse and nourish your body. Anhua Tianjian is sweet, moist, and honest, constantly producing body fluids. At the same time, the caffeine, vitamins, amino acids, etc., in black tea help digestion. It can regulate fat metabolism, increase gastric juice secretion, and also help increase appetite.

The summer solstice is the 10th solar term among the twenty-four solar terms. Dou refers to Wu; the sun's ecliptic longitude is 90°; the festival occurs between June 20 and 22 in the Gregorian calendar. On the summer solstice, the sun reaches its northernmost point of the year, almost directly hitting the Tropic of Cancer. At this time, the daylight hours in various places in the northern hemisphere reach the longest of the year. For the Tropic of Cancer and areas north of it, the summer solstice is also the day of the year when the sun is at its highest at noon.

Recommended drink: Chrysanthemum Pu'er

Xiaoshu means that the weather is starting to be hot, but it is not yet at its hottest. Xiaoshu is the time when the human body's yang energy is at its strongest. It is necessary to combine work and rest to protect the yang energy. Brewing chrysanthemum Pu'er in a large bowl has a good effect on this. Chrysanthemum tastes pungent, sweet, bitter, and slightly cold in nature. When paired with Pu'er, it can disperse wind, clear away heat, soothe the liver and improve eyesight. Drinkers should note that chrysanthemum is cool in nature and should be used with caution by those with qi deficiency and stomach cold.

Minor Heat is the eleventh solar term among the twenty-four solar terms. It is the end of the noon month and the beginning of the last month in the zodiac calendar. Dou Zhi Xin, the sun reaches 105 degrees of ecliptic longitude, and the festival is held on July 6-8 of the Gregorian calendar every year. Shu means hot. Xiaoshu means mild heat, not very hot yet. Although Minor Heat is not the hottest time of the year, it is immediately followed by Great Heat, the hottest season. A folk says, "Minor Heat and Great Heat are steaming at the top and boiling at the bottom." Many places in China have entered the season with the most thunderstorms since Xiaoshu.

In the past, there was a folk custom of "eating new rice" during Xiaoshu in southern China; that is, after Xiaoshu, farmers would grind the newly cut rice into rice, prepare rice to offer sacrifices to the Grain God and ancestors, and then everyone would eat and taste the new wine. In the northern region, there is a tradition of eating dumplings. During Fu Day, people lose their appetite and tend to be thinner than usual. This is commonly known as the bitter summer. In traditional customs, dumplings are an appetizer to relieve cravings. The shape of the dumplings is like an ingot, with the meaning of " "Yuan Bao Fu," which means eating dumplings symbolizes full blessings.