小暑 Xiǎo Shǔ: Minor Heat

小暑 Xiǎo Shǔ, translated as Minor (Lesser) Heat, is the 11th solar term of the Ancient Chinese Solar Calendar and the 5th term of the summer season. This year it starts on July 6th and continues through July 21st. Minor Heat begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 105° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 120°.

“A sudden breeze of warm air as the Minor Heat arrives.”

– Chinese Proverb

Let’s look at the meaning of 小暑 Xiǎo Shǔ:

小 Xiao: minor, lesser, slight
暑Shu: heat

“A gentle breeze brings forth lotus fragrance
 Dew drops fall from bamboo leaves.”

小暑 Xiǎo Shǔ gradually escorts in the hottest days of the year. Outside the temperatures and humidity continue to rise in parts of China, however, the hottest days of summer are yet to arrive.

“Xiǎo Shǔ (Minor Heat) is followed by Dà Shǔ (Major Heat), steaming you first and boiling you afterward”

– Chinese proverb

小暑 Xiǎo Shǔ, represents the warmest and dampest period of the year which many call 三伏 San Fu. Fu in Chinese means lying down, suggesting that it is best to lie down during the heat of the day.

“All at once
Wafts of heated wind blow
The foot prints of Xiǎo Shǔ
They follow
Rustling bamboos
Forecast the rain
Gloomy mountains
Anticipate the thunderbolt.”

-folklore from the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907)

Each of the 24 solar terms is further divided into 3 pentads. The 小暑 Xiǎo Shǔ pentads are:

1st pentad – 温风至 melting temperatures are approaching
2nd pentad – 蟋蟀居宇 crickets abandon the fields for greener, cooler yards
3rd pentad – 鹰始鸷 eagles train their young to hunt (soaring high in the sky keeps you cool)