Summer · No.10
Summer Solstice
Xia Zhi
The longest daylight of the year, after which nights lengthen again and the cicadas start in earnest.
At the Summer Solstice the sun stands over the Tropic of Cancer, giving the northern hemisphere its longest day and shortest noon shadow. Days shorten from here, yet the heat keeps climbing because the ground is still storing warmth. The plum rains taper off along the lower Yangtze, thunderstorms come and go fast, cicadas sing all day, and pinellia sprouts in damp shade. The north finishes its wheat and immediately sows maize and soy; the south sees early rice head out. The old rule is dumplings at midwinter, noodles at midsummer, served cold with cucumber and garlic. Drink before you feel thirsty.
Three pentads
- 1
Deer shed their antlers and begin growing new ones
- 2
Cicadas start their long drone in the trees
- 3
Pinellia comes up in damp, shaded grass
What people eat now
summer solstice noodles
Dumplings at midwinter, noodles at midsummer, says the north; with new wheat in, cold noodles with sesame paste are the meal.
lychee
Lychees redden around the summer solstice; in Lingnan people peel a handful at a time, juice running down their wrists.
wonton
Wuxi eats wonton at the summer solstice, thin skins around fresh pork in clear broth, a midsummer pairing locals keep to.
What people wear
The summer solstice brings the longest day and the strongest sun. Wear loose, light-coloured cotton or linen, carry a parasol or a wide-brimmed hat, and stay in shade at noon. Air conditioning makes indoors and outdoors very different, so put on a thin jacket before entering and keep the vent off your shoulders.