Beginning of Summer 立夏

• On the 5th or 6th of May every year when the Sun travels to 45° celestial longitude, this day is called the Beginning of Summer. Li refers to the start and Xia means summer. It indicates the symbol of seasonal transformation.
• 每年的 5 月 5 日或 6 日，太阳到达黄经 45° 的日子为立夏。 “立”是指“开始”，“夏”是指“夏天”。即是说立夏是季节转换的标志。
• The Beginning of Summer is on the turning point of spring and summer, with significant temperature increases and the natural world enters the prosperous phase. Farmers step into the busy season when they should transplant the early seasonal rice seedlings, sow the seeds of middle-season rice and prepare for the harvest of summer crops.
• 立夏处于春夏交替之际，气温明显升高，自然界一派繁荣景象。农民进入农忙时节，早稻插秧，中稻播种，准备收获夏收的农作物。
• Ancient Chinese people attached importance to the Beginning of Summer. From the Zhou Dynasty, the imperial emperor would wear red ceremonial robe and ride in a vermilion carriage with scarlet flags held high, leading all the civil and military officials to conduct a grand ceremony in the suburb, in order to greet the advent of summer.
• 古人对立夏十分重视。周朝时，立夏这天帝王要身穿朱色礼服，乘坐朱色马车，高举朱色旗帜，率领文武百官到郊外举行盛大的仪式以迎接夏天的到来。
• The customs on the Beginning of Summer are interesting and vary from place to place, among which the most common is weighing people. This custom originated from the Three Kingdoms Period, and it is inherited as a custom until now, known as the activity for people to pray for peaceful life, good fortune and longevity.
• 立夏的习俗很有趣，各地都不同，最为常见的是秤人习俗。这一习俗起源于三国时期，一直沿袭至今，成为人们祈求清净安乐、福寿双全的活动。
• On the Beginning of Summer, it is also prevailing to eat summer eggs as a traditional custom. Chinese people believe that egg obtains auspicious meaning based on its round shape, known as: Eating the summer egg can prevent people from summer diseases (refer to abdominal distension, inappetence, emaciation and lack in strength). Another custom about egg on this Solar Term is egg picking game, one of the favorite games for Chinese children.
• 在立夏之日，吃“立夏蛋”也是一种传统习俗。中国人认为鸡蛋因其圆形而具有吉祥意义，有“立夏吃了蛋，热天不疰夏(疰夏指腹胀、食欲不振、消瘦乏力等症状)的说法。另一个关于鸡蛋的习俗便是斗蛋，这是深受中国孩子们喜欢的游戏之一。

Vocabulary

• prosperous [ˈprɒspərəs] | adj. 繁荣的；兴旺的 moderately prosperous society 小康社会 | We're making efforts to alleviate poverty and build a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
• vermilion：n. 朱砂；朱红色
  1. ① crimson 深红色
  2. ② scarlet 猩红色；绯红色
  3. ③ ruby 红宝石色
  4. ④ reddish 微红色的
  5. ⑤ blushing 鲜红的
• advent [ˈædvent] | n. 到来；出现 | Since the advent of atomic power, there have been great changes in industry.
• longevity [lɒnˈdʒevəti] | n. 长寿，长命；寿命 | The recipe of longevity is always keeping an optimistic mood.
• auspicious [ɔːˈspɪʃəs] | adj. 有利的；吉祥的；富裕的 | auspicious omen 好兆头
• abdominal [æbˈdɒmɪnl] | adj. 腹部的
• distension [dɪˈstenʃn] | n. 膨胀，扩张
• emaciation [ɪˌmeɪsiˈeɪʃn] | n. 消瘦，瘦弱；憔悴