Xiaoshu, the eleventh solar term among the twenty-four solar terms. Xiaoshu is also known as “Xiaore”, which means that although the heat of the weather can be felt at this time, it has not reached the hottest point of the year. Xiaoshu is just the beginning of the scorching summer. During the Xiaoshu season, the weather is hot and thunderstorms are frequent, making it a time for all things to grow wildly.

For Chinese people, light summer is the beginning of the “heatstroke prevention mode”, such as reducing outdoor activities in the afternoon and paying attention to water supplement, similar to the “high temperature warning” coping habit in western summer.

Before and after Xiaoshu, there is strong sunlight, and people hang clothes, books, and medicinal herbs (such as tangerine peel) to prevent mold growth.

For farmers, Xiaoshu is a critical period after summer harvest, and they need to pay close attention to irrigation and weeding to ensure the growth of autumn crops such as rice and corn.

The dietary customs of Xiaoshu include eating eels, boiling mung bean soup, slicing ginger and soaking it in brown sugar water, drying it in the sun, and eating it.

Sunstroke is not only a solar term representing the climate, but also the wisdom crystallization of Chinese people to adapt to nature and adjust their lives. From dietary health to labor arrangements, from poetry and songs to folk customs, it connects the dialogue between humans and nature.