The Start of Summer is the first solar term of summer, indicating that we are about to enter summer. What are the precautions during the Start of Summer solar term? Let's find out with Huayi Network. Every day, the sun rises and sets, but the world that seems unchanged is actually changing every day. Want to know if the lunar April of 2019 had good or bad luck? Come to Huayi Network to see!

What are the precautions for the Start of Summer solar term?

(1) Eating Eggs on Start of Summer The custom of "eating eggs on Start of Summer" has a long history. As the saying goes, "Eating eggs on Start of Summer keeps you from being weak in summer." It is said that from this day on, the weather becomes warm and gradually hot, and many people, especially children, feel physically tired, weak, and lose their appetite, which is called "Zhu Xia". The ancients believed that eggs are round and smooth, symbolizing a complete life. Eating eggs on Start of Summer can pray for peace in summer and withstand the test of "Zhu Xia". The Start of Summer usually falls in the fourth month of the lunar calendar, and "eggs are as cheap as vegetables in the fourth month". People put eggs into the leftover "seven families' tea" to cook them into "tea eggs". Later, people improved the cooking method by adding fennel, meat broth, cinnamon, and ginger powder to the "seven families' tea", and thus tea eggs became not only a seasonal food for the Start of Summer, but also one of China's traditional snacks. (2) Weighing People Ancient poetry says, "On the day of Start of Summer, weigh people's lightness and weight, hanging the scale on the beam, laughing in the bedroom." The custom of "weighing people" on the day of Start of Summer mainly prevails in southern China, originating from the Three Kingdoms period. It is said that after weighing your body weight on this day, you won't fear the summer heat and won't lose weight. Otherwise, you will be plagued by diseases. After eating the Start of Summer meal, a large scale is hung on the beam. Adults hold the scale hook with both hands and hang their feet in the air to weigh their body weight. Children sit in a basket or on a chair with their legs up, hanging on the scale hook to weigh their body weight, which is called "weighing on the day of Start of Summer" to avoid "Zhu Xia". If the weight increases, it is called "gaining fat", and if it decreases, it is called "losing flesh". (3) Egg Fighting During the Start of Summer, adults make egg cases with silk threads, put boiled eggs and duck eggs into them, and hang them around children's necks. The "Zhu Xia" string is also known as the "longevity thread", made of five-colored silk threads tied to children's wrists to eliminate disasters and pray for blessings, relieve summer heat, and prevent "Zhu Xia". At noon on the day of Start of Summer, every household cooks whole eggs (boiled eggs without cracks), cools them with cold water for a few minutes, then puts them into already woven silk net bags, and hangs them around the children's necks. Children then gather in groups to play the egg fighting game. A proverb says, "Wearing an egg on the chest on the day of Start of Summer prevents children from suffering from Zhu Xia." Zhu Xia is a common summer illness characterized by bloated stomach, loss of appetite, and weakness, especially affecting children. The "Zhu Xia" string is also known as the "longevity thread", made of five-colored silk threads tied to children's wrists to eliminate disasters and pray for blessings, relieve summer heat, and prevent "Zhu Xia".

What are the taboos of Start of Summer?

Don't Sit on the Threshold
There is also a taboo of not sitting on the threshold on the day of Start of Summer. In Anhui, the "Taihu County Annals" of the Daoguang tenth year records: "On the day of Start of Summer, prepare soup with bamboo shoots and spinach, and warn people not to sit on the threshold or take naps during the day, as it is said to cause more fatigue and illness in summer." It is said that sitting on the threshold on this day would lead to fatigue and illness in summer. In the 1930s, the "Ningguo County Annals" recorded: "Start of Summer. Weigh the body's weight to avoid disease, which is called not being afraid of summer. According to folklore, if a child sits on the steps on the day of Start of Summer, they must sit on seven of them to cure all diseases. Avoid sitting on the threshold, as sitting on it would bring foot pain in summer. If you sit on one, you must sit on six more thresholds to form a total of seven to dispel the evil." Avoiding Evil Spirits and Snakes
On the day of Start of Summer, the folk customs in Yunnan focus on avoiding evil spirits and snakes. According to the "Yunnan General Annals" in the first year of Qianlong, on the day of Start of Summer in April, "insert soap pod branches and red flowers at the door to repel evil spirits, and surround the wall corners with ash to avoid snakes." It is related to the zodiac sign of the snake because the fourth month corresponds to the Earthly Branch "Si". Repelling evil spirits on the day of Start of Summer, putting soap pod branches and red flowers on the door has the meaning of balancing black (water) and red (fire). According to ancient Five Elements theory, black represents water and red represents fire. This was done to achieve a balance through mutual restraint. At the same time, the ancients used soap pods not only for cleaning but also for medicine, believing they had insecticidal properties. Using them as objects to repel evil spirits was also aimed at removing filth and driving away evil. Through the Eight Characters Destiny, we can see a person's fortune throughout their life. If there are problems, correct them; if not, improve further, making the new year smooth and safe.
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