Minor Heat, 小暑 Xiaoshû, the 11th solar term of the year, begins on July 7 this year and ends on July 22.  Minor Heat signifies the hottest period is coming but the extreme hot point has yet to arrive.  In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. But the solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives through special foods, cultural ceremonies and even healthy living tips that correspond with each term.  The following are 6 things you need to know about Minor Heat.

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Have light food
Do not eat greasy or strongly flavored food during Grain in Ear, that's the healthcare advice given more than a thousand years ago by Chinese pharmaceutical expert Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907).
Generally, vegetables and coarse grains that work in lowering blood pressure and blood fat should be the first choice. During this season, people are encouraged to consume less lamb, pork, hot peppers, onions and ginger if they are frequently feeling thirsty and tired.

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Eating dumplings
Dumplings are the traditional and household food among Chinese. When the "dog day" comes, people tend to lose their appetites, and dumplings can refresh people's feelings toward food.

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Eating small melons
Minor Heat comes when all kinds of melons are being harvested. One custom in Nanjing, Jiangsu province has to do with enjoying small melons on the day of Minor Heat and having big melons on the day of Major Heat. Small and big melons normally refer to cantaloupes and watermelons.

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Firefly season
Minor Heat is the season when fireflies become lively. Zhu Shuzhen, a woman of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), once described in her famous poem Summer Fireflies a happy scene of children playing with fireflies in the woods at night.

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A season for the lotus flower
In Minor Heat, high temperatures are good for the growth of the lotus flower. From Minor Heat to the Double Ninth Festival, the lotus flower is in full bloom, and always simple but elegant.

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A season of storms, thunder and hail
Storms, thunder and hail often happen during Minor Heat, though in some years there might be droughts. One of the prevailing farming activities during Minor Heat is staying on top of flood control and drought relief.

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