LiXia 立夏 Summer Begins
Welcome to Lixia 立夏, “The Beginning of Summer”!
In the Chinese agricultural calendar, seasons begin at the half-way point between equinoxes and solstices, and that is where we at right now in the year - well on our way to Summer solstice, with the growth of Spring firmly established.
During this two-week period, from May 5th to May 20th, it is customary to celebrate the arrival of Summer by engaging in activities mirroring the season’s abundance, brightness and joy. Here are some of the ways, per the Confucian classic The Book of Rites, it is suggested that we can sync up our activity with the energy of this celebratory time of year:
“Blessings and rewards are given, joyfully and with pleasure” 慶賜遂行，無不欣說. If there are people in your life you want to celebrate or acknowledge, this would be a great time to share that appreciation “joyfully and with pleasure,” meaning appreciation for its own sake, without expecting anything in return.
It is also instructed that lighter clothing can be worn at this time of year, but work is still to continue without long breaks. So think of this as a time to go out and enjoy yourself without the need to be too strict or hard on yourself, but to balance play with work, and not let projects and goals slip with the onset of warmer, longer days.
Herbal remedies and tonics are indicated as beneficial, since the first of the year’s medicinal herbs are ready for harvest around this time. It is a good time to seek holistic healthcare as our body’s resources are abundant and circulating so herbal remedies are especially effective this time of year.
Large objects of art and craft are auspicious at this time, as they mirror the ambitious growth of all things in the summer months. Taking on big projects is healthy at this time of year, whether those are home repairs, working on a garden or other outdoor activities, now is the time to get them underway - even if it is ambitious, this is the time of year when those ambitions have the time to succeed and we have the energy to see them through.
In addition to these general recommendations throughout May, below are the smaller 5-day segments that describe the “Material Manifestiations of this “Summer Begins” energy. Each illustrates a small lesson from nature that we can learn and incorporate into our lives at this time of the year.
Crickets Croon 螻蟈鳴 (Luguo ming) May 5th - May 10th
The chirping of crickets indicates the weather has grown warm enough for insects to emerge from their hibernation and grown to maturity. The fact we hear crickets at night is important too. Taking into consideration the classical Chinese instruction to “Rise early and go to be late” 夜臥早起 in the summer, this is a time when we might feel more active at night than before. Warmer evenings and longer days invite us to spend time outdoors later in the evening, a symbol that we are entering a time of year when Yang energy is at its height, even after the sun sets.
Earthworms Emerge 蚯蚓出 (Qiuyin Chu) May 11th - May 15th
Similar to the symbol of the crickets, the presence of Earthworms becoming more visible after a May rainstorm indicates the soil is now warm and loose, and the warmth of the sun has even reached underground, bringing all of creation into a new cycle of activity. Within us, old thoughts and plans might be re-emerging too, and it is another opportunity to tend to these inner sprouts if we wish to make an effort to grow them this year.
King Gourds Grow 王瓜生 (Wanggua Sheng) May 16th - May 20th
Vines are now growing - all kinds of pumpkins and gourds and squash are spreading. As these are the vegetables that are harvested very late in the year, this is a symbol that the future harvest of this year is already beginning to show itself - the things we will accomplish have already been put in motion, and it is better to tend to these goals than to try and start something new at this point in the year, generally speaking.