Start of Summer 立夏 · Lì Xià · ~May 5
AT A GLANCE
Summer opens and the tradition shifts its attention to the Heart.
How the food tradition reads it
Heart-quiet foods take over: red beans, lotus seed, jujube. A noon nap becomes the tradition’s prescription.
Tonight’s bowl
Red bean & lotus seed congee — red beans 40 g (soaked), lotus seeds 20 g, rice 50 g.
The practice of the term
A 20-minute noon rest — the summer habit the classics endorse.
What to watch for this term
- The Heart takes the season’s seat — agitation and broken sleep
- Heat begins to eat qi
Who feels this term most
Yin Deficiency — Your inner flame rises with the sun — cool evenings, cool foods
Qi Deficiency — Sweating is spending for you — pace yourself, nap at noon
Watching a pattern is not a diagnosis — flare-ups and chronic conditions belong with a professional.
The season’s anchor
“The three months of summer are called the flourish… rise early, never tire of the sun.” — Suwen, On Nurturing Life by the Four Seasons
The cycle continues
← Grain Rain · Lesser Fullness →
