The 24 Solar Terms: Summer Solstice

A Bowl of Cool Noodles for the Summer Solstice, A Song of Nines to Mark the Season

二十四节气之夏至：一碗凉面迎夏至，一首九九歌识时节

In 2025, the Summer Solstice falls on Saturday, June 21st.

2025年，夏至的日期是6月21日星期六

Among the 24 traditional solar terms in the Chinese calendar, the Summer Solstice stands out as a moment rich with seasonal meaning and cultural traditions. It marks the longest day and the most radiant sunlight of the year. For many in northern China, this day is celebrated with a cooling culinary ritual: a bowl of chilled noodles—simple yet profound, both physically refreshing and spiritually soothing.

在中国的传统节气中，夏至是一个充满仪式感的节点。它不仅意味着白昼最长、阳光最盛，更是民俗与美食交汇的时刻。每到这一天，北方许多家庭都会端起一碗清爽的凉面，用最简单也最讲究的方式，迎接一年中最热的时节。

“Summer Solstice Noodles”: Coolness in a Bowl, Wisdom in Tradition

“夏至面”：一碗凉意中的智慧

There is a popular folk saying in China: “Dumplings for the Winter Solstice, noodles for the Summer Solstice.” As early as the Qing dynasty, it was recorded: “Every household eats cold tao noodles, also known as ‘guoshui mian’.” These so-called “guoshui” noodles are rinsed repeatedly in cold water—traditionally drawn from deep wells—to restore their firmness and bring down the temperature, making them smooth, elastic, and pleasantly cool.

民间素有“冬至饺子夏至面”的说法。清代文献就曾记载：“家家俱食冷淘面，即俗说过水面是也。”所谓“过水面”，即将煮好的面条放入凉水中反复浸润，有时还会使用从深井中打出的井水，让面条在炙热中恢复清凉与筋道。这一习俗既是对食物口感的讲究，也体现了中国人“以食应时”的生活哲学。

In regions like Jiaodong in Shandong Province, another saying goes: “Dumplings for the start of autumn, noodles for the arrival of the dog days.” The “dog days of summer” (sanfu) begin right around the Summer Solstice, ushering in the hottest and most humid time of year. To cool the body and ward off heat exhaustion, people traditionally enjoy cold noodles on this day. Another folk belief goes: “After eating noodles on the Summer Solstice, each day shortens by a thread,” reflecting a poetic awareness of the gradual shift in daylight after the peak.

在山东胶东等地，还有“立秋饺子入伏面”的说法，其中的“入伏”正是从夏至日开始。伏天的到来意味着真正酷热天气的开启，因此，人们选择在这一天吃上一碗凉面，不仅为身体降温，也寄托着对清凉安康的期盼。民谚说：“吃过夏至面，一天短一线”，在朴素的语句中，道尽了节气更替的流转与时光的细腻感知。

The "Song of Summer Nines": A Rhythmic Calendar of Heat and Cool

《夏至九九歌》：从炎夏到凉秋的节奏

Beyond culinary customs, ancient Chinese culture also preserved seasonal rhythms in the form of folk rhymes. One such rhyme is the “Summer Solstice Song of Nines”, which counts in sets of nine days starting from the solstice—just like the better-known “Winter Solstice Nines”—to trace the journey from peak heat toward cooling autumn.

除了饮食，节令文化中还有一项重要的传承，那就是九九歌。与“冬九九”相对，夏至起也有“夏九九”，用来记录从夏至开始到秋凉来临的节气变化。

The Song of Summer Nines (夏至九九歌)

一九二九，扇子不离手，

三九四九，汗流如水走，

五九六九，树头渐稀有，

七九八九，凉风阵阵抖，

九九加一九，耕田犁头走。

First and second nine, fans are always in hand;Third and fourth nine, sweat flows like water runs;Fifth and sixth nine, leaves grow sparse on trees;Seventh and eighth nine, cool winds begin to blow;Ninth nine plus one, it’s time to plow the fields again.

这首民谣按“每九天为一个九”的节奏，将节气与民俗、农业与气候相互交织，描绘出由热至凉的时间长卷：

Each “nine” marks a 9-day period, illustrating how the weather transforms across roughly 81 days:

• 1st–2nd Nine (Day 1–18): The heat has just arrived; fans are constantly needed.

• 3rd–4th Nine (Day 19–36): The dog days arrive; sweating is inevitable.

• 5th–6th Nine (Day 37–54): Though still hot, signs of autumn emerge—leaves begin to fall.

• 7th–8th Nine (Day 55–72): Cooler breezes begin to stir; the heat starts to fade.

• 9th Nine + 9 (Day 73–81): The heat retreats; farmers resume work in the fields.

This timeless rhyme served as both a calendar and a compass, guiding farmers, families, and communities through the hottest stretch of the year with rhythm and reason.

• 一九、二九（夏至后前18天）：炎热初显，人手离不了扇子；

• 三九、四九（第19～36天）：三伏天正盛，“汗流如水”形象地表现了暑气蒸腾；

• 五九、六九（第37～54天）：虽仍炎热，秋意已悄然萌动，树木开始变化；

• 七九、八九（第55～72天）：暑气渐退，凉风初起；

• 九九加一九（第73～81天）：酷暑已过，农事又启。

这首歌不仅是节气的提示器，更是一种农耕文明下的时间哲学。

Eating with the Season, Living with the Earth

顺时而食，顺节而养

From cold noodles to the Song of Nines, the Summer Solstice reflects the Chinese way of living in harmony with nature. Even in today’s fast-paced world, this ancient wisdom invites us to slow down, feel the rhythm of the earth, and care for both body and spirit. You may not draw water from a deep well or track the nines with rhymes, but perhaps this summer, you can pause for a bowl of cool noodles and take a moment to reconnect with time, tradition, and the quiet turning of the season.

从凉面到九九歌，夏至所承载的不仅是季节的更替，还有生活的节奏与身心的调和。在现代生活中，我们也许不再需要井水拔面的工序，也不再用九九来安排农耕，但这份顺应自然、顺应身体的智慧，依然值得被珍惜与传承。

这个夏至，不妨也为自己煮一碗凉面，读一读九九歌，在简单中品味时间的深意，在清凉中感受节气的温柔。

How do you mark the changing seasons? Share your solstice rituals with us in the comments.