🌿 Folk Prescriptions

June 21st is the Summer Solstice. At this moment, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer, marking the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Although the Summer Solstice has the longest daylight and highest solar angle, it is not the hottest time of the year. Because near-surface heat continues to accumulate and has not yet reached its peak. Folk wisdom says: “The heat lies in the three fu periods,” meaning true summer heat is calculated from the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. Around mid-July to mid-August, temperatures across China reach their peak, with some areas reaching up to 40°C.
The Summer Solstice was China’s earliest festival. Before the Qing Dynasty, the Summer Solstice was a national holiday with one day off for family reunions and celebrations. *Li Ji* records obvious natural phenomena related to the Summer Solstice: “At the Summer Solstice, deer antlers shed, cicadas start singing, half-summer grows, and hibiscus blooms.” This indicates that at this time, deer antlers can be harvested, cicadas begin to sing, and two plants—half-summer and hibiscus—gradually flourish and flower. From a TCM perspective, the Summer Solstice is the time of maximum yang energy. Health preservation should follow the characteristic of yang energy dominating externally, protecting yang energy and focusing on the concept of “growth.”
*Su Wen·Si Qi Tiao Shen Da Lun* states: “Let the will not be angry, let the brilliance flourish, let qi be released, as if loving something outside—this is the response to summer energy, the way to nurture growth.” That is, in summer, one should maintain clarity of mind, cheerfulness, broad-mindedness, and full spirit—like all things needing sunlight. One should show keen interest in external matters, cultivate an optimistic and outgoing personality to facilitate the free flow of qi. On the contrary, laziness, boredom, anger, and sorrow hinder qi flow and are inappropriate. Ji Kang’s *Treatise on Health Preservation* offers unique insight into the scorching summer heat: “It is especially important to regulate breathing and calm the mind. Keep cool thoughts like snow and ice in your heart—then even in heat, your heart feels cooler. Do not let heat provoke more heat.” This embodies the mental adjustment method in summer health preservation: “Calm mind brings natural coolness.”
For daily routines, follow the natural shift from yang dominance to yin dominance—go to bed later and wake earlier. Summer heat “easily damages qi”; excessive sweating leads to dizziness, chest tightness, palpitations, thirst, nausea, and even unconsciousness. Schedule outdoor work and exercise away from the hottest times and provide adequate protection. Arrange a reasonable midday nap—to avoid heat and recover from fatigue. Daily warm showers are highly recommended as a fitness measure. Not only do they wash away sweat and dirt, keeping skin clean, cool, and preventing disease, but they also exercise the body. The hydrostatic pressure and mechanical massage from warm water stimulate the nervous system, lower excitability, dilate surface blood vessels, accelerate circulation, improve skin and tissue nutrition, reduce muscle tension, relieve fatigue, improve sleep, and enhance resistance. Additionally, summer heat opens the pores, making one susceptible to wind, cold, and dampness. Avoid using fans while sleeping. In air-conditioned rooms, avoid large indoor-outdoor temperature differences, and never sleep outdoors at night.
Physical exercise is also indispensable in health preservation.
Summer exercise is best done in the early morning or late afternoon when it’s cooler. Choose locations like riversides, lakeshores, parks, or courtyards with fresh air. Those with resources can go to forests or seaside areas for recuperation and vacation. Ideal exercises include walking, jogging, Tai Chi, and radio calisthenics. Avoid overly strenuous activities. Excessive exercise causes profuse sweating, depleting both yin and yang qi. During exercise, if sweating excessively, drink diluted salt water or mung bean salt soup. Never drink large amounts of cold water, nor immediately rinse your head or shower with cold water—this may trigger cold-damp obstruction, yellow sweat, and other diseases.
Dietary adjustment: In summer, heart fire dominates. Excessive heart fire can overpower lung metal (according to the Five Elements theory). Thus, *Jin Kui Yao Lue* says: “Do not eat heart in summer.” Based on the relationships among the Five Elements (summer = fire), Five Seasons (summer = growth), Five Zang Organs (heart), and Five Tastes (bitter), bitter-tasting foods help support heart qi and restrain lung qi. Summer is also a season of heavy sweating. Excessive sweating leads to salt loss. If the heart lacks salt, cardiac rhythm may become abnormal. TCM suggests eating more sour foods to solidify the exterior and more salty foods to nourish the heart. *Su Wen·Zang Qi Fa Shi Lun* states: “The heart governs summer. The heart dislikes slackness; thus, sour flavors should be eaten to tighten. The heart desires softness; thus, salty flavors should be eaten to soften. Use salty flavors to supplement, sweet flavors to drain.” That is, the heart prefers softness, so salty flavors soften it. From the perspective of yin-yang, summer harbors hidden yin internally. Diet should not be too cold. As *Yi Shen Ji* warns: “In summer, heart is strong but kidney is weak. Though hot, avoid icy treats like snow, honey water, cold noodles, or chilled porridge. Overeating cold food causes cold invasion, inevitably triggering cholera.” “Heart strong, kidney weak” means outer heat but inner cold. Because of this, cold foods should not be overconsumed—small amounts are tolerable, but excess will harm the spleen and stomach, causing vomiting and diarrhea. While watermelon, mung bean soup, and plum bean soup are excellent for quenching thirst and cooling down, they should not be served ice-cold. According to TCM’s inter-organ relationships: “Without heart fire, kidney water is cold; without kidney water, heart fire burns fiercely. The heart needs kidney water to moisten, and the kidney needs heart fire to warm.” This clearly shows the vital relationship between heart and kidney.
Summer weather is hot, reducing digestive function. Thus, diet should be light—not rich or greasy. Eat more whole grains to cool the body. Avoid excessive heat-inducing foods to prevent additional heat. Limit cold fruits and vegetables—do not overindulge, as this may damage the spleen and stomach. Reduce intake of fatty, greasy foods to prevent heat accumulation and wind generation, which may trigger carbuncles.
Summer Recipes:
Lotus Leaf and Poria Porridge:
[Ingredients] One lotus leaf (fresh or dried), Poria 50 g, glutinous rice or millet 100 g, sugar as needed.
[Preparation] Boil lotus leaf, strain out residue. Add Poria and washed glutinous rice or millet to the broth, cook into porridge. Add sugar before serving.
[Efficacy] Clears heat, relieves summer heat, calms the mind, stops diarrhea and dysentery (effective for cardiovascular diseases and neurasthenia).

Cool-Season Lettuce Salad:
[Ingredients] Fresh lettuce 350 g, scallions, sesame oil, MSG, salt, sugar as needed.
[Preparation] Wash and peel lettuce, cut into long strips. Place in a bowl, add salt, mix, marinate for 1 hour, drain water. Add MSG and sugar, mix well. Sprinkle chopped scallions on top. Heat oil in a pan, once hot, pour over scallions, stir well, and serve.
[Efficacy] Benefits the five zang organs, promotes blood and qi flow.

Buttered Winter Melon Balls:
[Ingredients] Winter melon 500 g, condensed milk 20 g, cooked ham 10 g, salt, clear broth, sesame oil, cornstarch, MSG as needed.
[Preparation] Peel winter melon, wash, cut into small round balls, blanch briefly in boiling water, then cool in cold water. Arrange melon balls in a large bowl, add salt, MSG, clear broth, steam over high heat for 30 minutes. Transfer melon balls to a bowl, pour broth into a pot, boil with condensed milk, thicken with cornstarch, add melon balls, stir with sesame oil, sprinkle with ham bits, and serve.
[Efficacy] Clears heat and toxins, generates fluids, relieves irritability, nourishes deficiency, strengthens the spleen and stomach.

Rabbit Meat Spleen-Strengthening Soup:
[Ingredients] Rabbit meat 200 g, Chinese yam 30 g, goji berries 15 g, codonopsis 15 g, astragalus 15 g, jujubes 30 g.
[Preparation] Wash rabbit meat and other ingredients, boil together over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 2 hours. Consume both soup and meat.
[Efficacy] Strengthens spleen and qi.
Additionally, tomato scrambled eggs is also a seasonal summer dish.