There’s a particular moment in late August that Chinese calendar-keepers have celebrated for thousands of years. The sweltering days of summer are finally loosening their grip, the air carries just a hint of coolness in the early morning, and the relentless heat begins to feel like something you can actually survive. This is Chushu (处暑), the Chinese solar term that translates to “End of Heat.”

If you’ve never heard of Chushu, you’re not alone. The Chinese solar calendar—a system of 24 seasonal markers dating back to at least the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE)—is barely known in the West, even as it shapes the daily lives of over a billion people in China and beyond. But here’s the thing: Chushu might be the most relatable solar term for American readers. It captures that exact feeling you get in late August, that cautious relief when you realize summer’s worst is actually behind you.