Dashu: The Hottest Days of the Year

If you’ve ever wondered how people in China survive the peak of summer, there’s an ancient system that still guides millions of people through these scorching months. It’s called Dashu, or Major Heat, and it’s one of the most fascinating solar terms in the Chinese calendar.

Dashu marks the hottest period of the entire year. While the Western calendar tells us that summer runs from June 21 to September 22, the Chinese have a much more nuanced view of the seasons. They’ve divided the year into 24 solar terms, each lasting about 15 days, based on the sun’s position and natural phenomena. Dashu is the twelfth of these terms, falling right around July 22nd each year, and it’s when the heat really turns up.