小暑是二十四节气之第十一个节气
Minor Heat is the eleventh solar term of the 24 Solar Terms.
小暑即为小热
Literally, Minor Heat means mild heat.
意思是此时虽然已经
It indicates that although by this time
能够感受到天气的炎热
people can already feel the sweltering weather,
但是并未达到一年内最热
it is not yet the hottest period of the whole year.
小暑只是炎炎夏日的开始
Minor Heat merely marks the onset of scorching summer.
小暑开始进入伏天
The dog days kick off with the arrival of Minor Heat.
所谓热在三伏
As an old saying goes, the most intense heat falls within the three fu periods.
三伏天通常出现在小暑与处暑之间
The dog days generally span from Minor Heat to End of Heat,
是一年中气温最高且
representing the spell with the highest temperatures
又潮湿闷热的时段
coupled with oppressive dampness all year round.
气象变化
Meteorological Features
小暑时节
During the Minor Heat period,
北半球日照时间逐步缩短
daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere gradually grow shorter,
空气湿度增大
air humidity rises,
天气炎热
the weather turns sweltering,
雷暴增多
and thunderstorms become more frequent.
中国北方地区尚未进入雨季
Northern China is yet to enter its rainy season.
每年的7月下旬至8月上旬
The period from late July to early August,
又称七下八上
commonly known as the"late-July to early-August rainy window",
才是中国华北东北
marks the rainy season for North China, Northeast China
等北方地区的雨季
and other northern regions.
物候现象
Phenological Phenomena
一候温风至
The first pentad: Warm winds prevail.
二候蟋蟀居宇
The second pentad: Crickets move into dwellings.
三候鹰始至
The third pentad: Eagles soar in lofty skies.
小暑时节
When Minor Heat comes,
大地上便不再有一丝凉风
not a wisp of cool breeze remains across the land;
而是所有的风中都带着热浪
every gust of wind carries searing heat waves.
由于炎热
Driven by high temperatures,
蟋蟀离开了田野
crickets leave the open fields
到庭院的墙脚下以避暑热
and take shelter beside courtyard walls to escape the heat.
在这一节气中
During this solar term,
老鹰因地面气温太高
eagles avoid the scorching ground heat
而在清凉的高空中活动
by soaring in cool high altitudes.
农事活动
Farming Activities
小暑前后
Around Minor Heat,
除东北与西北地区
apart from Northeast and Northwest China,
收割冬春小麦等作物外
where farmers harvest winter and spring wheat and other crops,
农业生产上主要是忙着田间管理了
agricultural work mainly focuses on intensive field management.
早稻处于灌浆后期
Early rice enters the late grain-filling stage;
早熟品种大暑前就要成熟收获
early-maturing varieties will ripen and be harvested before Major Heat,
要保持田间干湿度
requiring precise regulation of field soil moisture.
中稻已拔节
Mid-season rice has undergone jointing
进入孕穗期
and entered the booting stage.
应根据长势追施穗肥
Panicle fertilizer should be topdressed according to crop growth vigour,
促穗大粒多
to develop full panicles and plump grains.
单季晚稻正在分蘖
Single-cropping late rice is in the tillering stage,
应及早施好分蘖肥
so tillering fertilizer ought to be applied as early as possible.
双晚秧苗要防治病虫
Seedlings of double-cropping late rice require pest and disease prevention,
于栽秧前5-7天施足送嫁肥
with adequate transplanting starter fertilizer applied 5 to 7 days before field planting.
盛夏高温是蚜虫红蜘蛛
The blazing midsummer heat triggers rampant reproduction of aphids, spider mites
等多种害虫盛发的季节
and various other crop pests.
适时防治病虫是
Timely pest and disease control constitutes
田间管理上的又一重要环节
another vital part of field management
民俗活动吃饺子
Folk Custom: Eating Dumplings
在中国北方地区有头伏饺子二伏面
Northern China follows the folk adage: Dumplings for the first fu period, noodles for the second,
三伏烙饼摊鸡蛋
and pancakes with fried eggs for the third.
头伏吃饺子是传统习俗
Eating dumplings on the first fu day is a time-honoured tradition.
伏日人们食欲不振
During the dog days, people tend to lose their appetite
往往比常日消瘦
and lose weight compared with ordinary days.
而饺子在传统习俗里
In traditional culture, dumplings serve as
正是开胃解馋的食物
an appetising and satisfying food.
饺子长期以来都是北方
For centuries, dumplings have remained the favourite food
广大地区老百姓最爱的吃食
among residents across northern China.
（Cao Weihua）
