In China, generations of people here have come up with various customs to mark the day that in Chinese means "the arrival of Summer." Let's take a minute to hear about a few local customs.
In east China's Shandong Province, there is a traditional saying like this: "eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice and eat noodles on the Summer Solstice." Following the custom, people in different areas of Shandong would all have chilled noodles on this day.
In some mountainous areas, the seasonal wheat becomes mature around the Summer Solstice. And people there take the newly harvested wheat and make pancakes and steamed buns.
Other must-have foods on the day include fresh vegetables such as balsam pears and eggs.
Now the traditional custom is also celebrated in local kindergartens.
Yuan Zhao'ai, kindergarten teacher, said, "We try to let the children remember our traditional practices and customs, as well as enjoy the pleasure of harvest. These vegetables can improve children's appetite in the sweltering days."
The hottest days of summer begin after the summer solstice. Maybe a potted plant or flower at home can bring you a little bit of coolness.
In Urumqi, capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, business is thriving at a local horticultural market.
With the temperature rising constantly, the salespeople are happy to see an increasing number of customers rushing in. On average, sales have doubled from 30 pots per day per stall to 60 pots.