夏至 Xiàzhì
Summer Solstice
In 2026: 21 June 2026 to 7 July 2026 (Beijing time)
The longest day: yang reaches its peak, and from now on yin begins to return. Hexagram 44 shows it as one yin line entering beneath five yang.
- Sun’s longitude
- 90°
- Month (earthly branch)
- 午month
- Season
- Summer
- Five Phase
- 火Fire
The three pentads
Each term is divided into three five-day pentads, named for what the ancients saw happen in nature.
- First pentad鹿角解Deer shed their antlers
- Second pentad蜩始鸣Cicadas begin to sing
- Third pentad半夏生Pinellia sprouts
Wudang yangsheng for this term
- Breath
- Yang at its height: breathe out with a soft “he” sound, slowly letting the heat go.
- Warm tea and diet
- Cooling food such as mung-bean soup and melon; a light green tea.
- Sleep and daily rhythm
- Avoid the midday sun and practise at dawn or dusk. As the saying goes, a calm heart keeps the body cool.
Traditional guidance, not medical advice. The terms follow the seasons of central China.
In the Book of Changes
Each month has a sovereign hexagram (消息卦) that shows how far yin or yang has grown. For the 午 month it is 姤, Coming to Meet.