处暑 Chǔshǔ
End of Heat
In 2026: 23 August 2026 to 7 September 2026 (Beijing time)
“End of heat”: 处 means to stop or settle. The summer heat withdraws and the air begins to dry.
- Sun’s longitude
- 150°
- Month (earthly branch)
- 申month
- Season
- Autumn
- Five Phase
- 金Metal
The three pentads
Each term is divided into three five-day pentads, named for what the ancients saw happen in nature.
- First pentad鹰乃祭鸟Hawks lay out their prey, as if in offering
- Second pentad天地始肃Heaven and earth grow austere
- Third pentad禾乃登The grain is gathered in
Wudang yangsheng for this term
- Breath
- Breathe out with a soft, long “si” sound, the lung sound of the Six Healing Sounds.
- Warm tea and diet
- Light, moistening food and honey water; oolong bridges summer and autumn.
- Sleep and daily rhythm
- Make up the sleep that summer took; a short afternoon nap helps.
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 申 month it is 否, Standstill.