The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Minor Heat, the 11th solar term of the year, begins on July 6 this year and ends on July 21.

中国传统24节气的第11个节气是小暑。今年的小暑从7月6日开始，7月21日结束。

Minor Heat signifies the hottest period is coming but the extreme hot point has yet to arrive.

小暑节气意味着一年中最热的时候即将到来，但还未达到暑热高峰。

The following are 6 things you need to know about Minor Heat.

一起来了解关于小暑的6个小常识。

 A season of storms, thunder and hail雷雨冰雹多发季

Storms, thunder and hail often happen during Minor Heat, though in some years there might be droughts. One of the prevailing farming activities during Minor Heat is staying on top of flood control and drought relief.

暴雨、雷电、冰雹经常在小暑节气发生，不过有些年份可能会出现干旱。小暑期间主要农事活动之一就是防洪抗旱。

A season for the lotus flower莲花盛开的季节

In Minor Heat, high temperatures are good for the growth of the lotus flower. From Minor Heat to the Double Ninth Festival, the elegant lotus flower is in full bloom.

小暑的高温适合莲花生长。小暑到重阳节是优雅的莲花盛开的季节。

Firefly season萤火虫飞舞的时节

Minor Heat is the season when fireflies become lively. Zhu Shuzhen, a woman of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), once described in her famous poem Summer Fireflies a happy scene of children playing with fireflies in the woods at night.

小暑是萤火虫活跃的时节。南宋（1127年-1279年）女词人朱淑真曾在她的著名诗歌《夏萤》中描述了儿童夜晚在林子里与萤火虫戏耍的欢乐情景。

Eating small melons小暑吃小瓜

Minor Heat comes when all kinds of melons are being harvested. One custom in Nanjing, Jiangsu province has to do with enjoying small melons on the day of Minor Heat and having big melons on the day of Major Heat. Small and big melons normally refer to cantaloupes and watermelons.

小暑正值各种瓜收获的季节。江苏南京有一个风俗，就是小暑吃小瓜，大暑吃大瓜。小瓜和大瓜通常分别指哈密瓜和西瓜。

Eating dumplings小暑吃饺子

Dumplings are the traditional and household food among Chinese. When the "dog day" comes, people tend to lose their appetites, and dumplings can refresh people's feelings toward food.

饺子是中国家家户户的传统美食。当三伏天来临时，人们通常会没什么胃口，饺子可以增加人们的食欲。

Sunning clothes晾晒衣服

During the Minor Heat period, with the longest amount of sunlight and the strongest sunlight radiation, many families hang their clothes out in the sun to prevent mildew.

小暑期间日照时间最长、阳光辐射最强，许多家庭都在这时候晾晒衣服，防止发霉。