At 1:56 p.m. today, we welcome the arrival of Lixia (Beginning of Summer), one of the twenty-four solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar.

The stars shift as the seasons change, spring departs and summer arrives.

With warmer breezes and longer days, life surges into a new chapter of vitality.

Early Summer's First Flourish: A Poetic Symphony of Sights and Sounds

Outside the window, the greens have deepened, richer and fuller than in spring.

Locust and willow trees sway, their lush branches whispering in the breeze.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, weaving a mosaic of light and shadow on the ground.

The tip of the lotus just peeks above the water, while dragonflies have already perched atop, forming a vivid and lively scene.

Pomegranate blossoms blaze on the branches, their fiery red igniting the passion of summer.

Green plums dangle from the branches, each one plump and full; though still slightly tart, they have become a true emblem of early summer.

Rituals in Everyday Life: Traditions Embedded in the Solar Term

The custom of "weighing people" during Lixia is rich with warmth and affection.

As the scale beam rises and falls, the weigher chants blessings like "eighty-seven marks on the scale, live to ninety-one," expressing heartfelt wishes for health and longevity.

Children clutch eggs in their hands, believing in the saying, "Eat an egg at Lixia, and gain ten thousandfold strength. "These small eggs carry the elders' affection and blessings for the younger generation.

Insights of Time: Philosophical Reflections on Growth

In spring, every day matters; in summer, every hour counts.

Farmers are busy in the fields, illustrating through their labor the eternal truth: "One reaps only what one sows."

Lixia is not merely the start of summer; it also marks a new beginning.

Just as grass and trees grow exuberantly in summer, 

we, too, must press forward with tireless energy, forging ahead bravely through the vibrant season of our own lives.

Just as grass and trees grow exuberantly in summer,

we, too, must press forward with tireless energy, forging ahead bravely through the vibrant season of our own lives.

Just as grass and trees grow exuberantly in summer,

we, too, must press forward with tireless energy, forging ahead bravely through the vibrant season of our own lives.

Just as grass and trees grow exuberantly in summer,

we, too, must press forward with tireless energy, forging ahead bravely through the vibrant season of our own lives.