立夏：万物繁茂，迎夏而立
立夏，作为二十四节气中的第七个节气，通常在公历 5 月 5 – 7 日交节。此时，温度逐渐升高，雷雨增多，农作物进入旺季生长，标志着季节的转换，人们即将告别春天的温柔，步入热情似火的夏季，它是万物繁茂、生命活力尽显的重要节点。
一、立夏的历史渊源
立夏在我国有着深厚的历史底蕴，早在周朝就有了相关记载与庆祝活动。据《月令七十二候集解》所述：“立夏，四月节。立字解见春。夏，假也。物至此时皆假大也。” 意思是说春天播种的植物已经直立长大了。在古代，立夏这一天，帝王要率文武百官到京城南郊去迎夏，举行迎夏仪式，并指令司徒等官去各地勉励农民抓紧耕作。朝廷还会在这一天赏赐给大臣冰块等物，以表示对大臣们的关怀，这些习俗充分体现了古人对立夏节气的重视以及对农业生产的关注与鼓励。
二、立夏的民俗文化
（一）饮食习俗
立夏有许多独特的饮食传统。吃立夏蛋是一项广为流传的习俗，人们会将鸡蛋或鸭蛋煮熟后，用冷水浸泡再套上编织的蛋套，挂在孩子胸前或让孩子相互斗蛋取乐。据说吃立夏蛋可以预防暑天常见的食欲不振、身倦肢软等不适症状，也寓意着孩子在夏日里健康成长。此外，还有称体重的习俗，人们在立夏这天称体重，期望在夏季保持健康体魄，到了立秋再称一次体重，通过比较体重变化来判断健康状况，若体重减轻则需在秋季及时进补。立夏时节，一些地方还会食用立夏饭，通常是用豌豆、春笋、咸肉等食材与大米一起煮成，五彩斑斓，营养丰富，象征着五谷丰登，对新一季的农业收成寄予了美好期望。
（二）传统活动
挂蛋和斗蛋是立夏最具趣味性的儿童活动。孩子们会精心挑选自己的立夏蛋，在蛋上绘制各种图案，然后通过斗蛋比赛来一决胜负，斗蛋过程中蛋壳破裂者为输，最后的胜利者会被视为 “蛋王”，这一活动充满了欢乐与童趣，也让孩子们更好地感受到立夏节气的独特氛围。在一些地区，立夏还有 “迎夏” 仪式，人们会举行祭祀活动，祈求风调雨顺、农作物茁壮成长，以迎接夏季的到来，表达对大自然的敬畏和感恩之情。另外，夏季炎热，古人认为此时人体容易心火旺盛，所以有 “立夏养心” 的传统观念，人们会通过各种方式来调养身心，如适当午睡、静坐冥想等，以保持内心的平静与安宁，适应夏季的气候特点。
三、立夏的文化意义
立夏不仅是自然季节变化的标志，更蕴含着丰富的文化内涵。它象征着万物生长进入了一个新的旺盛阶段，是大自然生命力蓬勃发展的体现。在文化层面，立夏的民俗活动反映了人们对生活的热爱和对健康的关注。无论是吃立夏蛋、称体重，还是挂蛋斗蛋等活动，都承载着人们对夏季生活的美好期许，希望在炎热的季节里能够保持身体的强健和心情的愉悦。同时，立夏也传承了中华民族古老的农耕文化和传统的养生理念，它提醒人们要顺应自然规律，在不同的季节里采取合适的生活方式和生产活动，这种与自然和谐相处的智慧历经岁月沉淀，成为中华民族传统文化的重要组成部分，深深地烙印在人们的生活和精神世界之中。
The Beginning of Summer: All Things Flourish, Welcoming Summer and Standing Firm
The Beginning of Summer, the seventh solar term among the twenty-four solar terms, usually occurs around May 5 – 7 in the Gregorian calendar. At this time, the temperature gradually rises, thunderstorms increase, and crops enter a peak growth season. It marks the transition of seasons. People are about to bid farewell to the gentleness of spring and step into the passionate summer. It is an important node where all things flourish and the vitality of life is fully displayed.
1. Historical Origin of the Beginning of Summer
The Beginning of Summer has a profound historical background in China. As early as the Zhou Dynasty, there were relevant records and celebration activities. According to “The Collection and Explanation of the Seventy-two Phenological Terms of the Monthly Ordinances”: “The Beginning of Summer, the solar term in the fourth lunar month. The meaning of ‘li’ (beginning) is the same as that in the Beginning of Spring. ‘Xia’ means ‘great’. All things have grown large by this time.” It means that the plants sown in spring have grown upright and large. In ancient times, on the day of the Beginning of Summer, the emperor would lead civil and military officials to the southern suburbs of the capital to welcome summer, hold a summer-welcoming ceremony, and instruct officials such as Situ to go to various places to encourage farmers to hurry with farming. The imperial court would also bestow ice and other things on ministers on this day to show care for them. These customs fully reflect the ancients’ attention to the Beginning of Summer solar term and their concern and encouragement for agricultural production.
2. Folk Culture of the Beginning of Summer
(1) Dietary Customs
There are many unique dietary traditions in the Beginning of Summer. Eating eggs on the Beginning of Summer is a widely spread custom. People will boil chicken eggs or duck eggs, soak them in cold water, put them in woven egg pouches, hang them on children’s chests or let children play the game of egg fighting. It is said that eating eggs on the Beginning of Summer can prevent common discomforts such as loss of appetite and weakness of limbs in summer and also implies the healthy growth of children in summer. In addition, there is a custom of weighing. People weigh themselves on the Beginning of Summer, expecting to maintain a healthy body in summer. They will weigh themselves again on the Beginning of Autumn. By comparing the weight changes, they can judge their health status. If the weight decreases, they need to take tonics in autumn. In some places, people also eat “Beginning of Summer Rice” during the Beginning of Summer. It is usually cooked with peas, bamboo shoots, salted meat and other ingredients and rice. It is colorful and nutritious, symbolizing a bumper harvest of grains and expressing good expectations for the new season’s agricultural harvest.
(2) Traditional Activities
Hanging eggs and egg fighting are the most interesting children’s activities in the Beginning of Summer. Children will carefully select their eggs for the Beginning of Summer, draw various patterns on the eggs, and then have an egg fighting competition to determine the winner. The one whose eggshell breaks during the fight loses, and the final winner will be regarded as the “Egg King”. This activity is full of joy and childishness and also makes children better feel the unique atmosphere of the Beginning of Summer solar term. In some areas, there is also a “Welcome Summer” ceremony on the Beginning of Summer. People will hold sacrificial activities, pray for favorable weather and the healthy growth of crops to welcome the arrival of summer, expressing their awe and gratitude to nature. In addition, summer is hot. The ancients believed that the human body was prone to excessive heart fire at this time. So there is a traditional concept of “nourishing the heart in the Beginning of Summer”. People will adjust their body and mind in various ways, such as taking a proper nap, sitting in meditation, etc., to maintain inner peace and tranquility and adapt to the climatic characteristics of summer.
3. Cultural Significance of the Beginning of Summer
The Beginning of Summer is not only a sign of the change of natural seasons but also contains rich cultural connotations. It symbolizes that the growth of all things has entered a new prosperous stage and is a manifestation of the vigorous development of the vitality of nature. On a cultural level, the folk activities of the Beginning of Summer reflect people’s love for life and concern for health. Whether it is eating eggs on the Beginning of Summer, weighing, or hanging eggs and egg fighting, they all carry people’s good expectations for summer life. They hope to maintain a strong body and a happy mood in the hot season. At the same time, the Beginning of Summer also inherits the ancient agricultural culture and traditional health preservation concept of the Chinese nation. It reminds people to conform to the laws of nature and adopt appropriate lifestyles and production activities in different seasons. This wisdom of living in harmony with nature has been precipitated over the years and has become an important part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation, deeply engraved in people’s lives and spiritual world.