The heat is on

Good at observing nature and following the changes to adjust their life and avoid diseases, Chinese people pay a lot of attention to resting and diet during Dashu.

What people need to care about in particular during this period of time is moisture, which, according to Chinese ancient people, was one of the major causes of illness, says Guo Wenbin, a scholar of the 24 solar terms.

In ancient times, people mixed ginger and brown sugar together and baked them under the scorching sun before they took the mixture to get rid of moisture inside the body. Other food that has the similar function includes lotus seeds, lotus roots and powder of deep roasted peanuts, he says.

Now many people favor litchi, watermelon and ice cream. However, "Chinese ancient people believed, during Dashu, people should eat less rich, cold, raw or fried food to keep our intestines comfortable and clean," Guo says.

Apart from diet, people should slow down their pace of life and stay cheerful to maintain a good psychological status, Guo says.

"Dashu reveals wisdom that tells people, when the fervent summer culminates, we should prepare ourselves for the arrival of the peaceful autumn," Guo says.