According to the Chinese agricultural calendar, today will mark the beginning of the 13th Jie Qi season called Li Qiu 立秋 (Coming of Autumn).
So yes, of course, according to the gregorian calendar, we are still in the summer, but you will notice however that yin will take more precedence over yang. Thus, the days began to shorten since the summer solstice (which is – let us remember our geography classes – the longest day of the year with a maximum daylight) and we still have more or less 6 weeks left before the autumnal Equinox, where yin and yang will be in balance (for the duration of the day will be equal to the duration of the night).
Yin Qi will start to take over. The humidity of the summer is still here though. So keep doing the tips recommended in our previous articles (don’t sit on wooden furniture,…).
Similarly, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a weakening of the spleen and stomach can cause an accumulation of humidity. It is therefore essential to strengthen the digestive tube by ensuring to eat less meat and more vegetables. Also, try to avoid as much as possible too spicy dishes that attack the lungs.
Remember, the fall season is related to the Metal element and the lungs also belong to the same element. The Fire element of the spices would therefore attack the Metal of the lungs. Prefer dishes consisting of ginger, green onion, leek, black pepper,… and indulge yourself with seasonal fruits such as plums and peaches to support the lungs, at risk of you getting headaches, nausea, diarrhea, etc… if you don’t.
Waaw, this suddenly makes me think of our recent trip to the Ardèche where I could enjoy peaches purchased directly from the producer. They have that unique and unforgettable taste 😉 Oohh, and I would like to share with you a picture taken today when I returned from the local organic market in Brussels where I found these white peaches literally called “Icepeach” (Melocotoneros Enanos). They seem so delicious, don’t they?
Adopt this same practice during the last warm days of summer, because – who knows – soon, it might be over when the next Jie Qi “Heat Ends” (Chu Shu 處暑) will begin around August 23rd? Well, it appears that the humidity of the rain is already well established in Belgium since our return from holiday…
- Credits Li Qui Picture: Image taken from a traditional Tong Shu, published in Malaysia, 2012
- Credits TCM: asianmedicine.org