The hottest season has arrived. Summer in China is becoming hotter and longer because of global warming. Sometimes the temperature can even reach higher than 40 degrees, which makes people sweat a lot and turn impatient. How can we live through these tough months? Besides staying with aircon for a whole day or having too much ice cream that makes you feel guilty, Chinese people sure have healthier ways.
睡凉席，摇蒲扇 shuì liángxí，yáo púshàn
Sleep on a summer sleeping mat and wave cattail leave fan.
On a summer night, you may have the experience: once laying on the bamboo or straw woven mat to rest, you will feel cool quickly even if you were sweating a few minutes ago. Body heat is easily passed through your skin to the mat and disappear.
Although there are lots of summer sleeping mat available in the market, my favorite one is still the bamboo mat that gives the most comfortable temperature. Wiping to clean the mat and pave it on bed was a daily ritual in summer during my childhood.
There were not many options for fans when I was a child. The simplest one was cattail leave fan. It can be used to create wind, protect you from the baking hot sunlight and drive away mosquitos. Wave the fan then summer is over soon.
涂花露水 tú huālùshuǐ
Apply Liu Shen Florida Water.
Florida water is the most popular “perfume” in summer. It not only dispels prickly heat and itch from mosquito bites, but also a good sterilization product. In hot days, spray some Liu Shen water to cool away the summer heat. If you add it in hot water for bathing or cleaning the summer mat, the water will have some bactericidal effect. The mint and borneol ingredient make the skin much relieved from mosquito bites.
用勺子挖西瓜吃 yòng sháozi wā xīguā chī
Spoon up the watermelon.
It may sound unhealthy as it is hard to control yourself in front of a freezing watermelon just taken out from fridge. However, it was the luxurious way of relieving summer-heat in old time. Watermelon contains a lot of water. Especially when you have fever, thirst, sweat or fidget due to the heat, have a spoon of juicy and sweet watermelon, the symptoms will be improved immediately! If you ask me which part I like most? Definitely the first spoon of pulp right in the middle of a half-cut watermelon!
喝绿豆汤、酸梅汁 hē lǜdòutāng、suānméizhī
Drink mung bean soup and dark plum juice.
Grandma and mum’s mung bean soup in summer is my best drink. Mung bean has cooling attribute and naturally tastes sweet. Drinking it in hot summer is good for driving away heat. In ancient times, Chinese doctors pointed out the efficacy of mung beans in clearing heat and detoxifying. On the other hand, mung beans can alleviate food poisoning condition to some extent. Anyway, my secret recipe is to dip a saltwater popsicle (盐水棒冰 yánshuǐ bàngbīng) in the soup and wait it melt.
The taste of dark plum juice is sour and sweet, suitable for a season with not much appetite. The magical effect of dark plum juice or soup is that it can well protect the stomach and intestines. Drinking some properly in summer can well protect the intestinal function and promote saliva secretion.
心静自然凉 xīn jìng zì rán liáng
A tranquil mind helps the person remain cool in the heat.
Think about people in ancient time when they do not have any air conditioners or ice. What they believed in is a peaceful mind. Now this “placebo” still works. We live under the burning sun every day. Have a healthy daily routine like going to bed and getting up early to adjust our mentality away from anger and impatience is essential. Keep a cheerful attitude, let our mind calm down to deal with things so as not to lose a good opportunity!
