An Ancient Chinese Tradition Bids Farewell to the Flower Gods

An Ancient Chinese Tradition Bids Farewell to the Flower Gods
Drinking plenty of fluids, eating plenty of fresh vegetables, and avoiding greasy food will to balance your body and help it to adjust to the coming heat. (AnaBGD/iStock)
Moreen Liao
6/3/2018
Updated:
2/8/2022

A solar term is a period of about two weeks and is based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Solar terms form the traditional Chinese calendar system. The calendar follows the ancient Chinese belief that living in accordance with nature will enable one to live a harmonious life. This article series explores each solar term, offering guidance on how to best navigate the season.

Seeding Millet (June 6–20) is the time when farmers harvest early grain crops and plant new seeds for those crops that need to be in before the weather reaches its peak of heat and humidity.

Too much dry weather during this time forebodes that drought in the coming months could challenge summer crops.

With the change in season, spring blooms start to wither. A traditional ceremony used to be held to bid farewell to the flower gods as they journeyed back to heaven, and to express wishes that they return again next year.

It was said that the birthday of the writer of the famous Chinese novel “Dream of the Red Chamber,” as well as the main male character in the book, Jia Baoyu, are both during Seeding Millet.

The key female character, Lin Daiyu, buried dead flowers on the day of Seeding Millet, and wrote a famous poem titled “Burying flowers” on this day. For Daiyu, the burial was symbolic of sending off a beautiful spring and this beautiful time in life.

There is good news, though, for those who are allergic to pollen. The end of the flowering season means relief.

As for those plants that have not yet bloomed, most likely they won’t produce much fruit this year.

7 Ways to Live in Harmony With ‘Seeding Millet’

1. Get up early to take advantage of the cooler morning hours and align yourself with the rising sun. Then, consider lying down at midday for a nap. An afternoon nap can be very beneficial for the body.

2. Go swimming. It’s the perfect exercise for this time of the year, as it moves the body gently and helps with fluid circulation.

3. Shower with lukewarm water, rather than hot, to reduce heat on the body.

4. Bath your feet in warm water, which can help to promote blood circulation and assist those who are not able to fall asleep on hot nights.

5. Embrace the heat. For those who suffer from coldness in the winter, this is an ideal time to push out the hidden problems from the inside to the outside, and from our hearts as well. The increasing heat helps to draw out the remaining coldness inside our bodies.

6. For those who suffer from an upset stomach, try massaging four inches from the top of the belly button. This helps to relieve tension on the digestion system.

7. Use essential oils of wormwood, lavender, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and citronella to repel insects and minimize the impact of bacteria.

Seasonal Foods

Drink plenty of fluids, eat plenty of fresh vegetables, and avoid greasy food. This will balance the body and help it to adjust to the coming heat.

Enjoy plenty of endive, arugula, celery, chard, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, kale, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, seafood, and watermelon.

To replenish fluids and quench your thirst, drink green tea, honeysuckle flower tea, hawthorn berry juice, and plum juice.

Epoch Times contributor Moreen Liao is a descendant of four generations of traditional Chinese medicine doctors. She is also a certified aromatherapist and the founder of Ausganica, a manufacturer of salon-quality, certified organic cosmetics. Visit Ausganica.com.

Moreen was born into a family with a lineage of four generations of traditional Chinese medicine doctors and professors. She was Dean of the Natural Therapies Institute in Sydney, Australia. Drawing on her family heritage, she created a certified organic wellness brand, and co-founded the largest Chinese medical image encyclopedia online.
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