Chushu

The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms. Chǔshǔ, Shosho, Cheoseo, or Xử thử (traditional Chinese: 處暑; simplified Chinese: 处暑; pinyin: chǔshǔ; Japanese: 処暑; rōmaji: shosho; Korean: 처서; romaja: cheoseo; Vietnamese: xử thử; literally: “limit of heat”) is the 14th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 150° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 165°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 150°. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around 23 August and ends around 7 September.

The coming of the End of Heat implies that most parts in China are getting rid of the hot summer and entering autumn. But in some areas, especially in South China, autumn is late in coming and people are still bothered by hot weather.

The coming of the End of Heat implies that most parts in China are getting rid of the hot summer and entering autumn. But in some areas, especially in South China, autumn is late in coming and people are still bothered by hot weather.

This period of hot weather after the beginning of autumn usually refers to the short hot days that last seven to 15 days between late August and early September. This is because the west Pacific subtropical anticyclone, which controls China, turns back north while moving south. The weather under the control of this anticyclone is sunny with strong solar radiation and few clouds. This period is called “old wives summer” in Europe.

Due to China’s vast land area, this period of hot weather after the beginning of autumn is different in different places. For example, the hot weather comes one to two months later in southern China than in the regions of the Yangtze River. And the duration of the hot weather is also different, varying from half a month to two months. Although temperatures are high during this period, air is dry and it’s not hot in the early morning and evenings.

Pentads:

• 鷹乃祭鳥, ‘Eagles worship the Birds’
• 天地始肅, ‘Heaven and Earth begin to Withdraw’, alluding to the end of summer
• 禾乃登, ‘Grains become Ripe’