立夏是中國傳統二十四節氣（the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第七個節氣，標誌著由春入夏的季節變遷。在此期間，全國大部分地區，溫度迅速上升。
此前的內容中，咱們學過“立春”的英語表達是Start of Spring。那相應的，“立夏”就是Start of Summer啦。
立夏都有哪些習俗呢？一起來看看吧。
The Beginning of Summer comes on May 5 or May 6 every year. When the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 45 degrees, it’s the beginning of the summer season.
“立夏”於每年5月5日-5月6日到來。這時太陽到達天文經度45°，象徵著夏天的開始。
celestial /səˈlestʃl/ 天空的；天體的
longitude /ˈlɑːndʒɪtuːd/ 經度
celestial longitude 天文經度、黃經
立夏
氣候特徵
Usually people consider this period as the time where temperature begins to rise obviously, thunderstorm becomes more frequent and crops’ growth enter the peak season. Many crops seeded in spring can be harvested in the summer.
通常人們認為這段時間是氣溫開始明顯上升的時候，雷雨天氣愈加頻繁，作物進入瘋長季節。很多在春季播種的作物可以在夏天收穫了。
立夏習俗
— 吃立夏蛋 / Eating Eggs —
In ancient China, people believed a round egg symbolized a happy life and eating eggs on the day of The Beginning of Summer was a prayer for good health. They put leftover tea into boiled water together with eggs and the original "tea egg" was created. Later people improved cooking methods and added spices to the eggs to make them taste delicious. Today tea egg has become a traditional snack in China.
在中國古代，人們相信一個圓圓的雞蛋預示著一個幸福圓滿的人生。在立夏這天吃雞蛋，是對身體健康的一種祈禱。他們將吃剩下的茶葉放進燒開的滾水中跟雞蛋一起煮。這樣，最原始的“茶葉蛋” 就誕生了。之後，人們改良了煮茶葉蛋的方法，加入了調味料和香料，讓雞蛋可以吃起來更美味。當今，茶葉蛋已經是一款中國經典的小吃了。
— 鬥蛋 / Egg Competetion —
As an old Chinese saying goes "hanging an egg on children's chest can prevent them from getting summer diseases,” parents will prepare boiled eggs and put them in a knitted bag before hanging them on their child’s chest. When at school, children gather together to play egg competitions by colliding each other's eggs in pairs and the one whose egg is not broken wins.
古時有句諺語“立夏胸掛蛋，孩子不疰夏”。立夏那天，家家戶戶煮好囫圇蛋（雞蛋帶殼清煮，不能破損），在冷水中浸上數分鐘之後再套上早已編織好的絲網袋，掛於孩子頸上。
到了學校裡，孩子們便三五成群，進行鬥蛋遊戲。蛋分兩端，尖者為頭，圓者為尾，鬥蛋時蛋頭鬥蛋頭，蛋尾擊蛋尾，一個一個鬥，破者認輸，直到分出高低。
— 吃蠶豆 / 吃烏米飯 / 稱人 —
In folk, people relieve the summer heat with cold drinks. People along the Yangtze River have the customs of boiling and eating broad bean （蠶豆）.
在民間，人們通過喝涼水來消暑。長江沿岸的人們在立夏還有煮蠶豆吃的習俗。
Many people throughout southern China during lixia will make what they traditionally call,“colorful rice.” It is made from many different kinds of beans, like red beans,soy beans, black beans, green beans and mung beans mixed together with white japonica rice（粳米）. After eating the “lixia rice,” the people also had the custom of weighing themselves, for they say that those who weigh themselves on that day don’t have to be afraid of pining away（消瘦；憔悴） during the sweltering heat of the summer.
立夏這天，我國民間還有很多趣味習俗。立夏當天，我國南方很多地方的人們會用赤豆、黃豆、黑豆、青豆、綠豆等五色豆拌合白粳米煮成“五色飯”，俗稱吃“立夏飯”。吃過“立夏飯”，還有“稱人”的習俗。據說這一天稱了體重之後，就不怕夏季炎熱，不會消瘦。
japonica rice /dʒəˈpɑːnɪkə raɪs/ 粳米
sweltering /ˈsweltərɪŋ/ 炎熱的
