"In me the tiger sniffs the rose." May is the blooming month for roses. In China, Start of Summer, the 7th Solar Term of the year, begins on May 5 and ends on May 20 this year.
Start of Summer signals the transition of seasons. Hence, during this term, the temperature in South China will rise quickly and thunderstorms will increase during this period.
According to Rao Yuansheng, a famous Cantonese cultural scholar, in the Guangfu area (mainly include southern Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and surrounding areas), there is a custom namely "checking one's weigh" at the Start of Summer. The custom originated from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-180). It was believed this practice would bring health and good luck to the people weighed.
Eating eggs is another folk custom at this term. People believed a round egg symbolized a happy life and eating eggs on the day of Start 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. Tea egg has become a traditional snack in China.
Co-presented by Nanfang Daily, Nanfang Plus and GDToday
Written by Keane
Edited by Wing, Nan & Jerry
