Start of Summer (立夏) — Chinese Solar Term Meaning & Traditions

Chinese Solar Terms Usually falls on May 6 each year · Updated for 2026

Start of Summer (立夏, pronounced "lixia") is one of the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar. Heat begins to build and everything grows quickly; energy turns outward toward visibility and action.

Start of Summer Energy & How to Use It

Summer terms are full and fiery: action, visibility and expansion. Align with them by doing visible work in your coolest hours and letting warmth carry your confidence.

Ways to Honor Start of Summer (立夏)

• Call someone you associate with this season's feeling — gratitude is strongest at turning points.
• Step outside at the exact midpoint of the day and notice the light; naming the change anchors it in your body.
• Call someone you associate with this season's feeling — gratitude is strongest at turning points.

When Start of Summer Falls

Start of Summer arrives around May 6 each Gregorian year (05-06). In 2026 it falls in early-to-mid May, marking the shift from the previous term (Grain Rain) toward Grain Buds.