The Minor Heat (Xiao Shu) is the 11th term of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms. On July 7 or 8 each year, when the sun moves to the celestial longitude of 105 degrees, the day is called Minor Heat. “Shu” means being hot, and “Xiao Shu” means not very hot. That means that it is getting hotter, but the hottest day is yet to come. That is the time when crops all over China grow faster and stronger.

Ancient Chinese people associated the Minor Heat with three phenomena, “the arrival of warm wind; crickets living in corners of walls; eagles flying into cooler sky.” On the Minor Heat, there is no breeze can be found, and wind, if there is any, inevitably carry heat. On the very day, crickets leave fields to avoid heat, and seek coolness under corners of walls. And the high temperature drives eagles to fly high into cooler sky.