Traditional culture in plain words
Greater Heat (大暑)
Greater Heat is the hottest solar term of the year. It falls in the middle of the sanfu days (三伏天), the hottest stretch of the traditional calendar.
At a glance
What the solar terms mean
Greater Heat falls on 23 July in 2026 and 2027, and on 22 July in 2028. The sun is strong and the air is humid. It is the true height of summer.
After Greater Heat comes Start of Autumn (立秋), the first solar term of autumn. The heat has not yet faded, but the season is slowly beginning to turn.
Traditional customs in different places
In southern China and Hong Kong, people enjoy grass jelly (仙草), a traditional sweet eaten in hot weather, and drink herbal tea (涼茶), a traditional brew made from herbs. In Taiwan, some people eat pineapple at this time. In Putian, Fujian, families mark the day with lychees and mutton, while in parts of northern China people drink warm mutton soup. With the sun at its strongest, many also dry ginger and laundry in the open air — a custom known as 'drying in the fu days' (曬伏).
Solar terms belong to the traditional calendar and are shared for cultural reference. For weather, please follow the forecast from your local weather service.