The Beginning of Summer is the seventh solar term among the twenty-four solar terms and is the beginning of summer. There are three phases in the Beginning of Summer: the first phase is when crickets chirp, the second phase is when earthworms come out, and the third phase is when king melons grow.

The cricket (lóu

guō) lives in a warm and humid environment. With the chirping of the cricket, the smell of summer becomes stronger. Earthworms live in moist and dark soil. When the Yang Qi is at its peak, earthworms are also busy helping farmers loosen the soil. King melon is a medicinal climbing plant native to North China. It climbs and grows rapidly during the Beginning of Summer and will produce red fruits in June and July. The beginning of summer marks the peak season of growth for all things. After the beginning of summer, the sunshine increases, the temperature gradually rises, thunderstorms increase, and crops enter the stage of vigorous growth.