To determine the time of entering ambush, you need to calculate it according to the almanac. The simpler method is to use the four-character formula "Summer Solstice San Geng" to express the date of entering ambush.

It means that the dog days begin from the third "G" day after the summer solstice. The first dog days last for 10 days, the middle days for 10 days or 20 days, and the last dog days for 10 days.

The "Stems and Branches Day Method" was popular in ancient China, which uses 60 different sets of names composed of 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches to mark days and use them cyclically. Every day with the word "Geng" is called "Geng Day". The character "Geng" in Geng Day is the 7th character among the 10 Heavenly Stems "A, B, C, D, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren and Gui". Geng Day is repeated every 10 days.

Starting from the summer solstice, according to the arrangement of the stems and branches, the third Geng day is the first fall, the fourth Geng day is the middle fall, and the first Geng day after the beginning of autumn is the last fall. When there are 4 Geng days between the Summer Solstice and the Beginning of Autumn, the Zhongfu period lasts for 10 days, and when there are 5 Geng days, the period lasts for 20 days. Therefore, some years have 30 days of dog days, and some years have 40 days of dog days.

Customs of entering Fu

1. Eating dumplings in Toufu

Dumplings are eaten in Toufu, noodles are eaten in the second Fu, and pancakes and eggs are served in the third Fu. It is a traditional custom to eat dumplings on the first day of the summer. People lose their appetite and tend to be thinner than usual on the first day of the summer. It is commonly known as the bitter summer. In traditional customs, dumplings are an appetizing food. In some places in Shandong, raw cucumbers and boiled eggs are eaten to cure the bitter summer. Eggs are eaten in the morning, but no other food is eaten.

2. Toufu radish and radish

Traditionally speaking, the main vegetables in winter in the north are stored Chinese cabbage and radish, so planting autumn vegetables, Chinese cabbage and radish is the most important thing. seems important. The so-called Toufu radish and Erfu vegetables refer to the first 10 days after entering Fu, which is called Toufu. During this season, radish will be planted, and the second 10 days will be called Erfu, when cabbage will be planted.