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Read More →Great Heat customs include the locally documented sending-off of a Great Heat boat in Jiazhi, Jiaojiang district, Taizhou, Zhejiang. This is a particular regional ceremony, not an observance shared across China.
Great Heat, Dashu (大暑), marks the final solar term of traditional summer, before Beginning of Autumn. In 2026 it falls on July 23 in Hong Kong Time (UTC+8), at a solar longitude of 120°.
Calendar position and meaning
Great Heat and Major Heat refer to Dashu. July is part of the hot season in many Chinese regions, but the hottest day and rainfall pattern vary by location and year.
| Chinese name | Dashu (大暑) |
|---|---|
| Solar longitude | 120° |
| 2026 date | July 23, Hong Kong Time (UTC+8) |
| Adjacent terms | Minor Heat → Great Heat → Beginning of Autumn |
Regional customs and their evidence
The Taizhou regional culture listing identifies sending off a Great Heat boat as a Dashu tradition of Jiazhi subdistrict, Jiaojiang district, Taizhou, Zhejiang.
The seasonal word “summer” here follows the traditional Northern Hemisphere calendar. The Hong Kong Observatory relates many term names to ancient central Chinese weather and agriculture. Local weather and plant development may differ; Southern Hemisphere seasonal timing is reversed.
What the calendar does not establish
This local ceremony should not be extended to all of China. An illustration of summer fields cannot serve as documentary evidence of the ceremony or its historical appearance.
Regional example source: read the named account. The account supports the place and practice stated above, not medical benefits or a national rule.
Calendar sources
Hong Kong Observatory: term names and solar longitudes; 2026 Gregorian–lunar conversion table; date and time notes (Hong Kong Time, UTC+8). The calendar sources establish astronomical timing and terminology; they do not verify regional customs.
Related reading
- 24 solar terms
- 24 solar terms calendar 2026
- chinese seasonal food calendar
- External cultural reference
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Great Heat in 2026?
July 23 in Hong Kong Time (UTC+8). The solar-term boundary is at 120° solar longitude; civil dates in other timezones can differ.
Is there one Great Heat custom for all of China?
No. Customs require place-specific sources and vary between communities and households. The astronomical calendar does not establish a national food or ritual rule.
