春已走，夏当立 | Lixia, Start of Summer
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立夏为夏季开始 预示季节转换
立夏是传统的二十四节气之一，预示夏天的到来。过了立夏，树木枝繁叶茂，庄稼茁壮成长，天气将逐渐炎热。
Lixia (Start of Summer), is the seventh of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar. After the Start of Summer, trees exuberantly put out leaves, crops grow fast, and the heat of summer approaches.
在古代，人们要举行隆重的“迎夏”仪式；民间亦逐渐形成了吃“五色饭”、鸡蛋等一系列习俗，寓意消灾祈福。
People of ancient times attached great importance to the Start of Summer and held large rituals to greeting it. Additionally, eating five-colored meals and eggs became popular among common folks, who felt that avoided evil spirits and gained blessings.
作为一个较为重要的节气，立夏确立的时间很早，大致在战国末年（公元前239年）就已经出现。古时按农历划分四季，它被认作是夏季的开始，预示着季节转换。
This solar term has been ascribed great importance since ancient times in China and was set at the end of the Warring States Period (239 BC). In those days the year was divided into four seasons according to the lunar calendar and Start of Summer was considered as the signals the transition of seasons.
喝冷饮消暑 食用“五色饭”
立夏日，宫廷里吃冰，老百姓们则喝冷饮来消暑。
On this day in the past, nobility of the court ate ice, and common people drank frozen treats to cool off.
“立夏饭”更是一种颇具特色的饮食。它又称“五色饭”，使用红豆、黄豆等具有五种颜色的豆类混上米同蒸，熟后可食。五色饭的寓意源自阴阳五行相生相克的说法，五色意即使五行达到平衡，给人们精神上的鼓励。
Lixia Meal, also known as Five-color Meal, owes its reputation to this solar term. It's made of five differently colored beans mixed with rice and streamed together. The origin of the Five-color Meal comes from the traditional Chinese concern about balance between the opposite and yet complementary energies Yin and Yang and the five primary elements. When the five colors standing for the five elements reach a balance, people are offered spiritual encouragement.
有趣的斗蛋游戏
围绕立夏，民间也衍生出不少有趣习俗，其中“斗蛋”游戏可以有助于预防孩子夏季乏力消瘦。谚称：“立夏胸挂蛋，孩子不疰夏”（疰夏是指夏日常见的腹涨厌食、乏力消瘦）。
There are many customs on the day of Start of Summer. One of them, the egg competition, helps children prevent summer discomfort. There is an old Chinese saying, "hanging an egg on children's chest can prevent them from getting summer diseases".
立夏这日，家家户户煮好囫囵蛋（鸡蛋带壳清煮，不能破损），用冷水浸上数分钟之后再套上早已编织好的丝网袋，挂于孩子颈上。
On the day of Start of Summer, parents prepare boiled eggs for their children; they soak the eggs in cold water for a few minutes, put them in knitted bags and hang them on the chests of their children.
孩子们上学时，便三五成群，进行斗蛋游戏。蛋分两端，尖者为头，圆者为尾。斗蛋时蛋头斗蛋头，蛋尾击蛋尾。一个一个斗过去，破者认输，最后分出高低。蛋头胜者为第一，蛋称大王。
When at school, children gather together for the egg competition. There are two ends of an egg; the pointed end is the top and the round end is the bottom. In the competition, children let the pointed end of their egg collide with the pointed end of their competitor's egg. The children battle one by one and those whose eggs are broken lose the game. The person who has the hardest egg is the champion.
“称人”以验肥瘦
立夏之日称重的习俗起源于三国时期，现在主要流行于我国南方。据称它会带来健康和好运。
The custom to check one's weight on Start of Summer originated from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) and prevails in South China today. It is said that it will bring people good luck.
据说这一天称体重之后，就会在夏天保持健康平安，否则会有病灾缠身。吃完立夏饭后，人们会挂起一杆大秤，老老少少轮流坐上去秤重。小孩子就坐在秤钩悬挂的篮子里。称好的结果，增重就叫“发福”，减重就叫“消肉”。
If you weigh yourself on this day, you will have a strong body during the whole summer, but if you don't you may catch some disease. On the day of Start of Summer, after the meal is finished, people hang a big scale on a beam and family members check their weight by turns. The children sit in a basket which is suspended on a hook. Any increase in weight is called "fafu", while decreases are called "xiaorou".
图片及中文来源：新华网、Chinadaily、图怪兽
编辑：张婷婷
设计：王雅雯
审核：刘秀红
监制：施力维
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