In the Gregorian calendar, this is around 21 June, and the Xiazhi period ends with the beginning of the next solar term, Xiaoshu, around 7 July.
[4] The Liang dynasty scholar Zong Lin [zh] wrote that on Xiazhi farmers should burn chrysanthemum leaves and sprinkle the ashes on their wheat plants as a form of natural disinfectant to prevent plant diseases or pests.
一九二九扇子不离手； 三九二十七，饮水甜如蜜； 四九三十六，拭汗如出浴； 五九四十五，头带黄叶舞； 六九五十四，乘凉入佛寺； 七九六十三，床头寻被单； 八九七十二，思量盖夹被； 九九八十一，家家打炭基； 准备过冬了。 In the mid-20th century, the American sociologist Wolfram Eberhard wrote that "the ordinary citizen is hardly even aware" of Xiazhi celebrations, but that in the past, government officials did make sacrifices on this day.
[4] This is in contrast to the winter solstice festival, Dongzhi, which continues to be actively observed in modern times.
[8] Other Xiazhi foods vary by region: for instance in Taizhou, Zhejiang, it is traditional to eat maiyouzhi [zh] (麦油脂; màiyóuzhī; a kind of spring roll), yanggao (漾糕; yànggāo; a kind of small sticky cake), and dumplings.